Eleventh win of the season for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, all with Michael Schumacher. This equals his record of wins in a season, previously set in 2002. Today’s was win number 81 of Michael's career, the third at this track. The Scuderia has reached the 178 wins mark from 698 races, 18 of those wins coming in the German Grand Prix.
Jean Todt: Eleven wins from twelve races: another record for Michael and for Ferrari. This victory is all the nicer for having been obtained in front of so many fans of the Scuderia and our driver, in Germany, a very important market for us. It was a shame for Rubens, who finished outside the points for the first time this season. His race was compromised by his first lap collision with Coulthard which knocked off his front wing, forcing him to make an unscheduled pit stop. A great driver, a competitive car, a reliable engine, quick and consistent tyres and a first class team: these are the ingredients that go to make a win. Thanks to the help of our technical partners, first and foremost Bridgestone and Shell and our fantastic commercial partners, we have once again put all these elements together to record a win that has an even greater value when considered in the light of the opposition we are up against.
Ross Brawn: It was really only in the opening stages that Michael came a bit under pressure from Raikkonen, even though he had pulled out a bit of a gap over him. When Kimi went out, Michael was able to control the race to the chequered flag, although Jenson and Fernando were never that far behind. After the incident with Coulthard and the pit stop to change the front wing, we changed Rubens' strategy to make up for lost ground, but it did not go the way we had hoped. Then, on the last lap he had what seems to have been a puncture on the left rear tyre, but we still have to look into this with Bridgestone.
In a very exciting and eventful race, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team today secured six Championship points thanks to Juan Pablo Montoya's fifth place and Antonio Pizzonia's seventh position, his best Grand Prix finish to date.
Sam Michael (Technical Director WilliamsF1): It is good having scored points with both cars and it is nice to see Antonio picking up some points as well. We had a poor start on both cars so for the next race we will be looking to make improvements on this. In general, the cars performed better in this Grand Prix, so the latest car developments have demonstrably improved our performance. The pit-stops were good once again and helped the strategies work.
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): The first compliment has to go to Michael Schumacher who dominated this race. The second goes to the Hockenheim circuit. The track layout encourages overtaking and today we saw a lot of interesting duals. With regards to our race result today, it doesn't mirror our increased competitiveness, which we saw in yesterday's qualifying. Antonio drove a good race but Juan Pablo made a poor start. He later managed to climb through the field to finish in fifth, despite struggling with some blistering on the tyres which didn't help when he was trying to overtake the cars in front.
Team McLaren Mercedes driver David Coulthard finished today's Mobil 1
German Grand Prix in fourth position scoring five points for Team McLaren
Mercedes. Kimi Raikkonen retired on lap 13 after a rear wing failure on his
car. Kimi set a new lap record and the fastest lap of the race with a time
of 1:13.780. David was on a three stop strategy, stopping on laps 10 (7.6
seconds), 28 (7.6 seconds) and 47 (8.3 seconds). Kimi stopped on lap 11
(8.9 seconds). David is now seventh in the Driver's World Championship with
19 points ahead of Kimi who has a total of 18 points. Team McLaren Mercedes
is fifth in the Constructor's Championship with 37 points.
Ron Dennis: "Obviously we are disappointed particularly as we had a real chance of
winning the race, but there is no doubt that we have taken a great step
forward. Kimi retired with a structural failure on his rear wing ? the
reason for which we will investigate thoroughly. As it was a manufacturing
mistake rather than a design problem there was no danger of the same thing
happening to David. However his race was hampered when he picked up some
debris which damaged his front wing and deflector quite early on. We are
now all looking forward to the three week break and the Hungarian Grand
Prix."
Norbert Haug: "Kimi was closing the gap to Michael Schumacher with a good chance of an
attack when his rear wing broke. The reason for this we have to
investigate. David's performance was hampered after Barrichello had hit him
and slightly damaged the rear of his car. In addition to this David had a
problem with his deflector, which was broken after he had picked up some
debris. So he couldn't do better than fourth place in the end. It's a pity
that we couldn't turn our speed into a podium finish today."
The Mild Seven Renault F1 Team experienced a dramatic race at today's German Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso finished third, his second podium in three races, while Jarno Trulli, delayed by changing his front wing at the second stop, finished the race eleventh.
Fernando Alonso made "one of the best starts of my career" from fifth position on the grid, and exited the first corner second. He lost a position early in the race to Raikkonen, regained after the latter's accident, and then defended this placing until the final stint of the race. The first three stints were notable for an intense battle with Jenson Button, who he fended off until lap 52. However, after his third stop the Spaniard experienced a serious problem at the front end of the car, and lost a significant amount of grip: he was unable to prevent Button from passing him, but fought off David Coulthard until lap 58 when he touched a kerb and the handling suddenly corrected itself. From that point on, Fernando was again lapping at the same speed as the leaders. At this stage, the team believes that debris were lodged in the car, and between laps 52 and 58, the aerodynamic balance of his car was 8% different from the ideal.
As for Jarno Trulli, his car was the second Renault to collect debris today. Following a very competitive first stint, the Italian hit the debris from Raikkonen's accident, and part of the McLaren's rear wing was caught on the front end of the R24. The team was unable to identify the exact cause of the problem while the car was on the circuit, and therefore changed the nose at the second pit-stop, costing him time and positions. Jarno then battled through the field to finish eleventh.
Flavio Briatore, Managing Director: "Fernando had to work hard for his podium finish today, and he deserves it: there is no doubt that his car's handling was seriously affected during part of the race, just like Jarno's earlier on. However, the whole team did a fantastic job: the engineers on the pit-wall, and the mechanics at the pit-stops. After the disappointment of Silverstone, they deserve this reward."
Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering: "It is fantastic to see Fernando on the podium for the second time in three races, but it is unlikely that many people will have realised how fantastic his drive today was. With Jenson following him during the final stint, something very bizarre happened to the car that seriously interfered with its handling: the result was that the aerodynamic balance was pushed backwards by 8%, a huge amount, and he had to contend with a large amount of understeer. It was not surprising to see Jenson pass him, and it turned out to be a bargeboard that had caught under the car. On lap 58, everything went back to normal when it became dislodged. It was not our day for collecting parts of other cars today, because Jarno also suffered when part of Raikkonen's rear wing lodged behind his rear wing. Today, we had a real attacking race and after so many incidents, it is a great result to score six points."
Lucky Strike BAR Honda were back where they belong on the podium today after Jenson Button delivered a storming drive to second from his 13th place grid slot. Jenson was 'single-handedly' responsible for one of the most exciting races of the season, after he fought Fernando Alonso - and a loose helmet strap - to the chequered flag with one hand on the steering wheel and the other supporting his head. BAR's combination of an excellent strategy, fantastic pitwork and sheer grit and determination from Button proved that the team are back with a vengeance as the season enters its final stages.
His team-mate Takuma Sato played his part in another solid two-car finish for the team, recovering from a 360° spin mid-way through the race to finish eighth, which brings the team's points haul at Hockenheim to nine.
BAR are now just nine points behind second-placed Renault in the Constructors' Championship with 76 points. Jenson retains third in the Drivers' championship with just 13 points separating him from second-placed Rubens Barrichello.
David Richards, Team Principal: "Well that really goes to show you must never give up! I think that Jenson's drive today will be remembered by millions around the world as a stunning example of simply brilliant racing. After a couple of disappointing races in France and Britain we have shown today that we certainly have the speed to match the pace of our competitors, and the championship table is now even stronger as a result. Whilst we all celebrate Jenson's drive today, it is also a direct reflection of all the hard work and dedication of the 400 people at BAR, and those at our partners Honda and Michelin around the world."
Geoffrey Willis, Technical Director: "This was a super race from Jenson and a fantastic result for the team, Honda and Michelin. The change to our strategy following our engine change penalty worked out well and Jenson was able to make considerable progress up the grid as a result of running long in the first stint. Once again we encountered traffic and an absence of blue flags that nearly spoilt the outcome, but in the end the team and Jenson earned a well-deserved second place. After some good overtaking manoeuvres earlier in the race, a mistake cost Takuma a place then he lost out to Pizzonia whilst lapping backmarkers. It was however good to finish two cars in the points and improve our Constructors' and Drivers' Championship positions."
Shuhei Nakamoto, Engineering Director, Honda Racing Development: "I am delighted with the performance of both the drivers and the team today but Jenson in particular drove a superb race. To have both cars in the points is a great boost for everyone as we go into the summer break."
Sauber drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Felipe Massa finished ninth and 13th respectively in today's German Grand Prix in Hockenheim.
Peter Sauber (Team Principal): "We came to Hockenheim feeling quite confident after our excellent result at Silverstone, so what we were able to show today was weak and hugely disappointing. We have some time now before the next race, in Hungary, to analyse the less positive aspects of our race today."
Spectators at the Hockenheim-Ring (Germany) were treated to an action-packed race this afternoon as teams battled it out at the German Grand Prix. After an aborted first start, Jaguar Racing drivers Mark Webber and Christian Klien - starting from 11th and 12th respectively - both got clean away from the grid and round the first lap without incident. The next 66 laps were an exciting battle with Mark fighting with the BAR of Sato and making a fantastic overtaking move on the Renault of Jarno Trulli on lap 26. Christian saw off competition from Jarno Trulli as well and after a three-stop race both cars saw the chequered flag with Mark coming home in a rewarding 6th position for three Championship points and Christian in 10th. The team will now make the most of the three-week break and despite the testing ban will be focusing on off-track tests and development back at the factory in Milton Keynes (UK).
Dr Mark Gillan Head of Vehicle Performance: It's been quite a tough weekend for us here in Hockenheim. The heavy rain did not help as it made the track green overnight on Friday. However, I was pleased going into Qualifying and then into the race. Our strategy was to get ourselves into the best possible position as fast as possible and we could not have asked for more when Mark went 6th by the end of the first lap. Our pitstops were excellent and Mark's race had been pretty near perfect by the time he crossed the line in 6th. Christian did a good job out there and he finished without being lapped or having any mistakes. He continues to progress and I am pleased with his performance out there today. To come away with three points is fantastic, I am really pleased. It's a welcome boost to the team and it confirms that fact that we can race and score points on our own merit.
Tsutomu Tomita - Team Principal: "It was a problematic and extremely disappointing race result for Toyota today, but I think we can take a lot of positive things away after the first race weekend with our revised TF104B car. We had the pace to score some points today, as we can see from setting the fourth fastest lap of the race. Unfortunately, our race was over at the beginning when Olivier stalled on the grid. He then lost a lot of time stuck behind backmarkers and was unable to make up enough positions. Cristiano also had a lot of traffic but was forced to retire with a rear tyre puncture, the exact cause of which we have to ascertain with Michelin. The TF104B showed a really encouraging pace and both drivers set competitive lap times when they had a clear track. All in all, we are disappointed that we could not score the points we deserved, but at the same time we should be pleased with the car's performance at this weekend's German Grand Prix."
Jordan Ford drivers Giorgio Pantano and Nick Heidfeld contended with car handling and tyre problems in today's German Grand Prix, Pantano losing time to two separate tyre-related issues at the beginning and end of the race while Heidfeld retired with a handling problem on race lap 43. In spite of the setbacks Pantano was relatively satisfied with the Jordan Ford EJ14 package and was able to deliver consistent and increasingly quick lap times throughout most of the race, even setting his fastest time on the final lap (1:16.058). Bridgestone and are Jordan are investigating the tyre issues experienced.
James Robinson: It was an exciting race and good to see some overtaking. We ran two different strategies and unfortunately Giorgio's early pace was stopped by a suspected puncture, which we are investigating with Bridgestone, with the very slow lap coming into the pits ruling him out of contention for higher positions from that point on. Nick was on a two-stop race and found it really hard-going, in the end we retired him with a handling problem which we wanted to investigate. He was not in a points-scoring position and at that late stage in the race there was no point taking any risks.
Eddie Jordan: It was a tough day for our drivers, twelve races into a demanding season for us and F1 in general. The three week gap between this race and the next one in Hungary gives the team time to closely examine our situation and see how we can progress and it also offers the opportunity for most to have a few days of much needed rest. We are looking forward to returning in Budapest, revitalised and ready to keep fighting our way forward.
Wilux Minardi Cosworth today experienced a satisfying German Grand Prix, drivers Zsolt Baumgartner and Gianmaria Bruni both taking the chequered flag after very consistent performances in the 66-lap race. The only real moment of concern came when Bruni arrived at the pits for the first of his three scheduled stops with damage to the barge boards on the left side of the car. These were removed by the mechanics, although the work necessitated extra time in the pits. Once he had rejoined the race, however, Bruni pressed on in determined fashion, 17th place being his eventual reward for what had been a gritty drive. Baumgartner had a less eventful German Grand Prix, and after slipping by his team mate on the opening lap, ran three commendably consistent stints to finish 16th.
Paul Stoddart, Team Principal, Wilux Minardi Cosworth: It was a good race from the Minardi viewpoint, and both drivers can take a lot of credit for their performances here today. Zsolt was very consistent in his early race stints and handled the traffic well. Gimmi had a barge board problem that had to be rectified at the first stop, but his pace in the next two stints was good, especially considering he set his fastest lap times with only the main barge board on the right side of the car still in place. Despite finishing P16 and P17 today, I think Zsolt and Gimmi drove good, consistent races. It was an excellent team effort this afternoon.
Michael Schumacher was in dominant form this afternoon in front of his home crowds, winning his third German Grand Prix from pole position and giving Bridgestone its 90th victory since entering the FIA Formula One World Championship as a tyre supplier in 1997.
The world champion stormed off into the distance at the start of the race and won with a clear margin, giving the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver another ten points for his 11th win of the season. He now has 110 points to Rubens Barrichello's 74, the Brazilian finishing in 12th place after an unlucky race. The Scuderia Ferrari team continues to lead the Constructors' Championship with a large margin of 184 points to Renault's 85. Sauber Petronas' Giancarlo Fisichella, meanwhile, missed out on a points scoring finish after driving a steady race to cross the line in ninth place.
Hisao Suganuma – Technical Manager – Bridgestone Motorsport: Today was a great race for Michael Schumacher – his eleventh win of the season. He is quite incredible and we are delighted to have been able to provide him with the tyres to achieve this result from pole. It was a fascinating race which saw many exciting overtaking manoeuvres. The nature of this circuit means that Hockenheim always throws up a few surprises and it was unfortunate for Rubens that he suffered a suspected puncture after working so hard to work his way up the field. Jordan's Giorgio Pantano also had a tyre problem and we are investigating both of these issues. However, overall, this has been a very satisfying weekend for Bridgestone. We had worked hard to re-establish our competitiveness on this circuit and victory for Michael was a great way to finish the weekend.
Ross Brawn – Technical Director – Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro: It was a pretty intense first part of the race but it was not until Kimi had his problem that Michael was able to control it through to the chequered flag. We were also involved in trying to do something for Rubens to see if we could get some points but it just didn't go his way. Anyway, on the last lap he went wide and picked up what seems to have been a puncture. A little disappointing for Rubens but we can't complain, we won the race. It was a very controlled drive from Michael and we didn't really see today how fast he could go.
Michael Schumacher might have wrapped up his 11th victory of the season in his home grand prix - only the third Formula One win of his career at Hockenheim - but Michelin drivers Jenson Button (B·A·R-Honda) and Fernando Alonso (Renault) stole the show with their spectacular battle for second place. Schumacher was able to control most of the race from the front for Ferrari - although he faced a fierce early challenge from Kimi Räikkönen (Team McLaren Mercedes/Michelin). That fizzled out, however, when Räikkönen spun off at the start of the 14th lap with a broken rear wing.
Button faced a much tougher afternoon's work. "This was without doubt the best race of my F1 career. I'm just so thrilled to finish second when I thought the best I could hope for was maybe fifth, at best."
Although he was third fastest in qualifying, he had to start 13th after picking up a penalty in the wake of an enforced engine change on Friday. He carved his way through the field, however, and eventually got the better of Alonso on the 53rd of 66 laps. The Englishman subsequently pulled away and left the Spaniard to deal with the growing threat of David Coulthard (Team McLaren Mercedes/Michelin) and Juan Pablo Montoya (BMW WilliamsF1 Team/Michelin). Montoya started from the front row of the grid, alongside Schumacher, but a poor start compromised his chances of a first podium finish since Imola, in April. Fourth-placed Coulthard was fortunate to emerge unscathed after Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello hit him on the opening lap - an incident that obliged the Brazilian to pit for a fresh nose section.
Mark Webber (Jaguar Racing/Michelin) obtained his team's best finish of the season by taking sixth, just ahead of Williams stand-in Antonio Pizzonia (making his first grand prix start for more than a year) and Takuma Sato (B·A·R-Honda/Michelin).
Christian Klien (Jaguar/Michelin) moved up to 11th on the final lap - after Barrichello slowed with a damaged left-rear tyre - and Jarno Trulli slipped back from the leading pack to finish 12th for Renault. The Italian has confirmed that he will be leaving the team at the end of the season. He is expected to join Toyota, for whom Olivier Panis finished 14th today. The Frenchman qualified ninth but started last after stalling on the grid. His team-mate Cristiano da Matta spun off and was the only Michelin driver other than Räikkönen not to finish.
Pierre Dupasquier, Michelin motorsport director: "This has been an exciting race. Five of our partner teams finished in the top six and we can but wonder what might have happened had Kimi Räikkönen not been forced to retire or had Jenson Button started from his rightful place on the grid. I would like to compliment the B·A·R-Honda and Renault drivers for putting on a fantastic spectacle for the crowds today - Jenson and Fernando showed the true spirit of what Formula One should be all about, as did Takuma Sato and Jarno Trulli in the early stages of the race. It was terrific to watch.
"Today's race was a real challenge, because the track temperatures were fairly high and the pace was relentless. Despite that, however, our tyres stood up exceptionally well to the specific difficulties of Hockenheim. Most of our teams ran on the 'prime' compound while Jaguar went for the 'option', but both types were consistent and our drivers were able to set quick times throughout their stints. Now we look forward to a short break before we travel to Budapest, where our partner teams annexed the top seven places in 2003."