2008 German Grand Prix

Championship standings

Hamilton, Räikkönen and Massa are level at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, all on 48 points. Kubica is fourth on 46, Heidfeld fifth on 36. Ferrari lead the Constructors’ on 96 points, BMW Sauber second on 82 — ahead of McLaren despite Hamilton tying for the championship lead, owing to Kovalainen’s low point total of 24.

Previous race

Hamilton won in Britain by 68 seconds from Heidfeld, in a drive widely described as one of the finest wet-weather performances in the sport’s history. Barrichello completed the podium. Räikkönen finished fourth. Kubica retired. Massa spun five times and finished 13th, dropping him from first to joint-first in the standings.

Between-race developments

Hamilton tested the McLaren MP4-23’s revised front wing — introduced at Silverstone — extensively in the team’s simulator and at a pre-race test session at Hockenheim. Kovalainen was less comfortable with the new wing and will run a greater front-wing angle to produce more downforce.

Car upgrades

Ferrari bring revised bargeboards, altered exhaust exits and a new windscreen to their F2008. BMW Sauber add turning vanes to the nose of the F1.08. Toyota have removed bodywork from the TF108’s exhaust exits. Honda introduce new bargeboards for the RA108.

Practice

FP1 ran on a wet track after early-morning rain. Hamilton was fastest ahead of Kovalainen; Massa third, Alonso fourth, Räikkönen fifth. Kubica spun off the circuit; Bourdais had a flywheel sensor failure and both ended at the bottom of the times. Hamilton topped FP2 again in dry conditions, Massa and Räikkönen moving up to second and third; Webber fifth after earlier electrical and clutch problems. The Saturday session was dry: Kovalainen fastest, Massa second, Hamilton third. Kubica was again at the foot of the sheet, this time due to a transmission problem.