Setting the scene for the German Grand Prix

Michael Schumacher finished third at Hockenheim in 1992. It was his first home grand prix and therefore his first podium on German soil, a real moment to savour both for the man himself and the home crowd. And where was Sebastian Vettel at that point? Well, probably at home watching on television, but earlier that weekend he'd been there trackside, cheering on Schumacher.

Now, Schumacher is very well aware of his own senior citizen status on the Formula 1 grid and perfectly comfortable with it as well.

After all, if you're 43 and you can still finish on the podium, that's a lot to be satisfied about. But you would have forgiven him for a double take when he heard about Vettel's memorable Hockenheim moment.

"I remember the first time I came here," said Vettel while seated alongside Schumacher in Thursday's press conference. "It was with my father in I think 1992. I was five years old and we came on a Friday. It was raining like crazy on the old track.

"We waited for the cars to come, for Michael to come. They only did the installation lap but that was already enough because just to hear the cars, the sound and see the spray was unique."

The old disused Hockenheim straights are overgrown now © LAT

It was reminder of the remarkable clash of two generations. Here are two drivers at the top level separated by almost two decades. Schumacher showed no discernible signs of alarm at being slapped in the face by his rival's youth, but the image of a yellow and green Benetton scything through the spray and standing water while a three-foot-something Vettel stands trackside with his dad is an amusing one. What would that photograph be worth today?

Hockenheim is one of those places where the old and the new collide. You can't help but pine for the long straights that characterised the daunting original track in its pre-2001 form. You can still walk around the old circuit, or rather what's left of it.

The ribbon of asphalt has long since been dug up and reclaimed by nature, but if you are happy to force your way through the undergrowth you can still trace the route of the circuit and stop off at the memorial to Jim Clark, who was killed here in a Formula 2 race in April 1968.

But while this is a track laden with history, there was also a lot of talk about the future.

Lewis Hamilton has all of a sudden become very positive about the "family" environment at McLaren and what the team can achieve. And as for talks with other teams, it now seems that this was largely about validating his belief that McLaren is the place to be; a clear sign that we're at the point where the bookmakers would stop taking bets on him staying on.

"When you are in a position like this for the first time, you have to do due diligence and you have to make sure that you look at the whole grid," said Hamilton. "You have to look at all your options and know all your plans and not rush into things."

Lewis Hamilton seems settled © XPB

Of course, the narrowing of options elsewhere had nothing to do with it. But could perhaps McLaren's exciting new car upgrade for this race also have something to do with how upbeat he is? Both Hamilton and team-mate Jenson Button were unusually positive about the potential for both aerodynamic and mechanical revisions to the McLaren MP4-27 to catapult the team back to the front.

That makes what happens during Friday practice particularly fascinating.

There's a feeling that Hockenheim this weekend, and the Hungaroring the weekend after, will play a decisive part in dictating the narrative of the rest of the season. Recently, the talk has been of McLaren's struggles and a potentially wantaway driver.

If all goes to plan in the silver corner, that could all change over the next few days.