Turbo issue put Ferrari's Vettel out of Germany qualifying in Q1

The Ferrari driver had headed in to shoot out for grid positions with a good chance of fighting for pole position on the back of the strong run of form that has meant his team has topped all of the sessions so far this weekend.

But it all went wrong on his out lap in Q1 when he encountered an engine issue shortly after leaving the pits.

Speaking to the team over the radio as he returned to the pits, he explained he hit trouble as soon as he shifted up to fourth gear.

Despite a hasty investigation by his mechanics when he returned to the pits, the problem could not be sorted in time and he ended the Q1 session as the only driver not to have set a time.

Ferrari later confirmed that the problem was related to the airflow to the turbo on his car.

Vettel's Hockenheim woe led to his first Q1 exit since the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix, when he was also forced out with a power unit issue.

Speaking about the issue to Sky F1, Vettel said: "I don't know what happened, something broke for the turbo and that was game over from there.

"Obviously [I'm feeling] very bitter - I think the car is great [and] lost out on a big chance and hopefully we'll have a big one coming again tomorrow.

"I am looking forward to the race but it would have been nicer to start at the very front than the very back."

Vettel's team-mate Charles Leclerc was the favourite for pole position, but he could not run in Q3 after suffering what Ferrari called a fuel system issue problem.