Rain benefits Verstappen, winner of stunning race

Max Verstappen rarely wins boring races. But this seventh success in Formula 1, acquired at Hockenheim on Sunday July 28, will long be included in the pantheon of the craziest events of the Hybrid era! 

If this 2019 German Grand Prix was so lively, it is largely thanks to the weather conditions. The rain had flooded the track during the lunch break, and it was only after several reconnaissance laps that a standing start was authorized by the marshals. 

When the lights go out, the Mercedes took the lead, unlike the Red Bull particularly slow. For a few moments, Kimi Räikkönen (Alfa Romeo) was even third! Things calmed down for several laps, until the rain returned...

Rarely has a single turn trapped so many frames. The crazy rise of Charles Leclerc (Ferrari, party 10th), able to worry the leader Lewis Hamilton after 30 laps, stopped after contact with the tire wall in the penultimate corner. Ironically, he destroyed billboards advertising...Mercedes.

However, a few moments later, Lewis Hamilton did the same! Miraculously, the Englishman returned to the track but required a catastrophic front wing change. In the chaos, he received a five-second penalty for taking the pit lane behind the safety barrier. 

Then it was the turn of Nico Hulkenberg (Renault) to reconnect with his legendary lack of success. The winner of 24 Hours of Le Mans 2015, which had a real opportunity for a podium (his first in F1), slipped towards the tires and a new disappointment. 

These setbacks benefited Max Verstappen, wisely holding first place after this rather crazy phase. The Dutchman then took more control on a surprising Lance stroll (RacingPoint). 

The German spectators burst out laughing again when they saw Lewis Hamilton, then Valtteri Bottas, pirouetted at the first turn. The Finn could not restart, unlike the leader in the general classification, who nevertheless scored no points. 

Released for five rounds of fire, the survivors engaged in merciless attacks. So, Alexander albon (Toro Rosso) came into contact with Pierre Gasly (Red Bull) two passages from the end, while Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari, starting 19th!) snatched second place from an astonishing Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso)!

Among the disappointments, we find Daniel Ricciardo (Renault), Lando Norris (McLaren) and Sergio Pérez (Racing Point), who retired.

Update. At the end of the race, the stewards imposed a half-minute penalty on the Alfa Romeos of Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi. The first beneficiary is Romain Grosjean (Haas) who finds himself 7th in front of his teammate Kevin Magnussen. Lewis Hamilton finally continues his series of Top 10 finishes by taking 9th position. But the change in ranking mainly favors Williams who won his first point of the season with a tenth place for Robert Kubica. Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi finished 12th and 13th behind the Williams of George Russell, lifting Haas to 8th place tied with the Italian team.

Find it in AUTO issue 2227hebdo analysis of F1 in Germany by our special correspondents, available Monday evening digitally and Wednesday on newsstands.