Summary

  • Bottas on pole, Hamilton 2nd, Verstappen 3rd

  • Hulkenberg replaces unwell Stroll for Racing Point

  • Race taking place at the Nurburgring in Germany

  • Get involved using #bbcf1

Live Reporting

Michael Emons

  1. Is this the sign of a change in fortunes for Ferrari? Charles Leclerc is second and Sebastian Vettel fourth. We could really do with a competitive Ferrari this weekend.

  2. That Latifi spin is going to mess up the laps of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Five minutes left for another go.

  3. A spin for Nicholas Latifi and now he's blocked everyone off on the racing line.

  4. Nico's seat

    Jolyon Palmer
    Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

    Nico Hulkenberg did a race for Racing Point a few weeks ago, why don't they just put his seat in?

    Do they have it there? If Hulkenberg has flown in, presumably they can also get the seat out?

  5. Lando Norris catapults himself up to third. Great effort. Valtteri Bottas has just pulled well clear at the top with a lightning 1:26.225, a mammoth eight tenths clear of Verstappen in second.

  6. Get Involved

    #bbcf1

    Stoo G: If Hulkenberg steps into the Racing Point, that means a broadcaster (presumably RTL?) would be one short. Birthday boy Murray Walker might be checking his phone...

    Cactus Jack: I fear Hulk is trolling us.

  7. Top five with 10 to go

    1. Bottas (Mercedes, 1:26.968)
    2. Verstappen (Red Bull, +0.103)
    3. Hamilton (Mercedes, +0.221)
    4. Ricciardo (Renault, +0.424)
    5. Albon (Red Bull, +0.513)

  8. An ongoing Covid test for Hulkenberg?

    Jennie Gow
    BBC Radio 5 live pit-lane reporter

    It turns out Nico Hulkenburg was due to be at the track anyway today, as he was due to do some broadcasting duties.

    So, my sources say he may well be having a test for Covid as we speak right now because he's not in the F1 bubble, he has to have another test, a rapid test, and hopefully get into that car - if that's what is going to happen...

  9. Hulkenberg at the Nurburgring

    Instagram stories is great for the conspiracy theorists. Stoffel Vandoorne is at the circuit and now Nico Hulkenberg has revealed he is too.

    Who will drive for Racing Point later on? Stroll? Vandoorne? Hulkenberg? Other?

    Six minutes ago Hulkenberg posted this video of him arriving at the circuit. By the way, that rollercoaster looks immense.

    Nico HulkenbergNico Hulkenberg

  10. Bottas to the top

    The top of the charts has a more regular look to it now as all of the 19 (excluding Stroll) have had a go on the softs.

    Valtteri Bottas, a winner last time out in Russia, leads the way with a 1:26.968, then comes Max Verstappen one tenth away and Lewis Hamilton another tenth further back.

  11. Vandoorne to get late call-up?

    We've talked about Stoffel Vandoorne as a potential replacement for the ill Lance Stroll.

    Earlier today, Vandoorne posted a video of him at Nurburgring on his Instagram story page so he's in the area. Will he get out on this track later on?

    Stoffel VandoorneStoffel Vandoorne

  12. 'Russell got away with it'

    Jolyon Palmer
    Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

    George Russell just had an oversteer at the chicane coming out of the lap, overcorrected it but then the direction he was travelling in was still kind of similar to the race track, so he just slid a long way across the grass and it looked like he was heading to the wall - but got a way with it.

    A simple spin like Vettel but instead of losing it to the right, he lost it to the left and that's where the grass was rather than the asphalt.

  13. George, come back!

    Russell goes well off track, miles off track, but luckily he runs across a lengthy field of grass and there is no wall to connect with.

  14. Custom-designed helmets

    Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz are wearing custom-designed helmets in partnership with a mental health charity to raise awareness of World Mental Health Day today.

    Norris tweeted: "Hopefully this will give one person out there the confidence to chat to their family, friends or whoever they feel confident doing so."

    Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris' special helmets to raise awareness of World Mental Health DayMcLaren Twitter

  15. Lando Norris goes absolutely to the edge of danger, running over some gravel at the last turn, but it just about pays off as he nips to the top by only 0.003 seconds ahead of Esteban Ocon in second.

  16. Vandoorne in for Stroll?

    Andrew Benson
    BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

    Serious questions over the participation of Lance Stroll in the Eifel Grand Prix as he misses final practice at the Nurburgring.

    As to why there is not a stand-in in the car, the answer so far is the call on Stroll not taking part in practice was made late.

    Stoffel Vandoorne, the Mercedes reserve driver who Racing Point share, is available and in Germany if needed. Which begs the question why he is not in the car already. No answer to that one as yet

  17. Team radio

    "It's a beautiful track," says Romain Grosjean. He's one of three men - along with the Williams pair - yet to pick up a point this season.

  18. 'Difficult to drive with cold hands'

    Jolyon Palmer
    Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

    It's difficult to drive when your hands are freezing. You have so much feeling through your hands when your steering, let alone trying go press and turn all the gadgets on the steering wheel as well and when they are really, really cold, you lose a little bit of the fluidity of the motion.

  19. It's the coldest race of the year and Lando Norris is over team radio saying his hands are 'freezing'.

  20. First spin of the day

    Jolyon Palmer
    Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

    Cold tyres and Vettel just lost it on the exit. He certainly would've had two cold rear tyres afterwards as he did a big donut - or half donut - to get it turned around to get going again. First spin of the day!