Radio paddock GP Germany: 22 races 2020?

N your chance for Barcelona

Formula 1 boss Chase Carey told the team bosses that they will have to reckon with 22 races in 2020. Barcelona are about to renew their contract. The government reportedly wants to give a grant to save the race. And what are the chances for Hockenheim? Financially rather bad. GP Germany would need more than 100,000 spectators to meet Liberty's demands. So many don't fit in the stadium. The Hockenheimers can wait a long time for government subsidies. And the contribution from Mercedes as the title sponsor was a one-time action.

The outgoing managing director Georg Seiler conjures up everyone who cares about the continuation of the GP Germany: “It should be possible if everyone helped together to raise something to stand up. 'Sebastian Vettel appealed to the rights holders to show a heart for the traditional events:' It can't always be about money. Some races just can't go away no matter what they pay for. Sport should take place where the passion is. A World Cup without Monza, for example, would be a joke. ”

Todt defends budget cap

FIA President Jean Todt defends the budget cap, which is $ 175 million and for many exceptions it is set too high. “I would have preferred a lower sum. Now only three teams are affected. You have to limit yourself. It would be better to have a limit that gives all teams the same chance. But that was not possible. But at least we have our foot in the door now. This budget cap is better than none at all. Maybe we can reduce the amount in a second step. ”

New old engine

After qualifying, the engine of Kimi Raikkonen's Alfa Romeo was the Turbocharger and MGU-K swapped. The mechanics discovered a water leak in Q2. The team took the risk of sending Raikkonen onto the track in Q3. Then engine number 2 was removed and engine number 3 was added to the car. Since both drive sources are of the same specification, there was no starting place penalty for Raikkonen.

ams

The white paint on the Mercedes was not painted on, but rather foiled.

Foil instead of paint

The two Mercedes drove in Hockenheim in a white retro look. Due to a lack of time, the cars and around 90 components were not painted, but covered with white foil. A total of 200 working hours were used for this. It took 14 hours to glue a chassis alone. The engineers added the comment: “Heavy marketing stickers” on all data sheets. The stickers made the Silver Arrows about 300 grams heavier.

The nostalgic clothing for 140 employees was provided by a costume rental company. Team boss Toto Wolff suspected the worst: “A number like that can backfire. After a race like the one at Hockenheim, there are sure to be critical voices again who will accuse us of having concentrated better on our work. ”

One has nothing to do with the other. The same mistake would have happened to Mercedes with silver cars and the current uniforms. Unanimous opinion in the paddock: It was a cool action that brought a bit of color into the usual processes.

New Netflix documentary

Formula 1 Documentation on the Netflix streaming platform will be continued. This time Ferrari and Mercedes are also participating. “I was neither for nor against. It doesn't matter to me. I act as always, ”says Lewis Hamilton. His boss Toto Wolff said sourly after the race: “We offered them good content anyway.”

Haas team boss Guenther Steiner was one of the main actors of the first season. Above all, the tirades of the South Tyrolean are remembered. “I didn't look at it. Just my wife. She then told me what was in it. My daughter is not allowed to watch it because she shouldn't see Dad scolding, ”joked Steiner.

Hamilton cancels all appointments

Lewis Hamilton was in Hockenheim plagued by the flu with a severe sore throat. On Saturday they even worked on an emergency plan in case the Englishman cannot drive. Mercedes nominated Esteban Ocon as a reserve driver for the stewards before the third training session. Hamilton was not yet healthy on race day either. 'I will cancel all appointments next week and went to bed andcatch up on the sleep I didn't have in Hockenheim. I finally have to get rid of this infection. ”

Virtual victory in Spa

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris drove a virtual race before the German GP. Together with two other e-gamers, they won the 24h of Spa. Although it got dramatic shortly before the end in the digital world, 'A quarter of an hour before the end, the brake pedal on my simulator broke,' reports Verstappen. 'It was a tremendous game until the last lap.'

Wilhelm

Mick Schumacher, who did a few show laps in the Ferrari F2004 in Hockenheim, is currently the only new one F1 hope in Germany.

Motorsport too expensive

The drivers go to Germany out. At the moment only Mick Schumacher is knocking on the door of Formula 1. 'That is the usual wave movement', says Nico Hülkenberg. “Sometimes there are more drivers, sometimes less.” Sebastian Vettel warns of a fundamental problem. Only children with wealthy parents can still afford karting and the newcomer series. “Nico and I were lucky. Neither of us had the necessary pocket money today. ”

Zehnder's silver wedding anniversary

Sauber team manager Beat Zehnder celebrated his 25th anniversary as team manager at Hockenheim. The 53-year-old from Zurich has been with the team since August 1st, 1988. “I was looking for a job as a mechanic. I had nothing to do with motorsport. ”Today, Zehnder is considered to be the best rule expert in the paddock. When Peter Sauber wanted to promote him to team manager at Silverstone in 1994, Zehnder first had to sleep over it for one night. “I had never booked a flight for myself before. Now I should do it for 150 people. ”

Surprised by the asphalt

A little story that shows how difficult the task is for the tire supplier Pirelli. The Italians were surprised by the new tarmac at the Silverstone race. “We were told a week earlier. If we had known how gentle the new asphalt is, we could have supplied softer compounds, ”says race director Mario Isola.

Expensive gallows

Alfa Romeo has modernized its pit stop equipment. The new gallows, on which the impact wrenches and compressed air cylinders are housed, cost around 200,000 euros.

Holland is looking forward to Zandvoort

The hype surrounding Max Verstappen never ends. The race in Zandvoort 2020 is completely sold out. The organizers report that they could not only have sold 105,000 tickets, but over a million. The mood should be unique. In Hockenheim, the Dutch fans created an atmosphere like in a football stadium with their chants in the Motodrom.

Sprinkler systems for Formula 1

Guarantee mixing ratios as in Hockenheim exciting races. If it rains first, then dries up, rains again and finally dries up, you can do more tactically wrong than right. And then even the top teams don't always use their expensive tools. See Mercedes. FIA technical commissioner Jo Bauer jokes: “Maybe we should install sprinkler systems in every bend. The viewers can then activate them, depending on how funny they are. “