Masterful Alonso triumphs at Hockenheim
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso drove an absolutely faultless race in Germany on Sunday afternoon to become the first three-time winner of 2012. Alonso was under consistent pressure, first from Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and later from McLaren’s Jenson Button, both of whom got within less than a second of the Ferrari at times. But the Spaniard never put a wheel wrong nor lost his nerve and pulled away in the closing stages as Button faded and was repassed by Vettel.
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Formula 1 German Grand Prix 2012 Hockenheimring- Winner Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari F2012 – photo www.formula1.com
Results
1 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 67 Winner 25pts
2 ***Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 67 +3.7 secs 18pts
3 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 67 +6.9 secs 15pts
4 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault 67 +16.4 secs 12pts
5 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 67 +21.9 secs 10pts
6 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 67 +27.8 secs 8pts
7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 67 +28.9 secs 6pts
8 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault 67 +46.9 secs 4pts
9 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 67 +48.1 secs 2pts
10 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 67 +48.8 secs 1pt
*** Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel has been handed a 20-second time penalty by the stewards in Germany for his pass on McLaren’s Jenson Button during the closing stages of Sunday’s race. Vettel had finished the Hockenheim event in second, but the addition of the penalty leaves him fifth in the results.
As a result of Vettel’s penalty, Button is promoted to second in the results. Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen moves up into third and Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi takes fourth.
Qualifying
1 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:40.621
2 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:41.026
3 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:41.496
4 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1:42.459
5 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1:43.501
6 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1:43.950
F1 German Grand Prix
Formula 1 Grand prix of Germany 2012 (in Geramn Formula 1 Grosser Preis Santander Von Deutschland 2012) is the 10th race of the season and take place on July 22 on the Hockenheim Circuit.
Sponsor: Großer Preis Santander von Deutschland
The German Grand Prix is shared between the Nürburgring (former home of the European Grand Prix) and the Hockenheimring (Hockenheim Circuit).
Previous winners
2011 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes Nürburgring
2010 Fernando Alonso Ferrari Hockenheimring
2009 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault Nürburgring
2008 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes Hockenheimring
Hockenheim Circuit
Race Date: 22 Jul 2012
Circuit Name: Hockenheimring
Number of Laps: 67
Circuit Length: 4.574 km
Race Distance: 306.458 km
Lap Record: 1:13.780 – K Raikkonen (2004)
Hockenheim Circuit – aerial view
Hockenheim Destination Guide
Hockenheim is a town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, about 20 km south of Mannheim and 10 km west of Walldorf. It is located in the Upper Rhine valley on the touristical theme routes Baden Asparagus Route (“Badische Spargelstraße”) and Bertha Benz Memorial Route.
Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher at Hockenheim – photo Reuters
The town is widely known for its Hockenheimring, a motor racing course, which hosted over 30 Formula One German Grand Prix races since 1970.
Since its first Grand Prix in 1970 Hockenheim has been the scene of many great races. Surprisingly, local hero Schumacher has won the race only four times, but that doesn’t make him love his home race any less.
“Of course my home race is special,” says Schumacher, “because the fans are amazing. Among the first things I’d do when I arrive in the Hockenheim area are to have lunch with Willi Weber, whose office is not far away, and then find a football pitch and have a game with a few friends.”
Transport
There are two big airports near to the track. Frankfurt is the closest (90 kilometres), with Stuttgart only 30 kilometres further away. These distances make a car most race-goers’ preferred method of transport. And there is ample car parking space at the circuit because many of Schumacher’s army of fans camp in the forest adjacent to the track.
Coach services run from Frankfurt and Stuttgart to the towns surrounding Hockenheim, such as Heidelberg and Mannheim, while the nearest train stations are Schwetzingen and Heidelberg. However, you will still need to make the final part of the journey by car or taxi.
Where to go?
Hockenheim is in a rural part of Germany, where the local farmers are infamous for complaining that the traffic at Grand Prix time gets in the way of the harvest, but that won’t stop you enjoying the area’s beautiful countryside. The town itself boasts an unusual tobacco museum, while the collection at the
Hockenheimring’s motorsport museum includes various Grand Prix machines.
The nearest city of any size is Heidelberg, which boasts beautiful architecture and good restaurants. If you’re after a more vibrant nightlife, you can travel to Frankfurt or Stuttgart. Local places of interest are an extensive aviation museum in Speyer and, of course, the River Rhine, which flows nearby.
Heidelberg – Germany
Where to stay?
There are plenty of hotel options available in Speyer, Mannheim and Heidelberg, all within half an hour’s drive of the track. Most hotels are small, family-run affairs, so if you want to stay in one of the international chains, you’ll have to head to the bigger cities of Frankfurt or Stuttgart.
“The camping area is the best option,” says Schumacher. “You won’t sleep a minute because of the noise, but you will have lots of new friends by the end of the weekend!” Book a Hotel
Extended stay
For those who don’t want to travel far from the circuit, Schumacher has a few suggestions: “For culture, go to Heidelberg and the River Rhine area. If you like driving and want to have some fun, go to my hometown of Kerpen and drive at my kart centre!”
Otherwise, why not check out Bavaria’s stunning castles, or for a city break, how about Cologne? It’s only 240 kilometres away and is not too far from the Nurburgring.
Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria
