Nico Rosberg remained on top in the second practice session at the Hockenheimring as the consequences of recent rules changes became increasingly apparent.
On a slightly warmer track Rosberg’s abest time was a tenth of a second off his quickest from first pratice.
But while drivers had been told restrictions on track limits would not be enforced in the first practice session that policy changed in the afternoon. Ahead of the session teams were told each driver could only run wide at turn one a maximum of three times before being reported to the stewards, and some came close to using up all three ‘strikes’.
Lewis Hamilton got within four-tenths of a second of his team mate after locking up at the Spitzkehre on his quickest lap and fighting oversteer at turn ten.
Mercedes’ rivals were closer to them in the second session than in the first. Sebastian Vettel lapped within six-tenths of a second of Rosberg and both Red Bulls were eight-tenths off the pace.
Nico Hulkenberg, who used up all three of his ‘strikes’ at turn one, set the seventh-quickest time for Force India. Jenson Button was eighth despite missing part of the session after complaining part of his cockpit had become very hot.
Their team mates completed the top ten, Sergio Perez ninth after flat-spotting a tyre and Fernando Alonso taking tenth.
Second practice visual gaps
Nico Rosberg – 1’15.614
+0.394 Lewis Hamilton – 1’16.008
+0.594 Sebastian Vettel – 1’16.208
+0.842 Max Verstappen – 1’16.456
+0.876 Daniel Ricciardo – 1’16.490
+0.898 Kimi Raikkonen – 1’16.512
+1.167 Nico Hulkenberg – 1’16.781
+1.534 Sergio Perez – 1’17.148
+1.611 Fernando Alonso – 1’17.225
+1.728 Carlos Sainz Jnr – 1’17.342
+1.753 Daniil Kvyat – 1’17.367
+1.811 Valtteri Bottas – 1’17.425
+1.988 Romain Grosjean – 1’17.602
+2.072 Felipe Massa – 1’17.686
+2.391 Esteban Gutierrez – 1’18.005
+2.442 Kevin Magnussen – 1’18.056
+2.516 Marcus Ericsson – 1’18.130
+2.579 Pascal Wehrlein – 1’18.193
+2.699 Jolyon Palmer – 1’18.313
+2.977 Rio Haryanto – 1’18.591
+3.681 Felipe Nasr – 1’19.295
Drivers more then ten seconds off the pace omitted.
2016 German Grand Prix
- Ricciardo grabs third Driver of the Weekend win of 2016
- F1 went into the summer break on a low
- 2016 German Grand Prix team radio transcript
- Top ten pictures from the 2016 German Grand Prix
- 2016 German Grand Prix Predictions Championship results
Pukka T Pie (@pukktpie)
29th July 2016, 14:55
There goes Alonso’s sweep of 7th places for this GP :( maybe next time! (or not – can’t see the McLarens fairing too well at Spa right now…)
Jonathan Parkin
29th July 2016, 16:01
Bearing in mind what happened at Spa 18 years ago, I’m confidently predicting a McLaren 1-2. Well I can dream can’t I and it would be great for F1 if it did happen
Mashiat (@mashiat)
29th July 2016, 16:13
Don’t you mean a Toro Rosso 1-2
Jonathan Parkin
29th July 2016, 19:21
I’d prefer a McLaren 1-2 tbh
LuvinF1 (@luvinf1)
29th July 2016, 15:07
Why does Rosberg need braking points? Isn’t that what started the furor to begin with? And back at it on first opportunity!
Kribana (@krichelle)
29th July 2016, 15:24
Wrong. The start of the feud between Hamilton and Rosberg was when Nico used an illegal engine mode during the race in Bahrain 2014. Hamilton then did the same thing to him during Spain 2014. However, whilst Nico’s attempt to use the engine mode in order to overtake Lewis didn’t work, Lewis’ attempt did work.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
29th July 2016, 16:14
@krichelle One was used to overtake, the other to defend in a hard to pass track, so it’s hard to compare them
David
29th July 2016, 18:09
Illegal engine mode? Or a mode that he was arbitrarily told not to use? Again, this is why drivers and constructors championship running concurrently is lame. Drivers should be allowed to do what they need to do to win. That is the only way you’ll truly know who is the better driver, when they are using their own skills. Similarly, the only true to know who has the best car is to have each car driven by the same driverless car programming.
PJA (@pja)
29th July 2016, 19:18
@krichelle While I can’t speak for @luvinf1 I don’t think he was referring to any feud between Hamilton and Rosberg in his comment, but rather the radio restrictions and the fact that driver coaching such as telling the driver when to brake was the main thing people didn’t like and why the ban was imposed to start with.
LuvinF1 (@luvinf1)
30th July 2016, 2:46
Thank you, that interpretation is correct. Has nothing to do with the Ham/Ros relationship and all to do with what is and what isn’t driver coaching. I have just gotten some free time to visit the site and check for new articles since my last post.
mike
30th July 2016, 2:29
@luvinf1
So, even though it’s completely legal, they shouldn’t do it?
N
29th July 2016, 15:16
‘At home’. hehe
nase
29th July 2016, 15:31
This article stinks. Rosberg tops a timing screen? Must be due to the fact that Rosberg received feedback concerning a braking point.
What a braking point that must’ve been, when a single piece of advice by an engineer can suffice to top the standings with an advantage of 3 tenths and more …
Sorry, but this – for once – is utter bogus.
minnis (@minnis)
29th July 2016, 15:50
Keith never said that the two were connected – that was entirely your assumption. I’m not sure how the article could have presented those two facts in a less biased way.
Sorry, but your comment is utter bogus.
Juan Fanger
30th July 2016, 0:22
@minnis – I read it the same way as @nase, and I think any neutral would read it likewise.
Keith stated that “Nico Rosberg remained on top in the second practice session at the Hockenheimring as the consequences of recent rules changes became increasingly apparent” and then that the rule changes were that driver coaching is allowed. Keith is definitely implying that ROS is only on top because of driver coaching.
I think FOM broadcast ROS getting tips on breaking points in a deliberate effort to troll the HAM fans, and it worked – Keith’s article being proof.
I doubt FOM will ever release any radio coaching given to HAM because that might damage the carefully constructed image of “Lewis, the driving demigod, who only needs his innate talent to conquer all” that is so important to so many fans.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
30th July 2016, 9:39
I mentioned the points about driver radio messages and track limits because they’re topical at the moment. It just so happens that the first such message I noticed (which I drew attention to at the time on F1 Fanatic Live because of its significance) happened to be to Rosberg.
There’s no reason to assume Rosberg was only fastest because of that one message, the article certainly doesn’t say as much and I find it a bit ridiculous that anyone would jump to that conclusion.
mike
30th July 2016, 2:31
The first paragraph can easily be read to imply it.
Tata
29th July 2016, 15:32
– Why does Rosberg need braking points?
I guess somethings never change.
@krichelle The comment by @luvinf1 is about driver coaching, fan reactions and rules.
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
29th July 2016, 16:16
Hamilton is best at breaking, he would do well to use his breaking points.
Gary
29th July 2016, 16:13
What’s the risk that if Van doorne drives a Manor Mercedes that McLaren won’t be able to get him back into a car with a “GP2 engine”?
Sonics (@sonicslv)
29th July 2016, 18:07
If that “GP2 engine” genuinely placed within top10 for last few races now, and the Manor Mercedes still finished last on the same races, then no risk at all.
Neil (@neilosjames)
29th July 2016, 23:01
They could just tell him to stick a few Merc engines down the front of his shirt when he leaves the factory…
petebaldwin (@)
29th July 2016, 16:26
Congratulations to Nico’s engineer for finding a few tenths. I don’t care if it’s right or not – if you are being told exactly how to drive the car, you don’t get 100% credit from me. Any driver on the grid could be coached through a lap and could put in a similar time – the good ones do it on their own.
It’s a bit like playing a PS4 game whilst reading the guide – it’s much easier to do something when someone is telling you how to do it and it makes it all the less impressive.
David BR
29th July 2016, 16:48
+1
It’s sad that as soon as the radio ban was lifted because of some ridiculous stewarding decisions related to car/driver safety, the first news is Rosberg being coached into corners again. Sad no, just terrible for the sport’s image. Back to square one.
David BR
29th July 2016, 16:55
Sorry to persist, but I mean, seriously, what is wrong with FIA? Why can’t they ever at least try to hit the sweet point? It’s always all or nothing. Either a complete radio ban, even on issues like brake failure, or back to coaching Nico through the corners. Just ban coaching. It’s not difficult to spot, is it? The criticism that led to the radio ban remains entirely valid: hearing drivers, supposedly at the pinnacle of their sport, being told where to brake etc. just makes them appear amateurs or rookies. Or be cynical and don’t transmit these messages.
glynh (@glynh)
29th July 2016, 17:29
@Petebaldwin I’m not a fan of driving coaching either but you must be aware that saying the good ones do it on their own is wrong.
There will be numerous unbroadcast messages, they usually just broadcast an example and then every single driver will go back to the pits and study the telemetry of the others.
All the drivers can benefit equally from this rule and would be foolish not to, the skill of the better drivers will still show in the end.
@HoHum (@hohum)
29th July 2016, 23:58
@glynh,@petebaldwin, As Glyn states they all get to study the telemetry, that is why I only opposed coaching during the race, practice is for learning the fastest way around the track, the race is for applying what you learned in practice. Allowing in-race coaching (as distinct to encouraging “C’mon XXXXX you can catch yyyyy, go for it.”) will be another nail in F1s coffin for me.
pastaman (@)
29th July 2016, 17:34
Seriously, not sure why they threw the baby out with the bath water. Driver coaching as far as driving lines, gears, and braking points should still be banned. Let them tell the drivers which engine modes to be in, target lap times to save fuel, how to avoid critical issues, and anything else that isn’t driver coaching and be done with it.
Anthony (@lagerstars)
29th July 2016, 18:00
+100
I don’t understand how they don’t get that. It’s not rocket science!
Agree entirely with this post!!
DaveW (@dmw)
29th July 2016, 20:17
What if the choice of braking point affects the regeneration performance of the car or the fuel consumption target, which I believe they do? It’s not rocket science but it’s not quite that simple. If the purpose of the braking instruction is to suit a new regeneration strategy, then maybe it is not the same kind of “coaching,” but who is to know this? I also find the instructions on how to take corners to be not sporting, and I said before that it would be simple to just say, no coaching on how to drive. But now I’m not so sure. I think even a more limited restriction could end up in interpretive/enforcement fracas as well.
pastaman (@)
30th July 2016, 20:29
The engineer can tell the driver to save fuel, it should be up to the driver as to how to execute via braking points or other methods.
Patrick (@paeschli)
29th July 2016, 16:29
It’s funny how everyone supposes Lewis never gets coached.
David BR
29th July 2016, 16:50
He was coached by his dad on braking points when he was a kid. And remembered.
Pity Rosberg’s dad was unable to do the same.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
29th July 2016, 17:11
*rolling eyes*
Tata
29th July 2016, 19:07
David’s point above is true in relation to Hamilton’s dad. Lewis narrated how his father would stand at exactly the place Hamilton should brake as a kid. He said he went off track so many times due to the difficulty of the task but he got the hang of it. And that has been his style ever since.
Incidentally, that information is what Nico is being given, on track, decades later by the help of electronics and other calculations done by the engineers at the garage.
David
29th July 2016, 18:06
What is the point of penalizing for running wide in practice? If you are going to penalize running wide in the race and in qualifying, there is no incentive to running wide in practice. The drivers would spend practice testing the limits of the corner to ensure they are going as fast as possible without running wide come the qually and race. Part of that process is going to include running wide. Isn’t that the point of practice?
Mike Dee (@mike-dee)
29th July 2016, 19:12
Exactly, it doesn’t make sense. Everything that is not dangerous and does not impede others should be allowed in practice. It was allowed after all that Williams ran an illegal double rear wing as well a few weeks ago.
SaraJ (@sjzelli)
29th July 2016, 18:17
Shouldn’t it be “home” in quotations instead? Saying this is Rosberg’s home track is a stretch.
sodomy
29th July 2016, 19:57
So Rosberg is back to being told how to drive again. Jesus Christ this is what started it all in the first place.
Face Palm FIA, slow claps, as long as Bernie is happy though right Charlie?
ram
29th July 2016, 20:37
I used to be a Nico fan, But that seems soooooo long ago now. “Weak as Water”
OOliver
29th July 2016, 21:29
The FIA, consistently missing the point as always.
@HoHum (@hohum)
30th July 2016, 0:16
Once again Bernie gets what he wants, and what Bernie wants is controversy a la “reality” TV and whatever TV Wrestling is called now ( I liked the wrestling when I was a 10yo), Bernie wants every team to have it’s own uniformed “Tifosi” to Boo, hiss and cheer, he wants peaked caps at 3 paces, he wants TV ratings because he wants more money, more more more, that’s all F1 means to him now.