German Grand Prix (2013) RESULT

With Hamilton on pole for Mercedes and Vettel alongside in the Red Bull, can the Germans fail to get a result in the 2013 German Grand Prix?

The expectation for the 2013 German Grand Prix is that even if Vettel can’t win his home Grand Prix for the first time, there should at least be a ‘German’ win with Hamilton in the Mercedes on pole.

But Hamilton made a poor start and it wasn’t just Vettel who got past, but Webber too to make it a one-two away from the line for Red Bull.

But at Webber’s first pit stop a wheel came off as he pulled away, hitting a cameraman, and by the time he got his wheel joined to the car again he was a lap down.

That was bad luck for Webber, but he had a bit of luck when a safety car on lap 36 allowed him to catch up to the back of the pack and fight his way from there to end up an amazing seventh place.

After the safety car the front runners – Vettel, Grosjean and Raikkonen – ran in convey until Grosjean made a final stop of lap 40, quickly followed by Vettel, but Raikkonen and Alonso – who was running in fourth – stayed out for another nine laps before fitting softs.

When the final pits stops had finished, it was Vettel in the lead followed by Grosjean, Raikkonen and Alonso.

Raikkonen closed on Grosjean and Lotus gave the order for Raikkonen to pass with just five laps to go, but it was probably a lap too short for him to take Vettel, with Vettel taking the flag and his first German Grand Prix win.

Behind the top four, it was Hamilton who managed to get past Button in the McLaren in the closing stages to take fifth place, with Perez in eighth, Rosberg in the Mercedes in ninth and Hulkenberg getting the last points place in tenth for Sauber.

As a footnote, the cameraman who got hit by Webber’s wayward tyre – Paul Allen – came away with a broken shoulder and ribs and Red Bull had to swallow a €30k fine for their carelessness.