The last time we were at Hockenheim all hell broke loose. This was the race in 2010 when Ferrari couldn't resist their in-built urge to tell the No.2 driver to get out of the way of the No.1 driver.
Rob Smedley finally had to tell Felipe in very explicit terms that Fernando was faster than him, though it was widely reported that he was only faster because he'd turned his engine mode up. From a tactical, championship point of view it was ultimately the right choice, because although Ferrari had to pay a $100,000 fine, bizarrely the result was allowed to stand. No reversing of places. No amending the official result. One of the highest fines ever meted out to a team in F1 history but the result was unchanged. This ultimately allowed Alonso to go into the final race of the 2010 season leading the standings.
Still, it's legal now so they can do what they like - as OffonF1.com have noted.
Ferrari got their biggest haul of points of 2012 at Silverstone and though Fernando Alonso was denied the win, the proximity of Felipe to his team leader gave them the points that took them above Lotus. That may not last.
Once Lotus can crack their qualifying issues they stand a serious chance of ending up coming second in the constructors' championship. At Silverstone Grosjean and Raikkonen put in more fastest laps than anyone else but suffered from less than ideal qualifying and poor starts. Grosjean's drive back to P6 after changing a front wing early on was a massive achievement and underlined the Lotus's ability to be driven quickly without damaging the longevity of the tyres.
Interestingly, the team had one development front wing at the race and it was Grsojean who got it, not Raikkonen. It didn't make much difference as Paul DiResta drove over it on the opening lap but the intention was there.
McLaren are in denial that there's anything wrong with their car, but after what the team admit themselves as a "fortunate" 8th and 10th at Silverstone they are now fourth - yes fourth - in the Constructors' Championship behind Red Bull, Ferrari and Lotus. If Mercedes had got their reliability sorted out they might even be in danger of losing that.
Button's been performing better of late and Lewis is frustrated that he's putting in maximum effort and getting very little in return.
Merecedes are confident that the power circuit of Hockenheim will suit the W03 and Michael Schumacher is more upbeat than ever as he heads into his home race. Michael is the key to the driver market, once he confirms that he's going to stay put for 2013 everyone else can make their decisions. If he goes, then it's DiResta to Mercedes and Alguersuari to Force India and maybe Sutil to Williams.
Bruno Senna, the less-crashing of the two crashing Williams drivers has to start showing some performance soon as it's rumoured that Jaime Alguersuari has put a budget together for 2013 and if there's no vacancy at Force India then Frank's team would like one driver who can keep the machinery in one piece.
His team-mate, the fast-but-crashing Pastor Maldonado is hoping to get on top of his: cold-tyres-cold-brakes-oops-there's-a-car-alongside-me issues and show the kind of form that gave him his magnificent Barcelona win. It makes you wonder what the point of Alex Wurz the diver coach is. He really needs to take a lesson from SuperNanny and find a naughty step around the back of the motorhome.
Lots more innovations are due to kick in at Hockenheim. Caterham's raft of changes at Silverstone didn't really bring a 'step' as they had very little 'normal' running over the weekend. James Allison, technical director of the Lotus team has said they'll have some "interesting" updates for Hockenheim but hasn't said what they'll be. The team were hoping for hot weather but at present it's predicted for warm at 21 and 22C and sunny intervals on all three days.
Pirelli are due to hand the teams two sets of the new version hard tyres to try out. Pirelli's affable Paul Hembery explained: "The new hard tyre is not a big evolution, but it has a slightly wider working range, which should make it easier for the teams to get the tyres up to temperature and maintain them in the correct operating window," explained Hembery.
So they'll be known as easi-Hards.
"We're running them in Friday free practice only," said Paul, "as with the championship so finely balanced, we feel that it would be unfair to suddenly alter one of the fundamental parameters that the teams have made a lot of effort to understand and get the most out of."
Of course this will be Pirelli's first visit to Hockenheim having been to the Nurburgring last year (because the German Grand Prix alternates between the two). F1's tyre supplier is taking Soft and Medium compounds to the race.
And finally Nick Heidfeld will make his return at Hockenheim, but sadly not in F1 machinery. Fans of the former Sauber and Williams driver will be able to see him in the Porsche Supercup.
FH
