Coluna do Kimi - GP da Alemanha - Summertime Blues

We are reaching the halfway point of the season this weekend in Hockenheim. It’s our tenth attempt to get a clean and productive weekend. So far something has been missing, although it has been a good first part of the season.

This team really would deserve a win or two. The car is competitive and the development work goes nicely with it.

Personally for me the Grands Prix in German soil are a little bit like a misery. Obviously, I  have had some very strong races – but not the whole way through to the checkered flag, unfortunately.
Sometimes the engine has failed, sometimes the tyre, sometimes the heavy rain has put the things upside down.

I’m not fond of remembering what has happened in the past, but mentioning the German races make me wonder, why it has always been such a tricky place to get top results in the race, too.
This is now my first visit to Germany with Lotus. Hopefully it will turn my fortunes there, too.

Now we have back-to-back races in Hockenheim and Hungary. Obviously, we push really hard to get the maximum out of our car. It’s a strong and consistent car, capable of taking us in the front row - if we get everything nicely together on Saturday.

We need a good position in the grid to make our life a little bit easier during the race compared to Valencia and Silverstone.

Going to Hockenheim is something I have missed for four years. It’s a challenging circuit, with some tricky corners and some heavy breaking. It’s going to be interesting to see, how Pirelli tyres last there. Hopefully the weather will be as summerish as possible - like it has usually been in Hockenheim.

Obviously, I never predict anything beforehand. Let’s wait and see, how the first few laps go on Friday morning. The team has been working very hard and I felt the the high spirits everybody has in the factory, so I have a good feeling, we can get the job done in Hockenheim, too.

After Germany we go to Hungary. At least there we will get a hot race. Obviously I will do my very best to achieve some nice points before starting the well deserved summer vacation to charge the batteries for the rest of the season fight.