Jenson Button, Honda
2006 Qualifying - 4th, 2006 Race - 4th
“I have always enjoyed racing at Hockenheim and I have some great memories from previous races here after finishing on the podium in 2004 and 2005. There are good overtaking opportunities and you can see some great battles, which makes the racing exciting for the fans who always pack the grandstands here. The track can be quite a challenge if the heat and humidity levels are high, and the medium to slow speed corners put quite a bit of stress on the tyres.
“Our aims for Germany are as always to get the best out of the car and hopefully achieve a good result. It is so incredibly competitive in the midfield pack at the moment that it is almost impossible to make predictions. Our test at Hockenheim was successful, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that relates to our performance this coming weekend.”
Fernando Alonso, Renault
2006 Qualifying - 7th, 2006 Race - 5th
“It’s a very physical track for the drivers. It can also be quite hot, which makes things difficult for the whole team. For the car, good straight-line speed is necessary, but not as much as it was in the past when the circuit was different. In the slow corners grip is always poor, but it is possible to make up for some of that with a good mechanical set-up and a car that is easy to drive. To be fast in Hockenheim, the right compromise is always difficult to find.
“We drove in Germany three days last week to improve the set-up of the car and so that we could approach the race in the best shape possible. The weather was mixed, but we were still able to complete our programme, and I think that we have a good basis to work from when we start free practice on Friday. The R28 has performed well on different types of circuit already this season, and we must concentrate on realising our potential this weekend.”
Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber
2006 Qualifying - NA, 2006 Race - NA
“In 2006 I had the opportunity to drive at Hockenheim in free practice on Friday, but this will be my first Formula One Grand Prix there - although I did race at the circuit in F3. We weren’t there last year so I think it will be a very special weekend for our team and especially for BMW and all the BMW fans. We always try our best. It is the kind of track with different kinds of corners, although not really high-speed corners. The only one that is quite quick is when you enter the stadium, where there is always a special atmosphere. I know corner one is pretty quick but not really a long corner. There are some quite short corners with only one line you can take through them.”
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2006 Qualifying - NA, 2006 Race - NA
“I was at Hockenheim in 2005 when I won a Formula 3 EuroSeries race and in 2006 with GP2 when I finished second and third. It’s actually quite a straightforward circuit to get into, and it helps that our car just feels so awesome at the moment. There’s a bit of everything around here and it’s quite fun to throw the car into some of the high-speed corners, like Turn One and Turn 12 - the high-speed right-hander into the stadium section.
“It will be great to be at Hockenheim where I will compete in my first German Grand Prix. I’m looking forward to the support of the Germans and especially the Mercedes fans. I know that many of them will be on the Mercedes grandstand from where they have a great view and there will also be a fantastic entertainment programme behind the grandstand. I will be on stage during the weekend and answer questions about my practice and qualifying. It is always nice to get close to the fans as it gives me additional motivation.”
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