27/07/2016
NEWS STORY
The 2016 Formula One World Championship season continues this weekend with Round 12, the German Grand Prix, from Hockenheim.
Lewis Hamilton: Getting that win in Hungary after a less than straightforward weekend was a great feeling. If I can come out on top when things aren't quite perfect, that can only be a good thing. Now it's off to Germany and another one of the team's home races after Silverstone. It's great to be going back there. My last win in Hockenheim came way back in 2008, which seems like a lifetime ago, but I've got some great memories from the circuit and the country itself. I raced there a lot when in my early career in the junior racing formulae and, of course, I've been part of the Mercedes-Benz family since way back when. It would be great to get another win there for all our Mercedes employees and for the team, too, before the summer break. The last few races have been good for me, so if I can continue that form into this weekend I'll be in good shape.
Nico Rosberg: It was disappointing to lose the race at the first corner in Hungary. But I was really happy with my pace all weekend, so that gives me good confidence moving forwards. I'm happy to have the chance to get back in the car again so soon - and especially happy that it's at my second home race. I had a fantastic day at Hockenheim a few weeks ago driving Mika Häkkinen's Championship-winning car. That really gave me a massive buzz to be back racing in Germany. Driving in through the circuit gates brought back so many great memories - from my childhood days at the DTM with my Dad right through to winning the Grand Prix for myself in 2014. Hopefully I can repeat that this year for the fans and for everybody at Mercedes. After this race it's a well-earned break for the team, too. I'll be pushing flat out to give them the result they deserve before they get some time to recharge their batteries.
Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: To get such a result in Hungary, which is not a track that has traditionally suited us, shows how far we have progressed. That is the most satisfying outcome and a big positive for the rest of the season. We are in a strong position as we move past the halfway point, with two drivers performing at a high level and a competitive combination of chassis and engine underneath them. Their battle shows no signs of dropping in intensity, and we can expect plenty of entertainment as the races and points count down. Next, we have our home race in Hockenheim. It's no secret that this is a big weekend for us. We are just a small part of a large global organisation and we take great pride in representing the three-pointed star out on track. I'm sure our rivals would take great pleasure in beating us on our home turf, so the pressure is on. But we will do everything in our power to make Mercedes-Benz proud and head into the summer break on a high.
Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical): Hockenheim is a great circuit. With a good range of cornering speeds, it places a high demand on every aspect of car performance, so we hope our package will be strong there. We have the same tyre compounds available as in Hungary with the Medium, Soft and SuperSoft - but the track is quite a bit more aggressive than the Hungaroring, so we will likely see a range of different strategy options emerging as potential candidates for the race. It's great to go back to Germany after not having raced there in 2015 - which was a huge omission from the calendar. It's also a fantastic opportunity for our colleagues from Stuttgart to see their Silver Arrows close up - and a fantastic privilege for us to represent the 280,000 Daimler employees worldwide at this home event for the company. Of course, that brings with it a lot of pressure - but we'll go out there and do our best to deliver a top result. It's a great venue for spectators, with the stadium section providing fantastic views of the final sector. After an emphatic win for Nico and a superb recovery drive for Lewis back in 2014, we'll be hoping to bring even more excitement and success this time around.