Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) drove from pole to a third win this season at the German Grand Prix, fending off local hero Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) on his way to the top step.
The scenario of the German Grand Prix marked another victory for Alonso aboard the inferior F2012.
The Spaniard benefited from a good first stint on soft tires, from the fight between Vettel and Jenson Button (McLaren) that slowed the pair down and from Hamilton un-lapping himself at a critical point in Vettel's offensive.
Hamilton had suffered early on from a puncture, and lost a lap to the leaders right away, but came flying by Alonso and Vettel in the middle of the race to take back the lap he had lost. He eventually retired on lap 59, but gave Alonso a bit of a breather by setting back the reigning champion.
And then in the last stages of the race, Vettel, caught up by Button, lost precious time fighting with the Brit. Their battle ended with Vettel eventually going through, but his questionable move was later reviewed the stewards.
Because the pass had been made using a run-off area, Vettel was handed a 20-second time penalty. Vettel moved down to fifth and Button back up to second.
Other beneficiaries included Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) who having crossed the line fourth, scored an unexpected third place.
Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez put their Sauber cars' solid pace to good use by bringing home fourth and sixth place results.
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), on a three stop strategy, managed the fastest lap of the race but no better finish than seventh.
Mark Webber (Red Bull) ended the race where he started it after his gearbox penalty, down in eighth. His discrete result sets him back 34 points on Alonso in the championship hunt.
Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) managed some two points for his team, although starting fourth probably had him hoping for more – unlike Nico Rosberg who, having stared 21st, cannot be too disappointed with a top 10.
Race results* – German Grand Prix (Hockenheim)
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 67 laps
2 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 6.949s
3 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 16.409s
4 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 21.925s
5 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 23.732s**
6 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 27.896s
7 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 28.970s
8 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 46.9s
9 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 48.1s
10 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 48.8s
11 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJN05-Mercedes) - 59.2s
12 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1min11.4s
13 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min16.8s
14 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min16.9s
15 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1 lap
16 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1 laps
17 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1 lap
18 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1 lap
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 2 laps
20 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 2 laps
21 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 3 laps
22 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 3 laps
23 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 3 laps
Fastest lap of the race by Michael Schumacher in 1min18.725s
Retirement
Lewis Hamilton (Lap 59)
Drivers' championship
1.Alonso 154; 2.Webber 120; 3.Vettel 110; 4.Raikkonen 98; 5.Hamilton 92; 6.Rosberg 76; 7.Button 68; 8.Grosjean 61; 9.Perez 47; 10.Kobayashi 33; 10.Maldonado, Schumacher 29; 12.Di Resta 27; 13.Massa 23; 14.Hulkenberg 19; 15.Senna 18; 17.Vergne 4; 18.Ricciardo 2.
Constructors' championship
1.Red Bull-Renault 230; 2.Ferrari 177; 3.McLaren-Mercedes 160; 4.Lotus-Renault 159; 5.Mercedes 105; 6.Sauber-Ferrari 80; 7.Williams-Renault 47; 8.Force India-Mercedes 46; 9.Toro Rosso-Ferrari 9.
*Unofficial scoring
**20-second time penalty for illegal overtaking manoeuvre
The scenario of the German Grand Prix marked another victory for Alonso aboard the inferior F2012.
The Spaniard benefited from a good first stint on soft tires, from the fight between Vettel and Jenson Button (McLaren) that slowed the pair down and from Hamilton un-lapping himself at a critical point in Vettel's offensive.
Hamilton had suffered early on from a puncture, and lost a lap to the leaders right away, but came flying by Alonso and Vettel in the middle of the race to take back the lap he had lost. He eventually retired on lap 59, but gave Alonso a bit of a breather by setting back the reigning champion.
And then in the last stages of the race, Vettel, caught up by Button, lost precious time fighting with the Brit. Their battle ended with Vettel eventually going through, but his questionable move was later reviewed the stewards.
Because the pass had been made using a run-off area, Vettel was handed a 20-second time penalty. Vettel moved down to fifth and Button back up to second.
Other beneficiaries included Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) who having crossed the line fourth, scored an unexpected third place.
Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez put their Sauber cars' solid pace to good use by bringing home fourth and sixth place results.
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), on a three stop strategy, managed the fastest lap of the race but no better finish than seventh.
Mark Webber (Red Bull) ended the race where he started it after his gearbox penalty, down in eighth. His discrete result sets him back 34 points on Alonso in the championship hunt.
Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) managed some two points for his team, although starting fourth probably had him hoping for more – unlike Nico Rosberg who, having stared 21st, cannot be too disappointed with a top 10.
Race results* – German Grand Prix (Hockenheim)
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 67 laps
2 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 6.949s
3 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 16.409s
4 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 21.925s
5 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 23.732s**
6 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 27.896s
7 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 28.970s
8 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 46.9s
9 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 48.1s
10 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 48.8s
11 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJN05-Mercedes) - 59.2s
12 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1min11.4s
13 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min16.8s
14 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min16.9s
15 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1 lap
16 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1 laps
17 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1 lap
18 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1 lap
19 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 2 laps
20 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 2 laps
21 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 3 laps
22 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 3 laps
23 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 3 laps
Fastest lap of the race by Michael Schumacher in 1min18.725s
Retirement
Lewis Hamilton (Lap 59)
Drivers' championship
1.Alonso 154; 2.Webber 120; 3.Vettel 110; 4.Raikkonen 98; 5.Hamilton 92; 6.Rosberg 76; 7.Button 68; 8.Grosjean 61; 9.Perez 47; 10.Kobayashi 33; 10.Maldonado, Schumacher 29; 12.Di Resta 27; 13.Massa 23; 14.Hulkenberg 19; 15.Senna 18; 17.Vergne 4; 18.Ricciardo 2.
Constructors' championship
1.Red Bull-Renault 230; 2.Ferrari 177; 3.McLaren-Mercedes 160; 4.Lotus-Renault 159; 5.Mercedes 105; 6.Sauber-Ferrari 80; 7.Williams-Renault 47; 8.Force India-Mercedes 46; 9.Toro Rosso-Ferrari 9.
*Unofficial scoring
**20-second time penalty for illegal overtaking manoeuvre