The historic Nürburgring track will host Round 9 of the 2009 Formula One season.
It's a classic, built to challenge cars, racers and teams. It's located in the Eifel Mountains and, with its mid-speed corners, heavy brake zones and unpredictable weather, it's a challenge most drivers love. They call it a rhythm track, which puts the emphasis on driver ability.
When the season began in March, the teams were divided into two groups: the fast and the not so fast. Eight races later those divisions are even more clearly defined. The last race in Silverstone showed that Red Bull, Brawn GP, Ferrari and Williams are the only teams capable of winning. It also confirmed that the championship will be contested between Brawn GP and Red Bull.
With Red Bull's domination of Brawn GP in the last race, the door is again open for wunderkind Sebastian Vettel to gain some ground on Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello in the points chase.
Here is a team-by-team look at how they will fair at the Nürburgring:
McLaren: Lewis Hamilton has declared this season a "character building opportunity" and with 16th and 18th place finishes last race, it's clear the car is not competitive. I believe Mercedes will now focus on helping Brawn GP and Hamilton will have more opportunity to build his character.
Ferrari: Since the introduction of the new car a few races ago, there has been great hope at Ferrari. They will not win a championship, but race wins are a possibility. The best story here is about the drivers. It appears Fernando Alonso will join the team in 2010. That means either Kimi Raikkonen or Felipe Massa will be gone, so they'll be doing their best this weekend. Both will finish with points on Sunday, with Massa podium bound.
Renault: Much like McLaren, Renault is in the championship hunt, just not with its own team. The car is slow and the race strategy started off bad and has gotten worse, with no signs of improvement. Fernando Alonso is racing for pride, but the lack of development on the 2009 chassis will leave him near the back of the pack again.
BMW: They would dearly love to do well at home in Germany, but the season is headed in the wrong direction. Just like last year they are fighting with McLaren, but at the wrong end of the grid. Work continues on improving the chassis and Nick Heidfeld will be motivated to win at home, so let's give them a top 10 finish.
Toyota: The Nürburgring suits this car and with Timo Glock and the team racing at home I expect big things from Toyota here. Their lack of consistency won't be a problem this weekend. Expect a good battle with Ferrari for third through sixth place.
Williams: Nico Rosberg has been a star for this team. A fifth place in Britain proved that he and the car are good on fast tracks, but this track isn't fast and requires lots of braking. I expect Rosberg to qualify well, but will likely slip back during the event. He might get eighth place and a single point, but no higher.
Red Bull: After a dominating performance in the last race, they have let Brawn GP know they are in the championship hunt. They will continue to develop the chassis, which already is the best on the track, and the Renault engines have proven to be fast and reliable. This will be a key test for young Vettel. For the first time he's racing at home in a critical race. I think the pressure will get to him. A Red Bull driver will be on the podium, but it will be teammate Mark Webber.
Toro Rosso: These guys are awful. Finishing 16th and 17th while your sister team dominates indicates there is a problem. The team struggles with race set up, qualifying and race strategy. A slower track should make the car more competitive, but anything better then a top 15 would be a good weekend.
Brawn GP: Whatever psychological advantage Brawn GP had going into the last race evaporated with the Red Bull dominance. Brawn GP promises massive aerodynamic updates for this race. The car does not like cold or wet conditions, so if it's warm, give them the edge. Team owner Ross Brawn and driver Jenson Button are veterans, which goes a long way in a championship hunt. I give Button another win, but he will have the Red Bull cars breathing down his neck all the way.
Force India: Another team that is actively improving the car. A great 10th place finish last race shows the team hasn't given up and is still racing with the goal of scoring points, which just might happen this weekend. It would be a great story if Adrian Sutil could do it at home in Germany. I will be an optimist and give them a top-7 finish.
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