2019 German Grand Prix

Lore & Background

The race was won by Max Verstappen after starting second in a dramatic wet race. Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton led the race until lap 29 when he crashed behind the safety car, losing the lead and his front wing as well as receiving a penalty for entering the pit lane on the wrong side of a safety bollard. Whilst behind the final safety car Daniil Kvyat and Lance Stroll switched to dry tyres before anyone else, allowing them to finish an unexpected third and fourth respectively, with the former scoring his final podium of his F1 career. Robert Kubica scored his final point in the sport with tenth place for Williams, which would also be the team's only point of their 2019 season.

Reader's Guide

The race was scheduled for 67 laps with the formation lap due to start at 15:10 local time (13:10 UTC). After the formation lap and three additional laps behind the safety car, the race director elected to begin the grand prix with a standing start. The race distance was set to 64 laps. At the standing start the Red Bulls driven by Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly were both very slow off the starting grid.

Kimi Räikkönen ended up in third by the end of the first lap. Charles Leclerc moved up to 6th, and Sebastian Vettel improved from 20th to 14th. Verstappen passed Räikkönen for third immediately before Sergio Pérez spun off and hit the wall, causing the first safety car on lap two. As the track began to dry Vettel and Alexander Albon pitted for intermediate tyres, with the majority of the other cars doing the same on the following lap.

The safety car period ended on lap 5. Daniel Ricciardo suffered an exhaust failure on lap 14, causing a virtual safety car. On lap 18, Carlos Sainz lost control at turn 16 but avoided the barriers. By lap 22, the first driver to try slick tyres was Kevin Magnussen on softs, followed by Vettel.

Verstappen pitted for mediums, then Bottas. Norris's car lost power on lap 26, prompting a second virtual safety car. Many teams pitted for dry tyres, including Leclerc and Hamilton. Leclerc spun into the tyre barrier at turn 17, ending his race and prompting the second full safety car.

Hamilton also lost control at turn 17, damaging his front wing and returning to the pits for a 50.3-second stop. All teams were back on intermediate tyres by the time the second safety car period ended at lap 34. At the beginning of lap 34, the top five were Verstappen, Hülkenberg, Bottas, Albon and Hamilton. Hamilton received a five-second penalty for entering the pit lane on the wrong side of a safety bollard.

Bottas and Hamilton overtook cars ahead to race second and third behind Verstappen. Räikkönen avoided beaching his car at turn 17 on lap 39. One lap later, Hülkenberg slid into another gravel trap.

Did You Know?

• It is also the last Formula One race to be held at Hockenheimring, as well as the last time a Russian driver stood on an F1 podium.
• Mercedes ran a different livery in tribute to their heritage, celebrating their 125th year of competing in motorsport and their 200th F1 start.