Mercedes cars dominate 1st practice for German GP

Nico Rosberg hopes history will repeat itself as he seeks a much-needed win on home soil at the German Grand Prix to put him back on top of the drivers’ world championship.

Verstappen is sixth in the drivers’ standings, with Raikkonen and fellow Ferrari pilot Sebastian Vettel ahead of him.

But Rosberg was not fooled into thinking he will have an easy ride to pole position today.

Hamilton said: “The first time I came here it was on the old circuit. So that’s a warning not to get over-excited”.

“The team have been very supportive and also the fans, so I’m really happy that I will be racing here”, Haryanto said in a Q&A, previewing engine-supplier Mercedes’ home race.

“It’s the original surface so it’s nice and bumpy and has lots of character”.

“A good start to the weekend”.

“So for sure we all want it to be on the auto, as soon as possible”.

Former champion Button complained about an eye irritation, while two-time champion Alonso is celebrating his 35th birthday.

“All good for tomorrow”, Button said on his Twitter account. Sergio Perez finished ninth in the other Force India after getting airborne early in the session after re-joining the track at Turn 1.

Having seen Hamilton overturn his one-time 43-point championship lead over the last six races, Rosberg is in need of a strong result before F1’s August break and on Friday held a consistent single-lap edge over his Mercedes team-mate.

There was no German Grand Prix a year ago, with the Nuerburgring baulking at paying the hosting fees and the Hockenheim chiefs unwilling to shoulder the cost after only 52,000 people turned up on race day in 2014. Pirelli has nominated its medium, soft and supersoft compounds, the same combination used for last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. The reality is that as a driver double-yellow -flags means “watch out, you might have to stop any minute”. “It was just not a great lap, so I am not particularly anxious”.

“I don’t think there was any harm done it was just a misjudgement”.

This is their third season locking horns as team-mates and if he’s not found the “miracle” to consistently unlock how to be faster than Lewis – and the truth is he isn’t quite despite being bloody quick – he’s not going to suddenly find it now.