Lewis Hamilton enjoys ‘serious challenge’ of F1’s two-day Eifel GP

Watch Saturday practice from the Nurburgring at 11am. M. On Sky Sports F1, qualifying at 2 p.m. M. With preparation from 1 p. M.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen spoke of their excitement heading into a shortened and unpredictable Eifel GP weekend, with the record-chasing Englishman enjoying the ‘serious challenge’.

The two practice sessions on Friday were canceled at the Nurburgring due to heavy fog, which means that the Formula 1 elite will have only one hour of practice, maximum, before qualifying and the race, the first on the circuit. since 2013.

The weather also gives F1 an unexpected early taste of an event two days before Imola later this month, and with the forecast mixed for the remainder of the weekend, brighter on Saturday but more rain on Sunday, there are even more variables at play. for the Eifel GP.

“It’s definitely a little frustrating to miss days like this,” said Hamilton, trying to match Michael Schumacher’s 91-win tally, after Friday.

2:48

The FIA ​​has confirmed that there will be no races on Friday at the Eifel GP after the second practice was canceled.

“We probably wouldn’t have had a lot of run-in because we’re limited on tires, but I would have loved to even do an installation lap. But they’re all in the same boat.

“But I am definitely [excited]especially if it stays that way. Hopefully clearer but humid skies … definitely makes for a serious challenge with less practice. So I’m looking forward to that. “

The third practice, whenever it takes place, will be the first experience for many drivers on the Nurburgring track. It is set to start at Saturday at 11 a.m. M., Live only on Sky Sports F1, qualifying at 2pm. M.

“I do not care [the lack of Friday]”I actually like it,” stated Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who won a wet race in Germany last year. It makes everything a little more complicated and interesting. “

1:05

Here’s what to expect during coverage of this weekend’s Eifel Grand Prix on Sky Sports F1

He added: “It’s going to be very cold, so it’s already a challenge to get the tires the way we want. I think tomorrow will be a bit better and we’ll see what happens.”

Practice three is usually a session that is exclusively for qualifying style races, although teams will now try to do as many laps as possible in the hour.

“We need to be really efficient in what we do,” explained Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes. “Obviously we have to change all the plans. We will need short races for qualifying and long races for the race.”

Germany + October = a wet and cold F1 weekend

Even without Friday’s rain and fog, it was set to be a wild weekend at the Nurburgring, and Sunday’s race was forecast to be one of the coldest in F1.

Perhaps bad weather is to be expected in October in Germany, especially after the Nurburgring 24 Hours a fortnight ago was delayed nine hours due to adverse conditions. Although a Japanese GP, which was previously scheduled for this weekend, it is not guaranteed to be dry either.

F1, trying to squeeze in as many European races as possible, had little choice in putting together a somewhat miraculous 17-race schedule, starting in July due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“There are probably nine months of the year here where you risk these kinds of problems,” said Sky F1’s Martin Brundle. “But this is the first time we have been really caught this season.

“This is Round 11 of 17, we’ve made it this far, and they finally stopped us in our tracks. And maybe not in the way we feared, in terms of the weather.”

2016 world champion Nico Rosberg added: “We have to say what a phenomenal job F1 has done in this time.”