This archive report was first published on 31 July 2019.
Published on July 31, 2019, the 2019 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim Circuit was a frenetic and unpredictable affair, with numerous incidents and surprises throughout the race.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen claimed a memorable victory, despite encountering trouble at various points during the 64-lap race. His teammate, Pierre Gasly, made a horrendous start, but Verstappen was able to make light work of Alfa Romeo's Kimi Raikkonen in the second lap.
However, the race was not without its challenges, with numerous drivers experiencing difficulties on the treacherous track. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who started last due to a mechanical issue in qualifying, was up to 13th by the end of the second lap, while SportPesa Racing Point's Sergio Perez was the first casualty of the race, spinning and damaging his car in the process.
The pit crews were also kept busy, with a number of drivers going in for fresh wets, including Vettel and Toro Rosso's Alexander Albon. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who had started tenth, exited the pits with much gusto, but got into the way of the Haas of Romain Grosjean, leading to a team penalty for Ferrari.
As the race progressed, the conditions became increasingly treacherous, with drivers struggling to cope with the wet-dry conditions. Daniel Ricciardo's Renault was unable to handle the conditions, and the power unit gave way on the fifteenth lap, leading to the deployment of a Virtual Safety Car and more pit stops.
Despite the challenges, Verstappen was able to pile pressure on Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who was leading the race at one point. However, Hamilton's luck soon ran out, and he spun twelve laps from the end, eventually finishing last after serving his penalty in the pit stop.
With four laps to go, Vettel was able to pass McLaren's Carlos Sainz, SportPesa Racing Point's Lance Stroll, and then the Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat, earning himself a second-place finish. Gasly damaged his car agonisingly close to the chequered flag, while Kvyat finished third.
The race had a dizzying 78 pit stops, saw Williams score its first points for 2019, and also saw two different Honda-powered teams on the podium for the first time since the 1988 Australian Grand Prix.
