Tucked away beside a motorway in South West Germany, the Hockenheim circuit has changed in character over the years but is still a worthy F1 venue and a fitting host for the 2016 German Grand Prix. It is now 14 years since the long stretches of tarmac that disappeared into the woods were forsaken, and the current more compact layout may lack the echoes of high-pitched screaming engines being wrung within a few rpm of total destruction, but the stadium area remains a spectator’s delight and the sweeping DRS enabled section culminating in a hairpin inevitably encourages some dramatic overtaking. 
Ferrari have always gone well on the Hermann Tilke-modified version, having won five of the eight races held here, but right now it’s difficult to see that happening this weekend. Sebastian Vettel was first bombarded by the speed and sound of Grand Prix racing at this F1 circuit closest to his childhood home, but he has never won here, and nor has his twice pole-setting team mate Kimi Raikkonen. Ferrari have failed to deliver on their promise in recent months and continue to go through unsettling times as the departure of technical boss James Allison was confirmed just before the start of the event. Their lead over Red Bull has dropped to just one point in the Constructor’s table and even their electrifying starts seem to have been negated by the opposition. 
Mind you, Red Bull have never had a car classified in the top two at Hockenheim, even if Vettel did cross the line in 2nd place in 2012 before receiving a penalty. Ricciardo and Verstappen are able to make the most of the RB12 in qualifying, as we saw in Hungary, but their race pace is still vulnerable and if overtaking had been as achievable as it is here, it is unlikely that the points gap would be quite as close as it is. Max has recorded pole positions and a win in Formula 3 at this track, and Daniel had an entertaining dice with Alonso when he was last here in 2014, but straightline speed is a factor this weekend, and they are still giving away more than they would like.
Which brings us to the all-dominant Mercedes. Their performance in Hungary, where we expected them to be under pressure, was absolutely top-drawer. They controlled the race and could turn up the pace when needed, on a circuit which in theory suited some of their rivals better. It could have been a very different story if Hamilton had not scraped into the top ten by a tiny margin in that marathon of qualifying, but he did enough and sailed to victory on the Sunday; there’s always a drama with Lewis from track limits at Silverstone, to a broken brake disc here in qualifying in 2014 which left him 20th on the grid and fighting back to finish 3rd. His one previous win on this circuit was another charging drive, as different pit stop strategies in 2008 left him clawing his way back into the lead in the final seven laps. The chances are that Hamilton and Rosberg will be fighting this one out between themselves, as Nico attempts to take back-to-back victories at Hockenheim, and Hamilton aims to further extend his new-found championship lead. Just an hour and a half’s drive from Stutttgart, where the Mercedes-Benz story began, another chapter in the company’s history is about to unfold. 

It is bizarre that the winner of the Hungarian GP has not gone on to win that year’s world championship since Michael Schumacher in 2004. Since then, every winner has been against the run of form for the season, as proven by Vettel’s victory last year for Ferrari and Ricciardo’s the year before in the Red Bull. Yet this is one of Lewis Hamilton’s favourite hunting grounds, and as he goes into this race with a very good opportunity to take the lead in the World Championship, I wonder if that statistic is going to be broken this year.
Lewis loves the Hungaroring. In many ways it is like a giant kart circuit, with hairpins, chicanes, and constantly changing trajectories over a relatively compact layout. Watching him flick the car around on the brakes yet always maintaining momentum is a real joy; last year he was on pole by half a second from Rosberg on what is a relatively short track, but victory has eluded him this last two years. An engine fire meant a pit lane start in 2014 and last year, his own mistakes on the first lap and then later in an incident with Ricciardo counted against him. Mind you, Rosberg has been unable to pick up the pieces when his team mate has had troubles here. He has never achieved a podium finish at this track and finished down in 8th last year after his own late clash with Ricciardo.
The Australian clearly thrives on the atmosphere just a few miles outside the grand city of Budapest. His victory in 2014 was beautifully judged, and despite finishing 3rd behind his team mate Kvyat last year, it was in fact one of his best, most feisty drives. The Red Bulls arrive here knowing they have a real chance of taking Mercedes on in a straight fight. Daniel took a genuine pole position at Monaco, and there’s every chance that they will be on the pace this weekend. Verstappen is another ex karting champion who relishes this kind of challenge, and last year he took his best result of his F1 career to that point with a 4th place finish here. The fly in the ointment could be tyre management. A new surface has been laid around the 2.7 mile track, and it is reportedly more grippy and more likely to absorb the intense heat of the sun with its dark, unburnished asphalt. Red Bull struggled in similar circumstances in Baku, but perhaps the lessons learned that weekend will assist them this time. 
In theory, the liklihood of thermal degradation taking a toll on the tyres should shift conditions towards Ferrari. The cars are kinder on their rubber but every time we have expected a competitive showing from the team in recent weeks, they have failed to deliver. Vettel did win this race 12 months ago, however, with a perfect getaway and a well managed race, and Kimi Raikkonen was running 2nd until he suffered problems with his power unit. The pressure is on at the Italian team, with big boss Sergio Marchionne wanting answers and seeking progress, and these back-to-back weekends in Hungary and Germany will dictate the mood going into the August break.
Elsewhere, McLaren have got to be hopeful of a double points finish. As the most succesful team in the history of this event, they will be optimistic that a lack of ultimate horsepower will be less of a deficit here. Both Alonso and Button have won the Hungarian GP in the past, the car has developed reasonably well on the chassis side and there are opportunities to be taken. Anything less than a first double in Q3 since the end of 2014 would have to be regarded as a let-down, and there will be a real desire to prove the potential for next year.
Expect the unexpected; It’s an event that springs surprises and ignores the formbook, adding a spiciness to the world championship worthy of the paprika that predominates in the local cuisine. 

Silverstone is a special venue, wrapped up in the history of the World Championship since hosting the first round in 1950 and still providing some of the most challenging fast corners anywhere in the world, along with unpredictable weather and one of the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowds of the entire season. This year, the British Grand Prix occurs just as the heat in the championship battle has approached melting point. The recriminations from the last lap action in Austria will set the scene as Lewis Hamilton attempts to wrest the points lead for the first time this year at the track where he has experienced just about every emotion going. 
Reflecting on the incident between Lewis and Nico at the Red Bull Ring, I’m still excited that we had a battle and change of lead on the very last lap; that is such a rare thing at this highest level, and in fact the last time it happened was when Button took victory from Vettel at his famous Canadian win in 2011. And while Rosberg has been blamed for the contact that took place, I defy any racing driver not to fight tooth and nail to retain a possible victory with less than a lap to go. His attempt to hang on to the win was clumsy and ultimately cost him; in a way it was poetic justice that he dropped to 4th. However, just imagine the reaction if Hamilton’s car had suffered the damage and been unable to finish; that really would have caused some fireworks.
As it is, Hamilton lies just 11 points behind his rival but a win with Rosberg in second will not be enough to claim the championship lead. He needs a few others to become involved, and I really believe that could happen at Silverstone. Red Bull have scored a podium finish here every year since 2008, apart from last season. Their blend of highly efficient aerodynamics and stability should ensure a competitive car and both Ricciardo and Verstappen will be aware that this weekend offers some serious opportunities. Last year, Max was impressive in his Toro Rosso, never lower than 7th in the practice sessions, indeed 3rd fastest on Friday morning, but then it slipped away from him in qualifying and ultimately he made a rare mistake in the race, spinning off on the 3rd lap. Ricciardo was 3rd here in 2014 and an Australian has won the British GP on six previous occasions, with Channel 4’s expert Mark Webber responsible for two of them. 
Ferrari may struggle to be quite as competitive, but the team holds the record for most Silverstone victories at 13, and they’ve won against the formbook before; Alonso’s victory in 2011 came during a season dominated by Red Bull. Williams were mighty here twelve months ago, running 1-2 in the early stages, but having seen their performances in the last two GP on circuits that should have suited them, it’s hard to see them being a major factor. My underdog vote would go to Toro Rosso; Sainz qualified 8th here last year, and the car should suit the sweeps and swoops of Silverstone. 
Whatever happens, you can bet that Hamilton will be on an emotional high, coming from a last gasp victory in Austria to a massive level of support at his home race and with the target of claiming the points lead tantalisingly close. The atmosphere will be electric and I can’t wait for the action to begin.