German Grand Prix 2018 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Lewis Hamilton delivered one of the greatest drives of his career to win a chaotic German Grand Prix, while Sebastian Vettel crashed out from the lead in a mistake that would define the 2018 championship battle. The dramatic race at Hockenheim proved to be the pivotal turning point of the season, with a 25-point swing that transformed Hamilton from challenger to championship favorite.

Vettel started from pole position on home soil and dominated the opening stint, building a commanding lead while Hamilton struggled from 14th on the grid after hydraulic issues in qualifying. Light rain began falling on lap 51, and under pressure to maintain his advantage, Vettel pushed too hard into the Sachs curve, lost control on the slippery surface, and slid helplessly into the barriers while leading comfortably. The error was catastrophic - not only did it hand victory to his title rival, but it did so at a moment when Vettel appeared in complete control. Hamilton, meanwhile, produced a sensational recovery drive through the field, capitalizing on Vettel's mistake to claim an unlikely victory and set the fastest lap.

Valtteri Bottas finished second for Mercedes after his own strong recovery drive, while Kimi Raikkonen salvaged third place for Ferrari. The 25-point swing transformed the championship, with Hamilton moving 17 points clear of Vettel - a lead he would never relinquish. The mistake would haunt Vettel for the remainder of the season, as subsequent errors in Italy and Japan compounded the damage. Many analysts later calculated that Vettel's mistakes throughout 2018 cost him approximately 70 points - more than enough to have won the championship. The German GP marked the moment Ferrari's title challenge began to unravel.