German Grand Prix (2014): RESULT

Nico Rosberg is on pole for Mercedes’ home Grand Prix at Hockenheim, but Lewis Hamilton is starting from the back in his car. Is a one-two possible?

The plan by Mercedes to get a one-two on the grid at the German Grand Prix went awry when Hamilton crashed out in qualifying, but Nico Rosberg starts his – and Mercedes – home Grand Prix in pole position, even if poor Lewis Hamilton languishes at the back of the grid after his brake failure in qualifying.

So the 2014 German Grand Prix should be about Hamilton’s quest to reach the Williams cars in second and third, and Rosberg’s disappearance in to the distance. Which it is, but with knobs on.

Hamilton’s cause was helped by Magnussen in the McLaren ending Massa’s race in the Williams at the first corner, as they collided in a racing accident with Massa running off and flipping over, fortunately, it would seem, without injury.

A short period behind the safety car saw Hamilton restart the race in 17th and within 10 laps he’d made it up to tenth with some courageous and exciting overtakes, including a pass on Raikkonen and Ricciardo in a spectacular double overtake. But he wasn’t the only driver creating excitement.

A lap or so later saw another three-way tussle with Kimi Raikkonen ending up a sandwich between Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel and there was plenty of action to go around; much of it so good it could be appreciated even by the partisan.

But it was Hamilton’s continuing charge that saw a coming-together – although both continued – with McLaren’s Jenson Button when it appeared Hamilton though Button was yielding – but he wasn’t.

That gave Hamilton some damage on his front wing – which may ultimately have cost him second place – but when Hamilton tried again he passed Button without incident.

Hamilton also gambled on a safety car coming out when Sutil spun and stalled coming out of the last corner and he jumped in for a tyre change. But the safety car never came and Hamilton came out, battled on and caught Bottas in the Williams of Bottas in second place, but couldn’t get past.

Still, a remarkable drive from Hamilton to limit the damage after crashing out in qualifying, even if it does leave him 14 points behind his team mate.

Behind the front trio of Rosberg, Bottas and Hamilton, Vettel took fourth, Alonso did what he always does and took fifth despite what looked an uncompetitive car, Daniel Ricciardo took sixth after holding off Hulkenberg who took seventh, Button managed eighth followed by team mate Magnussen and Sergio Perez managed to get to the end of the race – despite ignoring Fore India’s pleas for him to conserve fuel for a chunk of the race – for the final points place.