Formula One News — July 2012

Hungarian GP - Thursday Press Conference

Sebastian Vettel has denied saying that Lewis Hamilton made a 'stupid decision' when he attempted to unlap himself from race leaders Fernando Alonso and himself in last weekend's German GP.

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has paid tribute to the focus and form of Fernando Alonso after the Spaniard's third win of 2012 in Hockenheim, but is taking nothing for granted with regard to Ferrari's prospects of staying on top for the rest of the season.

Motor racing's governing body, the FIA, is expected to issue a further directive on engine mapping before the forthcoming Hungarian GP this weekend. It is understood that Red Bull Racing will not be able to run the same map that FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer considered to be outside the regulations in Germany.

The 40-year-old Austrian has stepped up from a non-excutive role to Executive Director of Williams Grand Prix Holdings and will "assist and support" Frank Williams as team principal.

Depite Lewis Hamilton currently lying fifth in the world championship classification, 62 points behind leader Fernando Alonso, and Jenson Button seventh, 86 points adrift, team principal Martin Whitmarsh believed that both his drivers are still in the hunt after the team's strong performance in Germany.

After a race in which FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer reported Red Bull Racing to the stewards, albeit without further action being taken, and Sebastian Vettel labeled Lewis Hamilton "a bit stupid" before himself being given a retrospective Drive Through penalty costing him three places, team principal Christian Horner gave his assessment of the German GP.

German GP - Race Report

Sebastian Vettel lost his podium finish at the German Grand Prix when race stewards ruled that he gained an advantage by deliberately leaving the track at Turn 6 in his battle with Jenson Button. In keeping with a Drive Through penalty imposed after the race, 20s has been added to Vettel's race time.

German GP - Sunday Photos

German GP - Race Results

German GP - Sunday Press Conference

German GP - Sunday Team Quotes

German GP - Race Notes

The Red Bull RB8s of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber will start the German GP from their respective qualifying positions, second and eighth after a five place exhaust change penalty respectively. FIA stewards have taken no further action subsequent to technical delegate Jo Bauer's report.

FIA F1 technical delegate Jo Bauer has referred Red Bull to the Hockenheim stewards for breach of the technical regulations. With the cars in parc ferme before the race, it means that the team will need to either start from the back of the grid or risk exclusion from the race results if the stewards agree with Bauer's assessment.

Despite qualifying just 10th on the grid for the German GP, Kimi Raikkonen still thinks that Lotus can challenge the front-running teams so long as he has a decent first lap and keeps out of trouble.

German GP - Qualifying Report

German GP - Saturday Photos

German GP - Saturday Press Conference

German GP - Saturday Team Quotes

German GP - Qualifying Results

German GP - Practice 3 Report

German GP - Practice 3 Results

Mark Webber is the third potential winning driver to be hit by a five place penalty on the German GP grid after needing a gearbox change. The F1 regulations require a gearbox to do five consecutive events, with Hockenheim being round 10, the halfway point in the season.