The German Grand Prix Formula 1

season is under way! Lewis Hamilton! He is the master! Again,

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 125 seconds

Sebastian Vettel. pressure these bands put on

Sebastian Vettel, the biggest amount comes from just one of man -

- these fans. His harshest critic is himself. Welcome to the 2011

German Grand Prix wife from a rather chilly Nurburg. Eddie Jordan,

not great for the suntan here but this kind of weather gives us great

racing, we have seen it already this year. I cannot recall wearing

a coat at a Grand Prix before! This is unbelievable! This is global

cooling at its greatest. And that coat is such a relaxing colour,

which is rare for you! It feels about 11 degrees cooler than 11

degrees. Red Bull arrived here having not been beaten at the last

race, that is inspirational. wants to win this Grand Prix and it

is his home Grand Prix. He would have come here when he was young

and is highly motivated to get a victory. The fans have to disappear

out of the pit lane because before too long, the cars will make their

way out to the grid. A lot coming your way. A look at the calendar

and the races that have brought us here and today is not just a chance

for Ferrari to get back to back wins and four Red Bull to get back

to winning ways, today is also about the fact that after today, we

are over halfway through the season. Nine races left including the

inaugural Indian Grand Prix. But the drivers are only thinking about

today and getting in here to work, it is in house along with the rest

of the drivers. As we reach the halfway stage, now is time to look

at the standings and workout where we are looking ahead to the rest of

the year. Four race wins for Jason button -- for Jenson Button and

Lewis Hamilton, what approach to their team need this year? They

have to be very aggressive. They should go with a tiger policy from

now, because Sebastian has dominated the first half. They have

nothing to lose at this stage for McLaren. They have to go for every

little opportunity. Fernando Alonso is in third, four wins, six per

Jims in 2010, he now needs a stronger and to 2011 if he wants

that title. It is confusing why he came on strong towards the middle

of the year, we saw that last season and offer back at

Silverstone. What goes on in the winter for the development of the

car? Eddie is right about the strategy for McLaren, it has to be

very aggressive to stand a chance of winning this Championship.

the same applies to Mark Webber, second at the moment. That is good

news for him and great news for Red Bull that their closest rival is

one of their own. I said at Silverstone, forget the

constructors' title, it is over. Look forward to an exciting

Drivers' Championship because anyone who dreams about Red Bull...

They have two exceptional drivers, magic set up, are unbeatable!

is why it Eddie things the Constructors' Championship is over,

328 points for Red Bull who have had a stunning start to the years.

That is the title, what about the grid for today? Only three times in

the past 16 seasons has the ball so to have gone on to take a win here.

Will that affect qualifying yesterday? Not a bit of it.

Sebastian Vettel has dominated qualifying this season but could he

do it in front of his home fans? The other five German drivers were

also hoping to please their followers but somebody was bound to

be disappointed. The first German out was Timo Glock who made his

thoughts clear to his Virgin team while still driving. It is just so

difficult to drive at the moment. Paul di Resta has at qualified his

team-mate 7-3 this season but yesterday, Adrian Sutil was too

quick. Force India have taken a decision and I need to deal with it.

It has done me damage over the weekend but I need to put my head

down and go for it in the race. Ferrari and Fernando Alonso had

been fighting at the front all weekend and looked likely to

challenge for pole position. But far from being disappointed, Alonso

said he was where he was expected. I think the practice is practice

and qualifying is when everyone shows potential. Mixed fortunes for

McLaren this weekend. Jenson Button had to pull out of his final lap

and Stott 7th tomorrow. The former World Champion was wondering where

his speed had gone. Strangely cannot find the grip. Very

surprising also to be one second behind Lewis, it is not right.

Lewis had no shortage of speed and despite his concerns at McLaren

would never be able to challenge Red Bull, he battled hard and ended

up just off pole position in second place. It was as perfect as I could

do it, I do not know how I could make it more perfect, it is one of

the best I have done in the car. Usually by three, your first lap is

good but to go out again, you go a bit more beyond the limit and go-

slow on all equal it, but I went four-tenths faster. That left the

two Red Bulls. One German he would love to win his home Grand Prix and

on Australian who would not mind spoiling the party. -- An

Australian. Mark Webber put in an electrifying black, leaving

Sebastian Vettel having to settle for third place. -- a lecture

frying lap. I had a tricky day yesterday and was not happy with

the balance. I was feeling much more comfortable today. Very happy

with my last blind macro. We made a change. The engineers did a

sensational job and the call is for them because I would not have got

it without them. -- the pole position. Mark Webber start at the

front of the grid for the first -- for the third time this year. The

Ferraris of fourth and fifth. Vitaly Petrov out-qualified Richard

place. A difficult day at the office for

the two men at the back of the grid but what an incredible lap for

Lewis Hamilton who is on the front row of the grid. We are with the

Team Principal, where did that speed come from? Was it an

incredible lap or had she been cheeky all weekend? You did not

show that in practice. It was incredible from Lewis but he was

growing in confidence during the weekend. It is about confidence and

getting the tyres in the right place. What a lap! I am confused

because you do not do that unless you have a great car below you and

that first sector, he was mighty. So mechanically, the car clearly

has a fantastic base. What is the variation from race to race? Again,

it is clear that in turns of slow speed corners, the car is strong.

We have lacked a bit in high-speed Connors -- corners compared to Red

Bull but we have been working hard. Part of this exhaust blowing

phenomena it is keeping your foot in during the corners and you build

in confidence. We saw that with Lewis yesterday and I am sure

Jenson Button will during this race. If ever you were to describe

perfect conditions for McLaren, you work -- you have them today. Can

you capitalise on that and win the race? We can win the race and also

get it horribly wrong! That is the issue in these conditions. We are

not complaining, I think it will be an exciting race. But we are aware

it could go wrong, but hopefully we'll get it right. You can maybe

wicket to your advantage today. What is the weather telling you?

There is a weather front here so it will be wet during this race. I

think it will be damp for most of it. If they get on to the auction

tyres, I do not know, I suspect they will start on the

intermediates. -- the option tyres. What about a man who will be busy

in 19th on the grid? He is one of than German contingent and has big

news. Joining me is Timo Glock, up what

is your good news? I just made it official today in my home Grand

Prix I am staying with the team for another couple of years. Working

for a big project, 2014. So you are signed until the end of 2014?

can't at comment on that! When we listened to your radio yesterday,

are you did not sound very happy and said the team have made a life

difficult. You guys just got it wrong. I had a funny weekend with

my engineers and said as a joke to my engineers, you are making my

life difficult! No problem against the team or the car, we just had to

-- two difficult qualifying races where we found the car difficult to

drive in heavy wind conditions. That just made me make a joke to my

engineers. But I am not getting this German summer, I have gone for

it really a strategy, what is happening? How is the weather in

England? Not much better. It is really strange. I had a Formula

Three race in May 2002 here and had to cancel it because it was snowing,

so you never know up here. I have my fireproof underwear up ready

because it is too cold! What are we expecting this afternoon, is rain

forecast? I think that will come, but it will be an on and off

situation. The main problem will be the temperatures to get the tyres

working. We have to see what we can do at let's hope for an interesting

race. Great news, have a great day. Snow in May, that gives you an idea

of the climate we have here in the Eifel Mountains. It would not

surprise us if it started snowing. When Timo Glock made his

announcement on the radio yesterday that his team were making it

difficult for him, which is difficult to hear as it raced

engineer, did not sound like a joke, heard it and I was a team boss I

would say, listen, never, ever say thing like that which is in public

on the radio. We're a family and we're greater as a unit. Never

split an opportunity for people to ridicule us. It was a hopeless

comment. Difficult to argue with that. Would the team say let's

think of a line to spin. Yes, you can't say things on the radio. I

remember at McLaren we had several pit stops and I said it was like, I

can't remember the comment now. Coe stone cops stuff. We kept --

Keystone Cops stuff. Ron took me in and said you are representing the

team and it is best to say nothing. Ron Dennis scared him so much, he

blanked from it his mind. Now a man who has had a difficult start to

the year but is turning thing around, Fernando Alonso. He led

more laps in Silverstone than in the entire rest of the season

combined. Is the greatest magician of them all about to pull a rabbit

out of hat. Is it nice to be sitting here as the last winner of

a Grand Prix? It is nice, for the team to recover some of the

difficult time we had in the Championship. We were out of podium

in the first couple of races and to win the Silverstone Grand Prix was

good. Is it something we have to accept that Ferrari get off to a

slow start? I think this year, last year it was maybe more difficult,

because it was the first year for me in Ferrari and 2009 was not

great for the team. So this year it is different. The wind tunnel

problems that we had at the winter slowed us in the first couple of

races. But on both occasions we start losing points at the

beginning of the year. We need to improve that part of the

Championship. You wouldn't sign for team that started its Championship

hopes half way through the season? Of course, we want to fight every

year. We race and the first half of the season is a key part of the

Championship. So it is something that for sure we will improve in

the next couple of years. I think in Ferrari sooner or later success

will come. It is a great team and they have a huge potential to do

well. Do you think Sebastian Vettel will win it? At the moment it is

difficult to think that anyone can recover the gap. To be real I tick,

Sebastian Vettel has had a fantastic first half of season, the

normal second part of the Championship is easy for him. But

anything can happen. What are your hopes here? It is part of

Championship which is important x before the August break we want to

have the maximum points available in this July. In Silverstone we did

well and we need maximum points in the next two races. We're

optimistic, but you never know. Ferrari made some magic in

Silverstone. I understand you do card tricks. Before you drive in a

race? Yeah on Sunday morning, if I have a new trick or something I go

in the garage with the guys and play a bit to make some things

before the race. Can you show snus We will try. There is only three

cards. It is too difficult. We have three cards. Very easy. We have ten

of hearts. And we have one ace of hearts. So the ace is here. If I go

down with the ace of hearts, it is down. No, it is the 10. All in the

top or the middle will be the ace. On the top there is a ten. In the

middle you want to see? Is the 10. So there are too many 10s. Why? It

is always on the bottom. Because logically in the middle and on the

top is the two 10s. Be careful because on the top sometimes is the

aiss and in the middle is the ace. So many aces now. You think I'm

playing with more than three cards? No, three cards always. One was the

10, one was the ace. And I gave you the last opportunity. Which one was

the third one? The 1 of hearts. joker. That is very good. JAKE

HUMPHREY: He is not just a pretty face. How much would he love to be

the joker in the pack. Just over half an hour to the start of race.

Stefano Domenicali has joined us. You won the race from third a

couple of weeks ago, explain how you're aiming to win this race from

fourth on the grid with Fer doe? - Fernando. The conditions today are

tricky. We don't like this kind of temperature. We do. I know. That is

great for the show. We have seen in Silverstone when there was quite...

A difficult condition at the beginning, we saw McLaren fast and

Red Bull did better than us. That is the picture that I had in mind

in the last race. Here it seems that another shower should come. We

will see. What sort of time? sure it will be around 2 o'clock,

as always. Bearing in mind your win in Silverstone, why on earth would

Ferrari agree to go back to the Valencia set up in the software?

is not a problem of agreeing. I don't know. It must be agreed.

don't know, Eddie, no one knows exactly what is the performance

with that kind of thing. Everyone is guessing from one second to one

tenths to nothing. And the FAI could in any case enforce what they

want with a TD and if they have new evidence, that is different. This

is something behind and something that I don't want to hear anyone

have in their mind as an excuse. I want the people to work hard and

for me the best thing that I saw yesterday for example during the

weekend up to now I see a car that is, was quite good in the fast

corner. That was really a very difficult point for us that. Means

we have to improve the level of our performance. Not enough, because

not that strong. But let's see. What is clear is how relaxed

Fernando is. The guy's won a couple of Championships and hungry for

more success. Where does he rate in the overall hierarchy of great

drivers at Ferrari? To be honest, I see him very motivated. He wants to

win us with. Because he understands that Ferrari mean something

different. But you can see that he has the same approach of Michael.

He is living with the team. He is pushing hard everyone. But in a

constructive way. That is for ne most important thing. Thank you. We

can see him climbing in the car. How much would he love to win on

the 60th anniversary of Ferrari winning on the Nordschleife. Glad

you're under cover there. Stefano Domenicali is in a nice seat. He

won't be getting rained on. But the fans will be. But that does not

bother them one jot. They love their motor sport here. Come on Red

Bull. OK it may not be range at the moment. But in 2007 it was not

raining at the start of raist a then it went wild. You were driving

in this and finished fifth. What was it like driving. You can see

Lewis Hamilton's vizibilities. can see Jenson Button taking a one

way ticket to the bar yes. Aquaplaning here is terrible. Lewis

Hamilton was able to rejoin the race and we had the scary moment

where we had a car striking the recovery vehicle that was in there

to move the cars. In is in situation it is undrivable. You can

see it coming around there, almost taking out the safety car and

ending next to the tractor. you're wondering whether it is as

difficult when it is not raining hard, well we can can tell you it

is. This is a shot from earlier. David Coulthard and Inzamam-ul-Haq.

What is going on. That is -- and Mika Hakkinen. What is going on

here. That is why I don't drive any more. Was that team orders? I think

Ron Dennis had given an instruction. How much caved Coulthard -- David

cowl that's right could have cost him. We asked Mercedes how much are

those cars. They said irreplaceable and priceless. You can hear it has

got loud. The man who was on pole position is Mark Webber. How much

would he love to create what happened here two years ago. -- re-

create. It was pole position at the German Grand Prix and now it is

going to be victory for Mark Webber. His first in Formula One. Yeah! Yes,

yes, yes, yes! That two years has flown by? Yes to be you know

remember my first victory here was unique and lots of things have

happened in that two years. time you have had a pole position

this year. It has not played out the way you would have hoped.

That's right. Both times well Fernando got a cracking start in

bars Bas. I have got the luxury of looking at both their start and

working out if I could do a better job. The starts were not too bad in

Barcelona and in Silverstone, it is not like I'm sitting there

nerveless. I'm relaxed and just want to get into it. But I will

have other opportunities to get into pole. Poles are tough and you

have got to be on top of your game. Is there an elements your team mate

has had a wit of -- bit of luck. Or this a clutching at straws. Well he

has driven well. But it's... You know you make your own don't you?

You make your own luck. I think that you know it won't go forever.

It goes like this. He has had a great start to the season. OK he

wins 15 races, all of us will say hats off. But you're liing to say

Fernando and I wouldn't want to see Seb have a retirement. And for that

we need him to have some misfor chun. But he is a -- misfortune.

But he is a class acts. You finish two inches off his gear box, that

is a positive. At Silverstone, we heard quotes from the team saying

we don't win by playing games like Ferrari. We won the Red Bull way,

meaning no team orders. Can we take it there has been a change in team

policy? I don't think. Because we had the cars close to each other at

the end of the Grand Prix. Mark you need to main feign the gap. That

for me wasn't good to here and I pushed hard and I was comfortable

with that. We have had a chat about it. Christian is running the team.

That is his position. He is paid to run the team in the best way.

you understand if you had hit each other that would have cost you

point and you're still second and Seb has increased his lead. So it

was the perfect team result? Yes it was. But I think that is the only

down side of having two drivers like we saw last year. Because in

Turkey we made kagt and one car survived and the other didn't. Once

every 30 race if two cars hit each other, maybe it is racing. Would

you prefer it that way? Yes. Do you think what we saw in Silverstone

and your desire to not necessarily follow team orders to prove you can

win, does that strengthen your position to stay with Red Bull?

still talking to the team about next year. There is a huge chance

that I continue in Formula One and if I continue in Formula One, it

looks, I'm not talking to anyoneers. What is to be discussed -- no

anyone else. What is to discuss, they know you're the best driver.

Surely it is just where do I sign? Yeah. Two wins in two races here

that would be nice. Oh a few points mate, yeah, see how we go. Thanks.

A big day for Mark Webber. It is rather loud down here. Nick

Heidfeld is there rung through pit lane. When you have had four pole

position and not a single win, what part of your race do you need to

look at? I know that Mark has looked at the start performance and

he has not made particularly bad starts. There is nothing in

whatless doing that is influencing that. You have to rely on different

aspects of the pull away from the engine, the software and clutch.

And it is a shorter run this year than in 2009 and they have halfed

the distance too the run to first corner. So in theory that should

mean there is less opportunity if he did make a bad start for the

today? -- is Fernando. This is not ideal conditions for Ferrari. I

think Hamilton is the biggest threat, he is always aggressive and

very quick and he makes the car work in these conditions. I think

he could possibly win this race. That is Nick Heidfeld, he start

11th in this race and he kicked his team-mate out of qualifying. -- he

starts. Should Mercedes be making their way to the grid? They have

time and have waited for information. The rain is starting

to fall so last-minute opportunity to check this car over. That is

Nico Rosberg, his best ever Grix slot, he start sixth in Mercedes. -

- Grix slot. They call themselves the national German team, don't

they? He has for me demonstrated again he is quicker than Michael

even though they keep talking about who is quicker in that team. But he

needs to finish on the podium and this is an ideal opportunity

because from what we are told, it will be variable conditions. Nico

Rosberg has to grab hold of this and be aggressive in his driving

and his style. Nico Rosberg has finally decided he is able to

braved the rain. David, you can now head off to the commentary box. I

am sure it will be exciting because the rain is now starting to fall as

the cars make their way to the grid. And Martin is that the great, you

must recognise the view! This is pole position as it used to

be. They have moved the grid 240 metres forward. They have halved

the distance down to the first corner. The cars used to start in

front of this fresh-air and now that magnificent new grandstand can

now see what is going on at the start of the race. Cars are coming

onto the back of the grid and they are doing their final checks here

and getting ready for the start. We are in the thick of the action, it

is brilliant! I am going to do this again. I wanted to talk to some of

the drivers on the back of the grid, up we have not been here for a

while. Sebastien Buemi, they found an alleged guilt -- and

irregularity with his fuel after qualifying so he has been penalised

with a back of the grid start. In the past, cars have been thrown out

and sent home, it was a small discrepancy of the parameters they

check, the cars are checked ruthlessly by the FIA after the

race. We have mechanics from different teams because the drivers

switch off their engines when they get here. Then they are pushed

through the pack, a deal set up. A drive it used to be called the

Whisperer because he would coast through with no engine noise

terrifying everybody. Felipe Massa is making his way through. It has

been announced there is a change of climatic conditions from qualifying.

They are allowed to changed little on the cars. What are they allowed

to change? I will look in this car here, which is Sebastien Buemi's

Toro Rosso. Where those fans are, this car is only cooled going

through the air and there are no fans other than what is put on when

the car is stationary. They can blank off the boil and radiators.

De gear wing, they cannot put any other features in that, they have

to use what they used in qualifying yesterday -- the very real wing.

The problem is how much fuel do they put in for this race? What is

the race pace going to be? They do not want 10 kilograms of fuel

because it will cost them seconds per lap to carry that for the 60

lap race. We have got Sergio Perez making his way down the grid. Can

we find a driver to talk to? I had no idea it was so exciting back

here! Who have we got here? Daniel Ricciardo, we will see if we can

talk to him in a moment. The Australian. This is the Red Bull

man giving him a message. He is a young Red Bull driver and they have

decided to put him in this car. We heard Mark Webber saying, it is the

fastest car and I am a great driver but it does not mean I have signed

up with them yet. Which I found very interesting. Let's talk to

Karun Chandhok. You have 30 seconds, can you hold on? They put you in

the cart off Jarno Trulli and you have used his joker on his gearbox,

he will love you for that! How are you feeling? When did you last

start a Grand Prix? Exactly one year ago. How it is the track?

has just started to rain on the reconnaissance lap. It is 20

degrees cooler than qualifying so it is pretty hideous. It is 50

Diouf -- 15 degrees, it would you rather not be dry and warm? I would

like a nice clean and dry race. The longest I have done is ten laps so

it would have been nice to do a normal race. But once again, I have

been given to key cards to play with! Good luck. -- difficult cards

to play with. Coming past us his Rubens Barrichello as. And we can

talk to Timo Glock, who has re- signed. How is it? It is cold,

getting very difficult to get up the temperatures, especially on the

fuel now. We may see something special, if you never know. So you

have just signed a new contract for two or three years -- or three

years, and you must be feeling pretty confident. It is great to

announce it here at my home race. It is positive news and now it is

down to us for next year. There are a lot of GP 2 drivers coming gone

and junk guys so I guess you are looking over your shoulder and

looking ahead? -- young guys. happy with the team and happy to

stay with them. And now it is starting to rain! So this is an

opportunity rather than a threat? You have to stay on the track, no

mistakes and had the others make mistakes and gain from that. -- and

you have to hope the others. game is changing very quickly! This

is definitely the cart off Kamui Kobayashi. -- the Karloff. And we

can talk to the Toro Rosso drivers are mine and this is the driver's

Stewart, eight times a winner. -- the drivers Stewart. Any dramas?

Everybody has to prepare themselves very well in this weather. A new

broadcasting on that? No, -- are you broadcasting on that phone? No,

but my wife keeps me up-to-date! Have you got a quick word for the

BBC? How was it for you on the formation lap, did you learn

anything? It is difficult to get front tyre temperature because it

is very cold and starting to rain, we will see what we will do. From

these kind of positions, a you keep steaming through into the top 10

comedy must fancy more of that today? It is a pity -- into the

top-ten, yet you must fancy more of that today? I feared it is one of

those races you have to stay on the track because the conditions are

difficult -- I think it is. What is in your mind now, what are you

thinking? It will be for intermediates if it keeps raining.

We will see how the race gets on with the weather. Nobody really

knows. They do not seem as perturbed by the rain as I thought

they would, to be honest. I do not know if Sergio Perez is anyway to

be seen. I imagine he has gone. We are always talking to the drivers

at the front, at Rubens Barrichello has decided to stay in his car, he

does not fancy getting wet. It tinted visor, a bit surprised by

that -- and that is a tinted visor. How is it going, everything could?

Good luck! -- everything good. He has decided he does not want to get

wet. And those seats are tailor- made, it is very comfortable.

Although they do not -- although they do make a bit -- although they

do hurt a bit when you sit down. Or the tyres are being prepared, so

many available on the grid because they do not know what they will

need. Underneath, 60 degrees. They bake those. It is such a critical

decision as to what they decide to put on the car for the start of the

Grand Prix. That is Kamui Kobayashis. We have already talked

to the Lotus driver. Most of the drivers are off the grid, it is

bizarre, I thought we might find every driver back here patiently

waiting. Jake, it is a good time to go back to you so that I can get up

to the commentary box. Which is very important! Martin

braving get on the grid. -- braving it. If we go back through a few

years of Formula One history, there is a great example at the circuit

of what you can get right and wrong. In 2006, we had rain in the air but

not at the start of the race and they made a decision to start on a

wet tyres and they ended up leading a Grand Prix. That could happen

today. Absolutely, anything is possible. Of those guys at the back

of the grid, this is their dream come true because this gives them

an opportunity where anything can happen and they can come through

and win. Lewis Hamilton knows he is not far off the pace of the Red

Bull and maybe has the making of Mark Webber at the start, how will

he be feeling? He is liking this because still Red Bull of the class

act and he needs all the little changes he can get. And for me,

Lewis will love this, he is the master of these conditions and has

great control, that is why I think he will try and win this. Mercedes

might be struggling for pace but McLaren who used Mercedes engines

are not and we are talking to the boss of a Mercedes engines. And

talking of being on the front row, with less than a tenth of a second

between Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton, where did that time go?

You will find this fascinating, it is incredible! This is what

happened in qualifying. It was an epic battle for pole

position. Mark Webber on the left and Lewis Hamilton on the right.

The only interchangeable parts were the tyres, but they were five

hundredths of a second behind Mark Webber. The front grip of the

McLaren is better, we can see. Mark Webber locks his left front and

Lewis Hamilton is still ahead. Tone four, a slight lift on the throttle

and a straight, 170 mph up to the last sector and Lewis Hamilton is a

tenth of a second faster. Mark Webber gets to work on the middle

part of the lap and he heads down the hill at 180 miles per hour. He

breaks later in Two Tone seven and the hairpin and suddenly he's a few

metres ahead he brakes later. Into turn seven. And he climbs towards

eight and nine at 160 mph and he stretches the lead by a metre or

two. A tremendous speed through the exit, moving to the right above the

breaking speed into the high-speed chicane at her and 10 Anne turn

leva. This is the end of the second sector, Mark Webber is clearly

ahead but Lewis Hamilton refuses to give up. 190 miles per hour towards

the end of the lap into to and 13 and 14, slow chicane. Hamilton is

faster and it is neck and neck with one corner to go. Moved towards the

outside of the corner, early on the throttle and as the finish line

comes up, Mark Webber is fractionally ahead. A technically

brilliant flak from Lewis Hamilton, what a line-up at the front of the

Alonso the best he could get was fourth on the grid. In that middle

sector, Lewis Hamilton was the fourth fastest car. Now the latest

from the front rung team. Red Bull and the weather. Lee is with

Christian Horner. Lee? We're used to see a Red Bull at the front

ashes slaigtly different one. How is Mark feeling? Good it is going

to be a fantastic race. With a bit of rain in the area as well that

will only make life more tense. But it is set to be an exciting rate

race. This might be the test for us at home to see if Mark is leading

and seb Sebian is hunting him down, will he be told to maintain the gap.

They may end up in a situation that could take points from the team.

But they're free to race. They know that. The objective is to make sure

we beat Lewis Hamilton and Fernando. It is not just about our guys.

were not impressed with the German summer. What will happen today with

the weather? They say the weather is in England is like this. But I

understand it is a nice day there. But I think we have got spotters

around the track and we send them into the wind to keep an eye on the

weather. It is so local here. We're high and the weather can change

quickly. Rain this afternoon? sure at some point. It is a

question of when. You can't rely on the radar. You have to look at the

cloud and see what is going on. Thank you. JAKE HUMPHREY: Rain this

afternoon, try right now. It is actually raining now. There is Mark

Webber. We spoke a lot about Mark and have hardly spoken about

Sebastian Vettel. Not on the front row for the first time in 14 races.

People say he struggles to overtake a good test of his skills? EDDIE

JORDAN: He is an outstanding driver and I believe he can overtake. It

is a big test for Mark, he has not capitalised on the pole positions

he has had. So it is a big test. I can't wait to she what will happen.

Into the first corner it will be probably Lewis Hamilton and who

knows after that. He has a different helmet every week,

Sebastian Vettel. Good luck to him. That is his special German Grand

Prix helmet. The fans are ready to shout and wail as he goes buy.

Every where you go, plenty of Ferrari outfits on show. But more

Red Bull each year. Eddie, who will win? I think Lewis Hamilton has to

be and will be massively aggressive. Red Bull less so 5 I'm sure Lewis

Hamilton will win. Jenson Button starts she Athletic -- starts

seventh. But he has too big a mountain to climb. Vesh is on pole

position position -- Mark Webber is on pole position and the rain is

starting to fall. Isn't this just perfect? It might be worth

switching to the HD Channel if you have it. In the company of Martin

Brundle and David cowl that's right. Time for the Nurburgring to live up

the World Championship and the Nurburgring has played host to

three different events, the Grand Prix of Europe and Luxembourg and

this, the German Grand Prix. This track alternates with Hockenheim

for the German Grand Prix. The last race was in 2009 and it was

dominated by Mark Webber. There is the track layout. 15 turns, 3.2

miles. And the three sectors that we monitor through the race and the

lap record still held by Michael Schumacher. But back in the day

when they had bigger engines. Track temperature just 15 Celsius. Air

temperature 13 degrees. We're looking at a puddle outside the

window and it is definitely raining hard now. Challenging times for the

drivers to say the least. Hero to zero stuff I would imagine on tyre

choice and pit stop strategy. Mark Webber's victory, David, back in

2009 was delivered in different track conditions than today. What

is inside the drivers' helmets at this moment as they face this

unknown? It is interesting, you have Mark Webber thinking I have

got a clean run o' the first corner x but remarkably of the last nine

Grand Prixs he has lost positions in the first five, or in fave of

those. So he has it all to lose. If you go down to Jenson Button in

seventh, where he started in the Canadian Grand Prix. He will say

this is my opportunity. Something different and changeable and the

McLaren gets heat in the tyres early and Jenson Button can find

grip seemingly where others can't and as we speak, the rain is coming

down heavily. Everyone will have committed to going on the start

with their, the tyre they have qualified on. Because it is not wet

enough on track to put others on. But we could see a situation where

you come around to grid we could see people pulling into the -- into

the pit lane rather than going to start grid. They may set off in on

dry tyres. The DRS has been disabled. The drag reduction system,

that letterbox on the rear wing to go kilometres an hour faster down

the straights and it is the back straight where it is operated. So

the FIA think the track is with the enough not to allow that system at

the moment. It is not aloud any way in the first two laps -- allowed

any way in the first two laps. We will see whether they decide to

enable that at the end of the second flying lap of the Grand Prix.

There then is Mark Webber. Let's look at the entire grid for this

afternoon's tkwree. -- Grand Prix. 24 starters. Mark Webber on the

front row with Lewis Hamilton after that sensational lap. Vet have the

is -- Sebastian Vettel is third. Jenson Button was disappointing in

seventh. Petrov again in the top ten. Michael Schumacher rounds off

the top ten. Mad mald is 13th. -- Trulli. Lut is 23rd because of a

gear box change and luem luem on the back of grid because his --

Sebastien Buemi on the back of the grid, because of a problem with his

fuel. They have to say this is the mixture of our fuel and then with

analysis and clever stuff, they check it through the year. Peering

out the window here, the puddle look like it has got less rain

falling on it. So to correct the potential of people coming in at

the end of the lap, it doesn't look like will be enough rain before the

start of the Grand Prix. But it is going to be interesting to see how

brave the drivers are on the run to the first corner. 150 kilos of fuel

on board, on a damp track in cold conditions. It is a shorter run.

140 metres from pole to to -- the first corner, because of the moved

position. But its unknown where you will press the predal. We will see

those who need to make up ground sail down the outside. The apex of

first corner is cricky -- tricky. Yes it drops into the apex and you

want to take a wide line of course, like on any corner, to minimise the

amount of drag on the car. But in doing so you risk locking the

inside wheel. These cars are so stiff that that is something that

would cost you a potential for problems with the tyre. They will

be working hard to get heat into the tyres. These tyres are not

designed to run in temperatures this cold. It is a Championship

that tries to follow the sunshine. But somebody said to me, Mark

Webber only ever watches Sebastian Vettel on the start, think bars Bas,

-- Barcelona, and that maybe a chance for Lewis Hamilton. No, I

think vesh watches whatever the nearest car -- Mark Webber watches

whatever the nearest car to him is and that is usually Sebastian

Vettel. There is another fight going on between Mercedes and Lotus.

Renault are just three points apart. In the constructors' World

Championship. So only Three times in 16 races has the pole sitter

gone to win the race here and Mark Webber is one of those. Why is

that? I don't have... I don't have a good answer for that. It doesn't

make sense that the quickest car in qualifying is not converting that

into a victory. It is not hard on the car or as difficult for driver

as somewhere like Monte Carlo where one mistake you're in the wall. So

that is unusual. Answers on a post card! There was Christian Horner,

of course team principal in Red Bull. Ron Dennis of the McLaren

team. As they line up on the front of grid and Lewis Hamilton is

pointing his car towards Mark Webber. Adrian Newey the man who

always seemed to make a Championship winning car sooner

than later. As the cars come to grid. Stefano Domenicali of Ferrari

team, they're fourth and fifth on the grid. Six German drivers. A

quarter of the grid, all hoping for home tkphrory. 18 others intent on

gate crashing their party. The lights have been on for three and a

laugh sect seconds for the support -- and a half seconds for the

support race. Five red laigts we're waiting for and there they are.

Four, five, one, two three and a laugh go! The German Grand Prix is

under way. And it is neck and neck. But Lewis Hamilton in the second

face takes the lead. Mark Webber in a Ferrari sandwich. It is so tight

and Fernando Alonso is ahead of Mark Webber. Lewis Hamilton leads

from Sebastian Vettel. Lewis Hamilton leads from Mark Webber and

then Sebastian Vettel. Rosberg is right in there as well. Fernando

Alonso will not yield. There is a spinner on the back. That is at

turn three. Who was that? A lot going on. Maybe some contact. But

Jenson Button is up the inside of Michael Schumacher. Another poor

getaway for Jenson Button. Lewis Hamilton leads from Mark Webber,

Fernando Alonso. It may have been Paul di Resta that had the spin.

There may have been contact. Right at the back. Michael Schumacher in

the thick of the traffic. And so we think that Fernando Alonso is

between the two Red Bulls still. Lewis Hamilton from Mark Webber,

Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel. As we're watching the midfield.

There is Rubens Barrichello in front of Kobayashi for 11th and

12th. Look at the lead Lewis Hamilton has from Mark Webber and

Sebastian Vettel. Lewis Hamilton will lead at the end of the first

still running but as he said, David, Heidfeld and di Resta or at the

back of the field, they must have been contact between them. There is

Alonso of the race track. He has obviously gone out on the kerb on

the long term two and lost the back end but thankfully, lots of Tarmac

for him to regain position. There will be some choice Spanish words

inside that cockpit because he has released the Vettel now. Rosberg is

writing their as well splitting the Ferraris. Schumacher has passed

Petrov on this up who is now in front of Barrichello. Hopefully we

will get a replay of that. Button is down three places from the start,

Hamilton up one. Schumacher up two, he has often been a mighty starter

this year, Schumacher. Button is still down in tenth place. Hamilton

was mighty in that first sector yesterday qualifying and in this

early stage of the race, he is half a second quicker in the first

sector than Mark Webber. He is romping away at the front. We often

see but McLaren have a better race pace than Red Bull and that is

showing up again here. There is a question about how quickly they can

bring the tyres fully up to temperature. Alonso right behind

the red bowl of Vettel but we are not in the D ers activation point

yet. -- the Red Bull of Vettel. is still disabled, as far as I know.

We need a message. It is unable now. -- it is enabled now. Hamilton is

outside that zone. Here is a replay of the start. He starts to drop his

rpm. That was a terrible start. revs just faded away. I wonder if

the clutch was starting to bite. We go on board with Alonso with a nice

view of Hamilton. Hamilton absolutely flew. We see Vettel

loping -- locking up. Brave stuff from Alonso. He could have easily

lost his nose with that one. Massa had a flying start. So close

therefore Vettel who was in the place. Now it is Vettel who has

done the fastest lap. Again and on so gets white. He is dealing with a

lot of understeer in the Ferrari. He could be struggling with tyre

temperature. Let's look at the times. Once again, Hamilton banging

in these first sectors, again four- tenths quicker than best the Red

Bulls. He has such oaks could front-end on the McLaren. The first

sector of the lap is about grip. Let's get past him as soon as we

can, unless he will run an hour race. That does not sound like an

option, it sounded like a firm request from one Smedley to fully

pay Massa, your afternoon is read if you do not clear this Mercedes

They did not put on the pit straight here because there is

often a lot of over taking any way down into the heavy braking zone of

turn one. Just looking down the grid, icy Kobayashi has been one of

the biggest benefactors of the start. He has gone from 17th to

11th place. We end up five. Hamilton leads by 1.8 seconds from

Mark Webber. Vettel third, Alonso fourth, Rosberg Fifth, Massa sixth,

Sutil seventh, Michael Schumacher eighth, now 10 seconds behind the

leader. Then Petrov, butter and still tenth. -- Button stilt tenth.

Kobayashi at the 11th, Barrichello the moment. The fastest man on the

previous lap was Mark Webber. as I said, you are much quicker, if

you don't need to be KERS for the rest of the circuit, you can stay

with it... He will not be penalised for missing the corner if he did

not gain an advantage but I wonder if he showed his hand too early.

Nico Rosberg was defending the inside line. Ers will give you 20

kilometres an hour in top speed. It can surely be a matter of time

where is he Alonso giving him a run in turn tan. The big gap now is

down to 1.2 seconds. Alonso was quicker than the leader in fourth

place. The incident at the start of the race between di Resta and

Heidfeld is being investigated. At the moment, the two men on the

march of Webber in second and Alonso in fourth. We have a bit of

a yo-yo effect around the track. Hamilton is definitely the man in

the first sector. He is a couple of tenths quicker than Webber. Mark

has the upper hand on Sebastian all weekend in all conditions so not

only is Sebastian trying to close the gap, he is having to keep a

watchful eye on Fernando Alonso and it will not be lost on him that if

he gets one tiny opportunity, he will take it. Mark Webber still has

not led an app this season after that difficult pole start. Maybe

his primary clutch was dragging because the engine revs faded when

he knew -- least needed them to. The reigning world champion

Sebastian Vettel is fending off exactly one second behind. Alonso,

the top four are covered by 3.6 seconds and still Massa has not

passed Rosberg. Just explain to us Rob Smedley's instruction about

using his KERS correctly. He is telling him to use all his KERS on

the run out of turn 11 where the DRS activations owners as well to

get a double whammy. And then the seven seconds of KERS and the 20

seconds -- 20 k you will gain with the DRS. Crucially, the McLaren was

10 kilometres an hour faster through this speed trap on

qualifying. If we are saying that DRS Gibbs 20 Kay, marked only has a

10 K advantage. You have too much real locking. Normally just adjust

your brake bias but KERS interferes with that horribly. That is it. We

see again Rosberg defending from massive. I cannot feel that Massa

is showing his hand too early. He has to be smarter than that. There

is no sign of the threatened rain. I heard it was 80 to 90 % certain.

Look at this! Alonso in to turn one. He has made it work. That is a pure

overtake. Fernando Alonso takes third place. Sebastian Vettel Kimi

has been wearing a heavy demeanour, and unhappy face all weekend. He

has not looked as perky and confident as he has all season.

would not be surprised if Fernando has used all his KERS in their run-

down to the first corner. He would have been working that out for the

last couple of laps. That was extraordinary, how far behind he

was in the middle of the pit straight. Maybe he gave it a full

punch of KERS but he was still darting around. It was a bold move

from Fernando there and probably caught Sebastian Vettel out. Jenson

Button is still mired down in tenth place between Vitaly Petrov and

Camilla Kobayashi. Jenson's weekend is kind of going from bad to worse,

it has to be said -- Kamui Kobayashi. They are running eight

seconds a lap slower than qualifying. That is a world apart

from the confidence they felt. Maybe Alonso has spent more time on

Friday practice with full tanks getting his eye on where he needs

to brake on turn one. Hamilton Leeds. Where there is definitely

Vettel. There is a big gap behind him down to Nico Rosberg in fifth

who has still got Felipe Massa in close company. Sutil hanging on

well in seventh. Perez has fitted - - pitted for Sauber. He is normally

the man who never wants to come into the pits and he runs all day

on the same set of tyres. He is so cheap to run and it seems to pay

dividends but it has not scored 10 points. Let's see if we can get a

visual. Anyway, or were Don Jenson Button, apparently from McLaren,

there are no issues with his car. We are going to see a replay here

of the Perez incident. That is Paul di Resta getting down the inside of

Kovalainen. It was a straight forward pass like taking candy from

a kid. I think we saw with Perez there was a horrible flat spot. The

reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel has been off and he has lost

seven seconds in the middle sector. Surely Rosberg must be all over him.

There is Vettel. Having Rosberg for company along with Felipe Massa.

Rosberg is having a look up the inside. Vettel has made an error at

turn ten, that is the chicane at the top of the hill. What is going

wrong with the man who could make no mistakes, who was unbeatable in

terms of pace and consistency? think we are about to find out. He

gets on the white line. That is an uncharacteristic mistake from

Sebastian. The one rule is do not touch the white lines. Alonso gets

away with it but gets on to the artificial grass. He will be

struggling with his braking points with the amount of vibration he

will have. That was reminiscent of how Jenson Button lost the Canadian

Grand Prix by turning to wide. It was fully on the carpet which is

full of water as well. It was not one of those 190 mile an hour push

it down the racetrack, or was it? wonder if it will force his hand

into a three-stop racetrack so we will probably expect to see him in

on lap 15. Remember a few years ago, we had Kimi Raikkonen in the

McLaren, he had such bad flat spots it broke his suspension. That was

back in 2005 where you were obliged to run one set of tyres for the

race. Hamilton Leeds on lap 11 by having passed Sebastian Vettel is

homing in and we have hide felt off the road. Mr Reliable has crashed

sm he finishes race after race after race, somewhere near the

points. That is clearly contact with with somebody else. That is

like an incident I had with Fernando Alonso here several years

ago. Who was he racing? It is Sebastien Buemi. That was a nasty

incident. That is a case of Sebastien Buemi not being aware of

where the other car was. Hide felt was entitled to put his car there.

There was a gap. A right rear puncture for Sebastien Buemi as

well. That almost look like it us fast forward. That is a scary

incident. Sebastien Buemi was looking left in his mirror and he

couldn't see Heidfeld he didn't realise he was to the right. The

yellow flags are out, unsurprisingly. It is a long way

off the track. Lied feld has been given a -- Heidfeld has been given

a drive-through penalty for causing collision with Paul di Resta at the

start of race. Burr he won't be serving that. He will be - o' but

he won't be serving that. He will be suspended from a tractor soon.

Felipe Massa is in position to get passed Rosberg. He will deploy his

KERS and Rosberg will do the same. This is battle of drag and

horsepower and in the end, Felipe Massa says I have got it this time.

Rob Smedley will be on the radio, saying, well done son! So the

collision between Heidfeld, Heidfeld is now under... Under two

incidents being considered, investigated. But here is a replay

of Massa. He got himself into right position and would not be

intimidated. I don't know if they quite touch. But Massa takes that

position. And it will be interesting to see if he can start

getting closer to Sebastian Vettel, who is 13 seconds off the lead in

fourth. But this is shaping up nicely. Mark Webber half a second

behind Lewis Hamilton. Your pace basis still good. The gap is not

opening up quickly behind us. We're going to need to extend this. Keep

looking after the tyres. Keep looking after the tyres. He has

gone too deep. Mark Webber will be through. Any KERS left he will

deploy it. I don't see how Lewis Hamilton can defend that. Mark

getting out of shape and Lewis is back in the slip stream and comes

up the inside. That is not DRS. That is just pure speed and

Fernando Alonso watching closely too. He must be loving seeing that

go on. Top three lying astern and Lewis Hamilton back in the lead. He

never wants to give up. Just like in Istanbul and him and Jenson

Button were trading places. Lewis Hamilton, hen he has been overtaken,

he sees that as another opportunity to re-overtake. I was thinking he

was too late at the last corner, he was using that as an opportunity to

pass. I wondered that. He went so deep into the chicane, I wondered,

although they're normally delayed those transmissions, but he is on

the edge of what that car will do. We get a replay here. Lewis

Hamilton gets a bit wide on the first apex, allowing Mark Webber

the clean run into turn 15. And this is the crucial thing, Lewis

Hamilton stays wide, cuts inside and then gets the slip stream and

uses the 10 kilometre an hour advantage that the McLaren has over

the Red Bull. DRS not available there, but that driving again by

Lewis Hamilton. But still Mark Webber's on top of him. Vesh will

have to watch out for the -- vesh will have to watch out for the --

Mark Webber will have to watch out for the Ferrari. Those two both

have that advantage and you can't help but feel they have more raw

pace than Lewis Hamilton. But it is only by a little bit and Fernando

Alonso up the inside. Mark Webber blocks his right front. He can

cutback and take a better line into turp two. But now Fernando Alonso

will have better accuse Cemration - - acceleration. It is a guaranteed

contact. But Fernando Alonso must be thinking can I win. He is seeing

Mark Webber has been battling with Lewis Hamilton and he has been

right in that one second window, overheating his tyres and losing

performance. Mark Webber oversteering the car, drifting into

turn seven. Tyres soon. Tyres soon, I think he said. Now Felipe Massa

has passed Rosberg. He is the fastest man on the track. Felipe

Massa will be catching Sebastian Vettel. That is another great fight.

Sebastian Vettel holding off the second Ferrari of Felipe Massa.

This is the top three of the Grand Prix on lap 14. They have both got

their wings open. But they're not that close to Lewis Hamilton. It is

a difficult brake zone. If you brake too early you give up two

tenths of a second. Brake too late and you sail off the track. So

tyres, the soft tyre. Prepared for one of the Red Bull drivers.

Sebastian Vettel. Yes Mark Webber has pitted. And there we go. No new

tyres. No new soft tyre available. Can he get out in front of the

Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Massa fight? No he can't. But it will p

crucial to get out in front of Adrian Sutil and Rosberg. Rosberg

has pitted. So has Michael Schumacher. Mark Webber is now in

traffic. That has not worked at all well. Let's see if he can clear

Adrian Sutil to put himself back into play. He has gone for undercut

to get full use of the new tyres. But he is in traffic. Button still

trying to make his way passed Petrov. Jenson Button is 23 and a

half seconds off the lead. He may be able to sail around the outside

of five. I have seen a few drivers in the support races go around the

outside of that corner and make some ground up. Jenson Button

getting frustrated I would imagine in tenth. 2.7 seconds clear of

Kobayashi, but they're miles off the pace. With Mark Webber pitting

it should be Fernando Alonso close behind Lewis Hamilton. And we have

then got Felipe Massa ever closer behind Sebastian Vettel. We have

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso doing like for like. First and

second sectors. They're down past the start/finish straight. A 38.1

for Lewis Hamilton. Jenson Button going for the outside into the

chicane. Locking up the outside right. That was good defensive

driving from Petrov. If you want to pass me, you're going the long way

round, son. And unless you're, how can you be 10% better on the

brakes? You aren't going to be. With world class drivers and

similar cars. An opportunity for Jenson Button, but Vitaly defending

the inside line. Jensen looking to get the cutback. It is too long a

corner. Another opportunity in turn three. This I where I threw the old

timer down the inside of Mika Hakkinen earlier. I did a pirouette,

but these guys are a bit more skilled. That is the white line

that cost you the Grand Prix victory in 2004. You went sailing

off. I was commentating on it aye took as much pain. -- and I took as

much pain. Mark Webber taking advantage of the fresh tyres.

has passed Adrian Sutil. He has got some clear air now. 3.6 seconds

before he catches Felipe Massa. Mark Webber is flying. If he can do

that he will get track position. McLaren are in the pit lane. This

will be for Lewis Hamilton. This is Felipe Massa on Sebastian Vettel.

He makes it. He still makes a second apex too. Felipe Massa and

look at that, Mark Webber has gone down the outside, Sebastian Vettel

comes into the pits. It is a half- hearted Sebastian Vettel. Lewis

Hamilton has done his pit stop. It will be a race out of pit lane with

McLaren. Fernando Alonso and eleven e we have got. Felipe Massa and

Mark Webber. Three abreast into the first corner. Felipe Massa leads,

but Mark Webber has made his pit stop. He needs to make sure he does

not damage his car. He has track position on Lewis Hamilton and

Fernando Alonso. So we still, this is the top four. But Felipe Massa

yet to make his pit stop. But he is in the thick of the action and he

can play a role here. The undercut worked for Mark Webber. He found

clear air and passed Adrian Sutil. He used the grip of the frish tyre,

pumped in a 1.37.003 and found himself some extra track space. He

now runs in second place. But Felipe Massa's yet to pit. Yes,

Felipe Massa could be used to help Fernando Alonso. I don't see the

Ferrari team out yet. They only need a 15 second warning. So it

would be some way down the back straight. Probably around turn 12.

So just follow them here in turn 10. Mark Webber is in the DRS

activation zone and he has fresher tyres. He should be able to deploy.

I think he is too far back. I don't see any Ferrari mechanics in the

pit lane. Felipe Massa will stay out another lap. Now Mark Webber

play get a better drive out of sli cane. Felipe Massa pits. Mark

Webber will lead a lap of this Grand Prix and several more I

suspect. He had good pace before the stop. This will be fascinating

now to see if Mark Webber can begin to pull away and create a lead

while these two are fighting. Look at the confidence Fernando Alonso

has under brake. It is starting to rain again. Incredibly confidence

in the Ferrari mechanics. They didn't come out until Fernando

Alonso had entered the beginning of pit lane. We didn't see any sign of

that. But they copied, or followed in Lewis Hamilton. And look at this,

Mark Webber is edging a bit of fresh air between him and Lewis

Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. We're on lap 18. That is the top three,

Mark Webber from Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso. Felipe Massa has

pitted, he was fourth. Adrian Sutil has yet to pit. He will move into

fourth and we see Sebastian Vettel coming back on to the track. He is

behind... Felipe Massa. He is behind Felipe Massa. Felipe Massa

has just come out of pit so Sebastian Vettel has lost track

position to Felipe Massa. So it is and Felipe Massa locks up a wheel.

So they have both pitted and it goes from bad to worse for the

World Championship leader. He is now in fifth place effectively.

Albeit there are other cars that are yet to pit that. Is Adrian

Sutil, Jenson Button and Kobayashi. Rosberg has pitted. Michael

Schumacher has pitted. The next man in 12th, Jaime Alguersuari has not.

Paul di Resta is up to 13th. have had Mark Webber setting the

fastest lap. Lewis Hamilton is quicker than Fernando Alonso. The

top three are covered by 1.7 seconds. Adrian Sutil continues to

run fourth. Jenson Button is fifth. Just done a 1.38.5. His best lap of

the Grand Prix. They don't like being pushed down the track. And

there we see a replay of how it kicked off at the front after the

pit stop. Mark Webber has already stopped. Felipe Massa has not made

his stop. Lewis Hamilton slots into second place effectively. And this

is how it looked from. You're not allowed to come across the line

when you come out of pit. But you can cross the line into the pit

lane when you're on the race track. They nearly pit there. Four drivers,

two coming in on a at different speeds and luckily they were

skilful enough not to have an air plane-style crash as they all aimed

at the same piece of track at the same time. Lewis Hamilton is flying

on this lap. He is three tenth quicker in the first sector. Reset

your rotary. Position seven. That won't be a for a cup of tea. That

will be for? I was going the ask you that, you have drirch these car

and know about the Red Bull. -- driven these cars and know about

the Red Bull. I wouldn't want to embarrass you. Let's work out what

it could be. It is the not the magic paddle. Was that Sebastian

Vettel? Who is that? It was Rett vet -- Sebastian Vettel right out

on to the artificial grass. He is running the risk of what we saw

seconds covers the top three at the moment and then there are 6.5

seconds clear of Sutil. Massa is on much fresher tyres. Vettel fancies

following him through. Let's hope we get some footage of KERS and DRS

with Sebastian Vettel. Maybe he does not have KERS available at

this stage in the race. Road treaty, a lot of switches on the steering

wheel are Rotary, it could be fuel, a differential of KERS. The teams

know we hear the messages. A sweet turn in turn five for Massa and

Vettel. Kobayashi has not stopped for tyres and is beginning to

struggle for pace. The next target for Massa is Vitaly Petrov who also

has not stopped. So it'll his fourth and Button Fifth. Button is

catching Adrian so too will. His race is beginning to come alive. I

want to get inside Vettel's head. We have seen two errors at least.

One Alonso past 10 in turn one, he was pretty submissive. What is

going on there, it do you reckon? He is not at one with his car. We

have seen some stunning performances at the start of this

year. Massa having a sniff at Petrov but Petrov has shown he is

not an easy pass. This might be an opportunity for Vettel to get back

into this but he does not seem settled at all. With that, the

confidence goes and that does the magic ingredient between the good

drivers and the great drivers, the confidence. And maybe your tyre

pressures and if you're not quite on it, it all starts falling away.

Remember those famous Renault advert with the car which has a?

Wide ray end, shall we say, that car -- the car which has a wide

rear end, but that car is not as wide as this Renault. Massa has so

much more speed and brick -- grape then he will coast into the braking

zone. The man leading the world championship by 80 points when this

race started, Sebastian Vettel, but he has not sailed through this race.

The next target up the road is Jenson Button, seven seconds in

front of Massa as they start to home in. There is no sign of any

spots of rain at the moment. What is going on down the field? That is

Rosberg on Petrov. That is the position as well. Does not make it

stick. Right behind Rosberg is Michael Schumacher. Petrov showed

his skill at keeping Alonso behind in Abu Dhabi last year so he is not

at all fazed by racing his home Grand Prix while defending position.

That was a brave move by Nico Rosberg. A tricky corner but well-

defended and driven by both of them. That is true. The trouble is, when

you start defending back hard, you all lose time. We will see a replay

of Felipe Massa with his DRS wide- open at the back. There is no

defending against a Ferrari with more speed and more grip. Sebastian

Vettel following through into lap position and steals thataway. Now,

Rosberg is up the inside and so is Michael Schumacher. Petrov knows he

is there. Rosberg is having to attack and defend all at the same

time. Schumacher is looking pretty feisty against his younger team-

mate. They both passed the Renault of Petrov. Talking of Renaults,

Nick Heidfeld in the sister car has been investigated for two incidents

today, before tripping over Sebastien Buemi who did not see him

coming. We have found Nick Heidfeld to hear his side of the story.

a disappointing end to your home Grand Prix, tell us about it.

definitely. Already on the start it was not so good. I lost a position

when I collided with Paul into turn three. I tried hard to make up

positions and behind it Buemi. He was blocking me which was OK on the

left side, on the long straight before the chicane but then I was

next to him on the right and he moved over and there was no wet ago.

He pushed me onto the grass and there was an accident which could

not be avoided. You were given a drive through with what happened

with Paul di Resta but we did not see that. It was a sandwich into

the second corner and in the third, Paul was on the outside. I locked

up the front wheels and tried to avoid him but slid into him. That

is Nick Heidfeld, the man who was eighth in the world Chan the ship.

Michael Schumacher has spun the car on the exit to turn three. Isn't it

at the top of the hill? That is where we saw Vettel. Schumacher,

that is a shame because he was having a good run behind Nico

Rosberg and now he has di Resta, Maldonado and Kobayashi right

behind him. Michael is back to 11th. That has released Alguersuari and

Petrov past Tim. Racing is going on all the way through the field. I

mentioned at the start of the race, the big fight going on between

Mercedes-Benz and Renault. Mercedes-Benz were doing very

nicely indeed. We have one Renault out of the race. Michael slips a

place or two with an error. I wonder if he dipped his wheel? He

did. He did a Vettel. They do call Sebastian Vettel the baby

Schumacher. He does not have to copy the great man, he does it

before him. I never did that but I have seen it happen so many times.

You are looking left into the apex but that is probably a metre of the

racetrack. A man of Schumacher and Vettel's skills, why would they end

up a metre wide? My experience is, when I have made mistakes and we

see the McLaren mechanics coming out into the pit lane in front of

our commentary box. The track surface is slippery. Button tries

to slow the car down to 100 kilometres an hour. There are the

mechanics. The last time he pitted in a Grand Prix, the right front

did not really go on. Away goes Jenson Button. Let's see if he can

recover his afternoon having lost so much time behind Petrov early

on? He will pit miles ahead of Petrov and Co. Michael Schumacher

is leading that train with Kobayashi, Maldonado, Pet trove and

prayers behind him. -- Perez and first lap. Heidfeld was punished

for that but he crashed before he served the punishment. Paul di

Resta is up to 60. -- 16th. We have 22 runners. Chandhok is 22nd at the

moment. We have lost Barrichello and Nick Heidfeld. Barrichello

retired from the race. We will try and find out why that was. And Nick

Heidfeld had the contact with Sebastien Buemi who did not have

suspension damage, just a puncture. D'Ambrosio has just pitted. Alonso

has done a new fastest lap of the Grand Prix. The top three are

covered by just 2.8 seconds. We are moving towards lap 30, the halfway

point of this race and this Formula One season. Webber leads by 1.4.

The top three are lapping within a tenth or two. And they all have a

pit-stop in hand over fourth-placed Massa. So it is a three-horse race,

you are saying? RADIO: Sebastian, we might have a problem with the

rear brakes. That will be brake wear. I cannot imagine what else

they have issues with. They may have put too much brake take on.

They can take that off with a Stanley knife. It is the easiest

stuff to get off if you have to. That might just explain why

Sebastian Vettel looks very much out of sorts today. He is running

fifth, 28 seconds off the lead, lapping about half a second per lap

slower. The top three, Webber, Hamilton and Alonso. Red Bull,

McLaren, Ferrari. They are 22.5 seconds clear of Felipe Massa. 20

seconds, including a stop, will give you a pit stops so they have

that comfort zone. Vettel is carrying a problem, surely. I think

you are right. A little birdie said Michael Schumacher had exactly the

same spin at the same corner in like that when I followed him home

in Monaco in second place but it did not work out like that back in

the day with Michael. Heidfeld is out with an accident and let's find

out what happened to Rubens Barrichello. Conditions were not

easy out there today but I think it was your car that let you down?

we were running quite well. We had such a lovely start. I was running

with a pace which was quite comfortable to do a two-stop. They

told me to stop because I had an engine failure. Even there I tried

to continue, they said there was no way. I could not afford to go

against the whole team telling me to stop so I had to stop.

slippy is the track out there? is a slippy but it is more to do

with the fact that it is cold than wear it. Be little drizzling that

we saw is not affecting it. It is affecting the temperature into the

tyres? Yes, you can see Kobayashi, for example, he is holding the

tyres pretty well. At the front there will be that fight. At the

back, you need to manage the tyres a little bit more. Thank you.

Interesting to hear Rubens' side of the story. Clearly, the track is

not yielding the sort of grip they were hoping for. The air is just 13

degrees. How DC the strategy unfolding as we head towards mid-

race? Strategy, who will be the first to blink? We saw Mark Webber

make good use of the undercut, the fresh set of tyres. In the

commentary box we are in front of the Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari

pit boxes and these guys are so evenly matched that whoever will

will get the strategy right this Alonso quicker that time but it is

just a tenth or two, there is nothing between them. What is

fantastic to see is the difference in performance in the car driver

combination. McLaren is incredible through that first sector. Red Bull

dominates the last sector and the Ferrari is sit somewhere between

the two of them. If you wear to mix all these cars together, you would

get a car which would get half a second quicker. Absolutely right.

Let's not forget, a totally dry race where they do not use the

intermediate tyre, there have to use the other medium compound tyre

mark up with white paint. That could be a second aspect to who

could really cut it towards the end of the Grand Prix. Talking with the

strategists beforehand, it is a question about how late you will

come in for the last stop on the prime tyre. There is as much as two

seconds a lap time difference in qualifying. We expect that to be

half in race trim but one second a lap difference is huge. We have to

keep one eye on the weather. Mike Gascoyne has tweeted that he thinks

off the tyres. I think we can start closing now. How casual is that? If

it is OK with you, let's start closing the gap. If you would just

get on with it, we would be appreciative. We have a plane to

catch. This is the second half of the Formula One season at the end

of this lap and Fernando Alonso just 1.6 seconds off the lead in

third place. This is shaping up to be another classic. We're on board

with Jenson Button. The last time I looked he was 7.3 seconds behaind

Adrian Sutil now he is 0.5 behind him. Up the road is rest Berg in

sixth. So Jenson Button maybe able to salvage something from today.

And there is confirmation of the new fastest lap. Still slow. They

have still got half tanks of fuel. But it is not a quick race. We have

still got cool track attempts. There will with an -- be an element

of managing the tyre. They have got to make the option tyre go the

distance. In we from Pirelli you can do more than a Grand Prix

distance in term of wear. But performance is the key. If he fall

off the cliff not only will he lose time. You Daid good job on brakes,

come rear wards if you need. Two clicks rear ward on the brakes.

Mark Webber has pitted. Mark Webber pits from the lead. So Ferrari were

rate. That left rear just about on in time. Ferrari were rigt. I hope

that left rear did go on. They stand these tyres up and I'm

hearing that use lotless camber and lean in at the top less than I'm

used to see. It is to protect the Pirellis from overheating on the

inside shoulder. And we see Karun Chandhock spinning in the fast

chicane. The Michael Schumacher chicane. And not for the first time.

A gravel track you drive out is a rubbish gravel track. They're not

designed to hold cars in there, but to slow you down. The reason I call

it the Michael Schumacher chicane it is actually called the

Schumacher S. Good stuff and then chicane there is the one that he

designed and people said it is because he suited him in his

Ferrari back in the day. That is the chicane now and Lewis Hamilton

leads from Fernando Alonso. There is 0.6 of a second between. Lewis

Hamilton will duck inside that orange bollard that they have to go

inside into the pit lane. Fernando Alonso the winner at Silverstone,

will come through and lead this Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton pits.

So it will be interesting now. Mark Webber's got Heikki Kovalinan in

front of him. He has got the fresher tyres. I haven't seen the

green sectors come up for Mark Webber. I think Lewis Hamilton will

do it. Mark Webber crosss the finish line and look at that. Where

is Mark Webber? He has done him. Lewis Hamilton is back in the lead.

With traffic and a not spectacular outlap, it has helped and Mark

Webber, can he go around the vout side and reclaim the lead? I can't

see Lewis Hamilton yielding that. A shove to say no way, get out of my

way and blue smoke coming out of back of McLaren -- of the McLaren.

What does not look healthy. I hope that is not the first signs of a

problem for Lewis Hamilton. We're used now to these cars being

bullet-proof reliability-wise. Let's hope that was just some oil

from sitting in the pits. We have Ferrari coming out for Fernando

Alonso. This is Jenson Button going down the inside of Adrian Sutil.

That is for seventh place. This is Mark Webber as he sees Lewis

Hamilton coming out. He ducks under neath and you go around the outside

of turn two, normally, except the atro turf is full of water today.

That was a little love kiss from Lewis Hamilton on Mark Webber. Just

a warning. Then we saw the right bank of that car of Lewis Hamilton

putting out some blue smoke as Fernando Alonso pits for the second

time this afternoon. This will be very close. Lewis Hamilton leads

Mark Webber over the line and there they are in the background and

Fernando Alonso gets up to speed. What is going on? How does that

work? Normally you get the undercut with the fresh new tyre. We have

seen it not working twice. Lewis Hamilton then fancies. He is going

to make this one stick. Fernando Alonso was caught napping

completely. Lewis Hamilton drives around the outsaid. The thing he

stopped Mark Webber doing and steals that lead back. Another

brilliant move from Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso just didn't

cover it off. Lewis Hamilton is in permanent attack mode. Like

Fernando Alonso was yes, I have got the lead, well done boys and then

forgot that Lewis Hamilton could carry that fresh heat that he has

got in his new tyres. Carry the confidence around the outside of

turn two. Put yourself in Mark Webber's place. He came in with a

lead and he is now down into third and doesn't appear to have done

anything wrong. I don't think it was the fastest pit stop in the

world. Maybe that is the answer. The pit stops haven't been as sharp

as they might have been. The one explanation for why the undercut is

not working is the new tyres are not getting up to temperature. In

qualifying they were doing two or three laps before delivering the

fastest timement it worked for Mark at the start. We may have to

analyse this later. Well there is the in and the out laps and the

Stitt stop time and how long it takes the mechanics. Lewis Hamilton

does the new fastest lap. We are going to see a replay of that

sensational move. Fernando Alonso has gone wide in turn one and

doesn't cover off the outside of two. And that was the point where

Lewis Hamilton was slapping Mark Webber off the race track and

Fernando Alonso didn't try anything of sort and the McLaren boys were

enjoying that. As you know, it is tremendously embarrassing to be

overtaken with someone around the outside. How much extra does that

hurt when it is Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. There noise love

lost between those two. -- there is no love lost between those two.

Three different engineser three different drivers. And just two and

a half seconds cover them as we're on lap 34 of the Grand Prix. We

have seen some magnificent driving. Very little contact with these

front runners. They're driving supremely well. And it looked like

Mark Webber had been freed up to go and take this Grand Prix. Lewis

Hamilton does another new fastest first. I hope h he doesn't do what

we have seen him do, of taking too much life out of tyre too early. I

as Pirelli Morphing the tyres. Webber loses a back end. He won't

get a penalty, because he has gain nod advantage. As Pirelli making

tyres more durable, if the advantage of having a car that is

light on its tyres is going and whether the game is changing of you

can't get tyre temperature rather than you need to protect it. Jenson

Button tries to go down the outside of Rosberg for sixth place. Rosberg

parks his car well. But can he get on the KERS and get up the inside?

He can't, but he should get a nice slip stream down the pit straight.

We know the McLaren is fast. They have both got Mercedes engines.

Rosberg parks it on the inside. Look at the speed of the Mercedes.

Mercedes versus the McLaren. He has gone too deep, button takes the

position and he is up to sixth. Next target is Sebastian Vettel who

is still lapping some 1.2 off the pace. He might be meat for Jenson

Button to chase after. Lewis Hamilton then leads by 2.4 now.

Four seconds covers the top three. They're 7.1 ahead of Felipe Massa.

Nico Rosberg just on the inside, the dustier line. Lobs up that

inside front and you -- locks up that inside front. It was just no

option for him but to try and reduce. You see the onboard of Mark

Webber and the braking phase. Just getting a bit messy. We know he has

taken a ppblty for losing time. He won't have gained any penalty for

missing the corner. Lewis Hamilton out front has done another Fasest -

- fastest lap. Is that Jenson Button has missed a chicane stkph

he has got a problem. O' -? He has got a problem. Jensen we need to

box this lap. Twofr retire the car. We have a hydraulics -- we have to

retire the car. We have a hydraulics problem. The hydraulics

work many things on the car. What a shame. It was a great come back for

Jenson Button. An awful start again. He has got to the start sorted out.

But he was driving nicely. I wonder why we're seeing so much

reliability, so many reliability problems today. Do you think

leaping across the kufbs on the chicanes? These cars have been

bullet-proof. But Three retirements now. And there is the race leader,

who leads by 2.7 second over Fernando Alonso and he is half a

second up on this current lap as well. It is coming towards Lewis

Hamilton then. They have to pit again to put on the medium compound

tyre. It is somewhere between 1.5 and 2 seconds slower. Lewis

Hamilton again a 35.0. Another new fastest lap. Fernando Alonso 3.1

adrift and poor old Jenson Button is reduced to spectating. Mark

Webber has done his personal best. But it cities eight tenths slower

than the leader. -- but it is still eight tenths slower than the leader.

Adrian Sutil is released into sixth place. That was a good example of

where you can lose time in your track position. Rosberg got deep

into the turn 13 chicane and lost time. He will be in again, won't

he? He puts another set of soft tyre on. Rosberg, that his his

second stop. He will have to stop again, otherwise he will take

personality. Michael Schumacher is yet to stop for the second time. He

has had various spins and adventures. Kobayashi sweeps passed

Rosberg as well. Kobayashi then ninth. That will be eighth now he

has passed Rosberg. Crucially, as we get into the latter stages, any

attempts at undercut go out of the window. You want to go as long as

you can on these option tyres. Because even a badly worn option

will still be faster than a very new and fresh prime. OK information

to help with the next pit stop we need your left hand clutch paddle

further away from you. Is that a primary clutch he holds down while

he is waiting to to launch away from the pit stop? For me that will

be the secondary clutch. If he is saying have the right hand clutch

further away. That is closer to the front of the car. The left hand

clutch will be fully depressed against the back of the steering

wheel. In orders, you have got to - - in other words you have to be

careful as you launch out of pit stop. Michael Schumacher pits for

the second time. Kobayashi there will now take up seventh place then

as Michael Schumacher pits. Kobayashi has only pitted once as

pit again later in the Grand Prix. He should get some points from

their Co -- though, Michael Schumacher. Rosberg has Record Co

by Ashley. -- Rosberg has recalled Kobayashi. Mark Webber does not

have the pace that he had. You do get a variation on different sets

of tyres. He is significantly slower. The car is a lot lighter at

this stage of the race. You have fuel effect, the track temperature

has remained pretty consistent. He could have a KERS issue. We do not

get all of the transitions played in a. It does seem strange that he

has lost some pace. Kobayashi will be a sitting duck from Rosberg if

he is in the DRS zone which he is. But Rosberg has used up his KERS.

He is relying only on the DRS. amazed Kobayashi stayed on the

racetrack, on that one. You lose at least a quarter of your stopping

capacity when the front wheel is turning because the tie needs to be

rotating to give you retardation. Rosberg sweeping down the outside

this time of Kobayashi. He can turn in and claim the position and

Rosberg runs out of racetrack. It almost seems as if Kobayashi was

ready to yield and then got on the throttle and closed him clean off

the racetrack. Rosberg is beginning to come alive. Was he just

protecting those tyres? We have a Hispania Racing coach sitting down

the pit straight. -- coasting down the pit straight. He is just

creeping, hopefully we will get an image on our screen. It is scary to

cross the pit lane when a driver is flooring the throttle. Nico Rosberg

is still trying to pass Kobayashi. They are on a different strategy

and it is costing Rosberg a lot of time. He is under slightly less

pressure now there are sadly Jenson Button has dropped out of the race.

That is the end of a 14 race finishing straight for Button. It

continues his bad luck and poor form here. He has had one podium

finish in 10 starts here at the Nurburgring. It is not a great

place for Button. He was the third retirement of the day which

includes Barrichello and Heidfeld. With 20 laps to go, how late can

they stop for the harder prime tyres? Do you 3 -- do you think we

might see them coming in with one or two laps to go? Kobayashi left a

gap for Rosberg. Rosberg just about kept on the track and he is through

to seventh place. Let's not forget what a great job Adrian Sutil is

doing for Force Indias. He has stopped only once and he is in

sixth place. He is behind Vettel who is beginning to close in on

Felipe Massa. Mrs Rosberg, the better of a dummy really. He looked

like he was going left and put it down the right-hand side. There was

the drop away into the turn one apex. Great driving from the cave.

He has been very assertive when it comes to mixing with traffic. We

see Vitantonio look see walking back. His car has been parked at

the end of the pit lane. I thought he had stalled. He has also put the

soft tyre on. He should be able to Claire. It was 3.1 seconds, it was

a good stop. A don't think Kovalainen will want to attack him

too hard. Kovalainen his 16th. Liuzzi has now retired. Michael

Schumacher is trying not to lose another front wing. He is at

against the Toro Rosso, writing to the final corner. Let's see what

Schumacher can do down the pit straight. Alguersuari is watching

him closely. Schumacher does a dummy dive and into what is a nice,

white piece of track. And with equal grip across it, it is a great

overtaking place, turn one at the Nurburgring. Feisty driving, yet

again from Michael. It is a pity he had that spin because he was

writing their with Rosberg who is now in seventh place. Here is

second stop of the afternoon. He was in fourth place. And there we

have Sebastian in the background. It was a 3.2 stop but don't look it

up into 101. What was going on there? Vettel was very close behind

corners. He can't afford, even a fifth place for battle would be

better than losing a friend corn and - dropping out of the Grand

He is 3.4 ahead of Alonso. Hamilton is still pumping the laps in and

8.7 ahead of Webber. Hamilton has been so much faster in this phase

of the Grand Prix. They are 20 seconds ahead of master and the

Vettel. They have. Once up to it mistakes from Sebastian Vettel?

Maybe in his first year when he was a Toro Rosso new boy. Maybe he has

some other issue that he definitely seems all at sea this afternoon.