P4 finish for Max in German GP: 'Fourth place best result possible'

Published on 22 July 2018 by Raymond Snip

Max Verstappen finished the German Grand Prix in fourth place. In an exciting race which was won by Lewis Hamilton, the Dutch Aston Martin Red Bull driver could not make the difference. Valtteri Bottas , like Hamilton, driving for Mercedes finished 2nd, followed by Kimi Raikkonen in his Ferrari. Sebastian Vettel lost the race by shooting off track in the final stage of the race.

After the race Max tells us about his race: “It was a bit of chaos. You always hope it will rain, but this time it worked a little against us. In terms of result, it didn’t make a difference, since everybody went to get new tyres during the safety car situation, me included because the softs were not quick enough. P4 was the best result possible here today in these conditions. Without the rain we would have been able to fight for the podium. However today it was not possible.”

Max tells Verstappen.nl how treacherous it was on track: "The conditions were difficult, which is why I came in. It started to rain heavily towards turns eight and ten. I thought that if it went on like this, it would also start in sector three. But that did not happen, so I had to make a pit stop again. We gambled, but it didn’t pay off."

Vettel slid off track, after which his race ended in the tyre barrier. Max explains: "It was super difficult, especially in that turn. If you lock up there, you shoot straight ahead. In those difficult conditions, it could have happened to anyone. You try to find grip at such a moment, but do not want to take too much risk. Also, because I was in a good position at that moment. Then you drive on feeling. And take a little margin by braking a bit earlier and rolling through the corners, that sort of thing."

"Now we are already looking forward to Hungary, of course we try to do our best again. I look forward to it", Max finishes.

Before the start it was clear that not Daniel Ricciardo but Pierre Gasley would start from the back. Honda has given the Scuderia Torro Rosso driver, for “tactical reasons”, a completely new power unit. With that, the Frenchman will start the race from the last spot on the grid. At the start of the warm-up lap it is hot and dry but clouds are overhead. Race control reports a 60% chance of rain during the race.

When the lights go out everyone gets well of their spots. There are no changes at the front. Vettel keeps the lead, followed by Bottas, Raikkonen and Verstappen. Max put Raikkonen under pressure but does not get a chance to overtake the Finn. Early on rain drops appear on the lenses. Hamilton has good pace and within a couple of laps he is already in tenth position. In the back, Ricciardo has more difficulty making progress.

In the early stages not much is happening. Vettel, Bottas, Raikkonen and Max are still the top four. Everyone is still in the race. Ricciardo is complaining about a lack of grip on his medium tyres. After ten laps, Max has a gap of more than twelve seconds to Kevin Magnussen driving in P5.

In lap 13 Hamilton has advanced to P6 and is on Magnussen’s tail. Towards the hairpin, the reigning World Champion has no problem passing the Danish driver. At the same time, Raikkonen comes in for his first stop. The Finn rejoins in front of Hamilton and is probably on a two-stopper.

After twenty laps Ricciardo has also reached the top ten. So far only Raikkonen and Hülkenberg have made a pit stop. Because Magnussen, Carlos Sainz and Romain Grosjean make a pitstop, Ricciardo climbs to P7 without a battle. Vettel comes in in lap 26. He switches to softs and falls back to P4, behind Bottas, Max and Raikkonen.

Still the rain holds of. Bottas makes his stop in lap 29, while Ricciardo's RB14 comes to a stop. "Losing power", the unfortunate Australian reports via the radio. Max immediately comes in for his first stop. The Dutchman changes to softs and falls back to P5, behind Bottas. Raikkonen, Vettel, Hamilton, Bottas and Verstappen all driving on softs. Hamilton will, after his pit stop, probably want to attack on ultrasofts.

Vettel wants to overtake Raikkonen. "This only takes time and it ruins my tires" the German tells on the radio. Rain is still expected and Ferrari seems to be waiting with a team order. Max making progress and is gaining on the men in front of him. In lap 39, Ferrari gives the team order and Vettel passes  Raikkonen. "You are on a different strategy", is the explanation towards the Finn.

The threat of rain becomes stronger, with 23 more laps to go, while Hamilton has to go in for a new set of tyres. The Brit rejoins behind Max. The first drops are now falling in the hairpin. Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly switch to intermediates. In the following lap Max goes wide in the hairpin and then also goes in for a set of inters. With that, he returns P4 back to Hamilton.

Most drivers who have changed to inters come back in to go back to a set of ultrasofts. After a few laps Max is back in for a tyre change. It still rains a little, while Raikkonen makes a mistake and Bottas steals P2 away from his countryman. Moments later, Vettel shoots off track in the Sachskurve, goes through the gravel and ends up in the tyre barrier. His race is over and the safety car comes out.

The top ten behind the safety car: Hamilton, Bottas, Raikkonen, Max, Hülkenberg, Perez, Ocon, Ericsson, Grosjean and Sainz. With ten laps to go, the race will restart with everyone on slicks. After the restart, Bottas gives it a try in the hairpin, but Hamilton keeps the lead. Hamilton is told that there may still be rain in the final stint of the race. Bottas is told that he is no longer allowed to attack Hamilton and Sainz receives a 10 second time penalty due to overtaking during the safety car period.

Hamilton is putting the pedal to the metal and sets a series of fastest laps. He is told that there is still a threat of rain, but for now it is dry. Grosjean works his way up to P7. The rain hold off and Hamilton wins the race, from 14th place, in front of Bottas, Raikkonen and Max on P4.

Results Grand Prix Germany: