Autosport Plus

The 2008 German GP Preview

The circus moves on to Hockenheim for the German Grand Prix with a three-way tie for the drivers' championship between Hamilton, Massa and Raikkonen. Tom Keeble analyses their chances

Since the long sweeps through the woodland were taken out of the picture, the Hockenheimring circuit that hosts the German Grand Prix this year looks much like most of the other 'standard' European circuit, so it rewards medium-high downforce, good balance and smooth acceleration.

The rough track surface is similarly to that at Barcelona, which punishes tyres. Given that the few high speed corners are relatively short, the bulk of that wear tends to take place at the rear as the car is accelerating out of low speed sections; this is one of the tracks where a lack of traction control is really likely to differentiate the throttle sensitivity of the drivers, as they manage that wear.