The ‘main-game’ this weekend sees Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Brendon Hartley competing in the German Grand Prix. ‘Not according to plan’ is the description Hartley has given to the last three Grand Prix run over consecutive weekends that saw him retire from each with car issues.
“I raced at Hockenheim in the Formula 3 Euro Series and I have to say it’s a cool track,”commented Hartley. “I like going to these old circuits that have a lot of history, even if we don’t race anymore down those two very long straights through the forest. I’d like to try that! The final part with the grandstand in the Motodrom section has an amazing atmosphere when it’s packed with fans.
“The track has a bit of everything: a very high speed Turn 1 where the kerb comes into play, and the final sector which is very technical featuring a banked section, which is something of a rarity on modern Formula 1 tracks. The combination of the high speed flat parts along with the more technical bits, as well as having some cambered sections, makes it a very interesting lap to drive.”
After the top three teams, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull, the mid-field competition is incredibly tight with just hundredths of a second difference between finishing in the points or at the back of the pack. While Hartley says he is a firm believer in making your own luck he is quick to acknowledge that he has had his share of bad-luck and heads into the weekend optimistic.
“After the three races in a row it was good to have a few days off, and I hope all the team members managed to get a bit of a break too. I spent a couple of days mountain biking in the UK and enjoying the weather, but it was soon time to get back to work with a day in the simulator to prepare for the German Grand Prix.
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