Ohhhh, it's his birthday. What better way to celebrate than by sitting next to someone with an oversized version of your head? Standard.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Hockenheim

Fernando Alonso turns 35 today but there does not yet seem much chance of him mellowing with age. He said in Hungary last weekend he felt he was driving “at my best level” - and it has looked it this year. And his news conference on Thursday was as entertaining as ever. Alonso spent a long time discussing the chances of McLaren and Honda being in a position to fight for the title next year, reiterated his long-stated opinion that he will decide whether to race on beyond next year once he knows whether he enjoys next year’s cars, said he “was right” to leave Ferrari in 2014 - a view it is harder and harder to argue with, even for his sternest critics given the crisis enveloping the Italian team, and on the subject of yellow flags made a very spiky comment about inconsistency of policing over the years. 

“Sebastian (Vettel) overtook Jean-Eric Vergne with all the yellows flashing in Brazil in 2012 and he was world champion,” he said, referencing a situation that clearlystill rankles nearly four years on.

What's going on here, you might ask.

I've no idea, is the answer.

Nando seems pretty happy though.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Hockenheim

Image source, AP

Not content with taking the championship lead from Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton is twisting the knife verbally, too, this weekend, saying his recent run of five wins in six races is simply the result of him not having any car problems, rather than any change in form. 

“Nico has been driving just as well as he has all year, it’s just I haven’t had any problems,” Hamilton said. 

“I’ve been driving exactly the same as earlier in the year but have not had gearbox failures or engine problems. It was just a bad run. I had a lot of poles, difficult starts, collisions, gearbox failure, engine failures. That’s it in a nutshell. I haven't had a problem these last few races.” 

Ouch.

Nico Rosberg relinquished top spot in the drivers' championship to his team-mate Lewis Hamilton after the Briton won the Hungarian Grand Prix last-time out, but there is probably no better pick me up for the German than to be at his home race. 

Rosberg is one of four German drivers competing this weekend, along with Sebastian Vettel, Nico Hulkenberg and Pascal Wehrlein.

Jimmy: While I understand the risk element makes it more exciting, nobody wants to watch some die while racing. Now they say there is not enough time to implement it, but personally if they wanted to they could. A lot of the opposing arguments have been around aesthetics. Well if that's the reason, they better hope no one has a serious accident next year, because they will get the blame and rightly so.  

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Not long until there's the sound of engines firing up in Germany so here's a swift rundown of what's coming up and how you can follow.

First practice starts at 09:00 BST and lasts for the usual 90 minutes. Then we break for lunch before the cars return to the track for second practice at 13:00 BST. 

You can listen to commentary on both sessions via BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, which is also available through this page.

If you haven't already, don't forget to download and listen to the Chequered Flag podcast.

It might not be the best of times for Ferrari at the moment, so we want your memories of their glory days. What's your favourite Ferrari of all time?

Also, what's your thoughts on the decision not to introduce the halo for next year? Delighted to see the relaxation on restrictions of radio messages? 

Get involved via #bbcf1,, external text in on 81111 (UK only) or post a comment on the BBC Sport Facebook page.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Hockenheim

Image source, Getty Images

After Thursday’s strategy group meeting, we can add another controversy to the list bubbling this weekend. The group of team bosses, Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt decided not to introduce the halo head protection system next year, but give it another year of development. 

The logic for this is based on aesthetics and a perceived risk of it damaging the image of the sport, but the justification for a group of people whose lives are not at risk making a decision not to introduce a device that has been proven to improve safety, against the wishes of the majority of drivers seems marginal at best in some eyes. 

Alexander Wurz, the chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association is clearly unhappy, saying it “brings F1 into uncharted territory” and adds that the decision “could almost be seen as ‘business first and safety second’”. 

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Hockenheim

In the torpid heat of a mittel-European high summer, the Formula 1 season is really coming to the boil. To the drivers' unhappiness about stewarding decisions, particularly two arising out of last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, you can now add confusion at the decision not to introduce the halo head protection system. Lewis Hamilton has just taken the lead of the drivers’ championship for the first time but says he doesn’t really feel like it because of engine penalties down the stretch, and Ferrari seem in the middle of imploding. It’s never quiet in F1, but this is quite something.

Here we are then, Hockenheim - the final race before the summer break.

It's only a few days since the Hungarian Grand Prix ended, but that feels like a lifetime ago given all that has gone on this week.

We've covered the significant departure from Ferrari, while yesterday was quite a big day in terms of the future of F1 as the sport's Strategy Group met to discuss and implement a number of changes. The outcome? No halo head protection device for 2017 and a big relaxation on radio restrictions, effective immediately.

Opinion has been split on the former, while the majority have welcomed back the latter. Although someone might have quite enjoyed the peace and quiet...

Image source, Twitter

Actually, I don't need to give Seb a penny because he has given his thoughts for free. Nice chap.

Ferrari's problems were seemingly compounded earlier this week when the team announced on Wednesday the departure of technical director James Allison.

Vettel admitted the team faced "a big change", but added: "We have the right people on board. Things are heading in the right direction."

Let's see if there is some truth in this words at this weekend's German Grand Prix.

Image source, Getty Images

What must be going on inside Sebastian Vettel's head?

He left Red Bull to join Ferrari with the aim of challenging for world titles again and three wins in his first year with the team suggested he'd made the right call.

Since then, however, they only appear to have gone backwards.

No wonder he has gone all sweary in the cockpit, these days.

Still, if ever there is a time to get your season on track, it's at your home grand prix.