F1 | German GP report cards – Verstappen and Vettel in the lead, Hamilton and Leclerc mess up in the rain

MAX VERSTAPPEN 10 cum laude Experience and speed at the service of the Red Bull team. After a qualification close to perfection, despite a small technical problem during Q2, the Dutchman managed to give himself his second success of this 2019 world championship, confirming himself as one of the fastest and most spectacular drivers in humid conditions. A pleasant confirmation that Mercedes will have to follow carefully as this championship continues. LAST HOPE

SEBASTIAN VETTEL 8,5 Very unlucky on Saturday (FERRARI RELIABILITY 2), Seb manages to collect the maximum possible on Sunday, managing the sixty-four laps on the Hockenheim track to perfection. He dozed off a bit in the first part of the race, especially in the direct comparison with his former teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, but thanks to strategy and his talent he managed to grab the top positions in the standings, collecting an absolutely unexpected podium (the comeback was epic from fifth to second place in the final laps. ed.). An adrenaline rush that brought the best Sebastian Vettel back to Formula 1. WELCOME BACK

DANIIL KVYAT 8,5 Daniil, like Vettel, made the most of the safety cars and the weather conditions present in Germany, collecting a podium that no one would have ever expected on Sunday morning. He makes no mistakes, unlike his rivals, and makes the most of the pit wall's superb choice to fit slick tires during the last safety car (RED TORO WALL 9). The birth of Penelope, her firstborn, is the icing on the cake of a perfect day. REDEMPTION

LANCE STROLL 8 Starting quietly and amidst the general indifference of the experts, Lance confirms himself as an excellent talent in wet track conditions (remember the Monza qualifying sessions in 2017?). The Canadian clearly wins the direct comparison with his teammate (SERGIO PEREZ 4,5) and forcefully responds to the many criticisms received in recent weeks. A capital performance, strongly desired by the team and his father, which we hope will definitively unlock him after a start to the season lived in the shadow of his team mate. SILENT PROTAGONIST

CARLOS SAINZ 7,5 The Spaniard made the most of the chaos of the sixty-four laps on the Hockenheim track, but lacked aggression in the final, as he was unable to join the challenge between Kvyat and Stroll for the third step of the podium. Such a pity. However, the concreteness shown on a difficult Sunday and the excellent points given to McLaren for the constructors' classification remain. Dreaming of fourth place ahead of Renault is no longer impossible. NICE CONFIRMATION

ALEX ALBON 7 The Thai confirms himself as a pleasant surprise in this 2019 world championship. Very good at taking advantage of the excellent day on the Toro Rosso wall, he openly challenges Lewis Hamilton shortly after the halfway point of the race, making it difficult for him to overtake for fourth position. He loses himself a bit at the end, especially in the direct comparison with his teammate, but it still remains a performance to be promoted with flying colours. PROMOTED IN THE RAIN

LEWIS HAMILTON 4,5 The Englishman starts well and manages to manage the pace of the drivers behind him, namely Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen, without major problems. The classic Lewis who doesn't even leave crumbs to his opponents. The arrival of the rain, however, dramatically led him to make a mistake, causing him to lose not only the leadership of the race, but also the points zone (later regained thanks to the penalties inflicted on the Alfa Romeo drivers) and the same confidence with the car. The penalty for returning to the pit lane incorrectly is the icing on the cake of a Sunday to quickly forget. PERSONAL

VALTTERI BOTTAS 2 The Finn sensationally wastes one of the few opportunities left by his teammate with a world championship perspective. Timid behind Lance Stroll, Valtteri throws everyone away with a clumsy, almost inexplicable mistake. A driver fighting for the world championship cannot miss certain opportunities, especially if he faces a monster (in the true sense of the word) like Lewis Hamilton. The feeling is that this mistake happened at the wrong time. ONE FOOT IN THE PIT

CHARLES LECLERC 4,5 The Monegasque, this time due to his own faults and not attributable to Ferrari, sensationally wasted a clear chance of victory. He gives a show and controls like a true 'Rainmaster' in the first third of the race, especially inside the Motodrom, the most complex part of the circuit, but he gets lost in the moment in which concreteness and clarity were needed more than a heavy foot. Verstappen manages to make a difference precisely in these two aspects, at least for now. YOU CAN DO MORE, CHARLES!

NICO HULKENBERG 4,5 Like Leclerc, he puts on a show and overtakes in the first third of the race, but stumbles into the same mistake as the Monegasque at turn 15 (SKATING RINK STYLE ESCAPE ROUTE 0), throwing everything away. A real misfortune, given that the podium, like never before on Sunday, could have been within his reach. CURSED PODIUM

ROBERT KUBICA 7 Criticized by everyone, Robert manages for the umpteenth time to silence his detractors, bringing to the finish line a car that practically didn't fit on the track. No smudges, no errors. Russell doesn't have his experience and it shows. The penalty to the Alfa drivers gives them a points zone which is equivalent to a victory on the last lap. NEVER DOMO

KIMI RAIKKONEN 7 Kimi got off to a great start, even moving into third place behind the two Mercedes, but a stop that was too slow, combined with Leclerc's superior pace, didn't allow him to maintain his position. Race over? Not at all! The former Ferrari player first challenges Vettel and then races with a knife between his teeth to defend his points finish. It could have been a Sunday to remember, but unfortunately a penalty (ALFA ROMEO 4) ruins everything, relegating him to twelfth position. BAD LUCKY

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN AND ROMAIN GROSJEAN 6 Do you know the famous phrase 'We want to be close to each other'? Here you are. The two Haas standard bearers, to the joy of our beloved Gunther Steiner, come to blows again, risking throwing away a wonderful opportunity. They finish in the points, but the situation could lead the American team to make rather sensational choices. WARNING

PIERRE GASLY 4 Outclassed without half measures by his teammate. He gets off to a bad start, slides mid-field and is overtaken several times by the small Toro Rossos of Kvyat and Albon. A nightmare Sunday that erases, at least partially, the good things shown at Silverstone. NEW SLIP

THE OTHERS: George Russell 6, Antonio Giovinazzi 6.5, Daniel Ricciardo SV, Lando Norris 5

PIT STOP MERCEDES 2 Sometimes they make mistakes too. CONFUSION

GP GERMANY 10 AND PRAISE Old-fashioned race, with retirements and strategies that played a key role in drawing up the final ranking. A shame not to see the Hockenheim circuit back on the calendar in 2020. AUF WIEDERSEHEN