Germany grand prix 2011 preview quotes - McLaren, Renault, Sauber & Mercedes

Hot on the heels of one legendary track - Silverstone - comes another, and this time it is the turn of the tight and challenging Nurburgring circuit to welcome the Formula One paddock. As the 'home' race for world champion Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Nick Heidfeld, Timo Glock and Adrian Sutil, the event has special significance for many on the grid. Here the drivers and senior team personnel explain why they can't wait to head for the mountains…

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2010 Qualifying - 6th, 2010 Race - 4th
"Both my previous races at this circuit have been eventful ones. The last time we were here, in 2009, it was such a mixed weekend. We'd been struggling with the car in the early races of the season and the guys back at the factory had been working around the clock to find a solution. From my very first lap, I could feel the difference in the car - it had been transformed. I qualified well, got a really good start thanks to the KERS Hybrid, and I was just about in front at the first corner when I was hit from behind and picked up a puncture, which damaged the car.

"In 2007 we had that crazy race with a huge downpour after just a few laps. I'd pitted for rain tyres after getting a puncture, but even with those it was too slippery. I just hit some standing water and went straight off, along with several other drivers in the same place. Race control made the right call to stop the race, and the Nurburgring marshals did an amazing job, in hazardous conditions, to lift me out of the gravel with the crane. Since I'd kept the engine running I was able to get back and take the restart. I was a lap down but I really enjoyed myself in the race, even though I finished just out of the points.

"The lesson to draw from all this experience is never to make predictions when you come to the Nurburgring. The current circuit may be less epic than the original 14-mile layout, and certainly a lot safer, but it can still bite you. And the weather can turn in a matter of moments - you can have all the seasons in one afternoon. When that happens, I know I can rely on the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team to react quickly and decisively. Another thing you can be sure of is that there will be a fantastic atmosphere. The local fans know how to party and they always enjoy themselves, whatever the weather!"

Jenson Button, McLaren
2010 Qualifying - 5th, 2010 Race - 5th
"This is a truly historic and equally tricky circuit and not to be underestimated. You've got the rest of the 14-mile original layout just next door and there have been some memorable moments in the sport, both good and bad, often in the same weekend. Think of 1976, where James Hunt won in a McLaren but Niki Lauda had an appalling accident, or 1968, where Sir Jackie Stewart was almost blinded by mist and spray but won by four minutes just driving from memory.

"This is a race I'd really like to win. In my championship year I finished fifth and my best position before then was third, back in 2004. To be able to say you've won at the Nurburgring is a major achievement because it's such a historic and challenging location. People don't drive around with Nordschleife stickers on their bootlids for nothing! There are a lot of heavy braking areas and if conditions are tricky, which they often are, you really have to get it right at every corner. The weather can change from moment to moment so you're always on your toes.

"Perhaps we've lost a bit of the momentum we'd built up in previous races, but not much. Although Silverstone was disappointing, our pace has been good this year. Sometimes we've been quickest, sometimes we haven't. The arrival of DRS and KERS Hybrid has made the racing very unpredictable, and while that's challenging for us, it's great for the fans, and I think we're going to put on a really exciting show this weekend."

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
"The Nurburgring is a circuit whose name carries tremendous resonance in our sport. The list of previous winners reads like a veritable Who's Who of Formula One greats, and many of them have driven for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.

"The possibility of adverse weather, and constantly changing track conditions, makes teamwork vitally important. Our most recent victory, at Montreal, demonstrated how superb reactive driving, inspired and clear-minded strategic calls, and efficient pit work can unite to deliver the perfect result.

"This is the home race for our partners at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, who have been and continue to be at the forefront of technical excellence in F1. At Vodafone McLaren Mercedes we take considerable pride in the longevity of our partnerships, and we sincerely hope to put on a good show here this weekend. 

"There has been a degree of uncertainty in recent weeks, with new restrictions placed on off-throttle exhaust blowing, and our entire team has demonstrated enormous passion and commitment as they come to terms with those challenges. We missed an opportunity for a podium finish at Silverstone, and that race was a reminder that while we are always pushing to make our car even more competitive, are rivals are doing likewise with their own machinery. I'm optimistic that we can move forwards this weekend and be challenging at the front once again. This will be a Santander German Grand Prix to remember!"

Nick Heidfeld, Renault
2010 Qualifying - n/a, 2010 Race - n/a
"It is always special to be in Germany, there's no doubt about that. There are obviously a lot more fans supporting me there, and especially at the Nurburgring - I have so many nice memories from racing at this track. Learning how to ride a bike, driving a go kart and sledging in the snow are all things I did at the Nurburgring. I also won some races in junior categories there, and of course got my first pole position in Formula One at the track, so coming back is like a trip down memory lane.

"There are some bigger developments coming than we had at the last couple of races. There has been a tremendous amount of work going on in the wind tunnel so I am very hopeful that we will take a significant step forward. We have had to demonstrate our patience during what were a couple of challenging races recently, but now is the time for us to take that step forward and compete with the top teams again, which is where we belong. I hope that the car is strong, so that we can go back to qualifying in the top 10 (which is exactly where we should be) and then get even stronger in the constructors' championship; we will need to take the fight to Mercedes who just overtook us but we know we are more than capable of a fourth placed finish this season."

Vitaly Petrov, Renault
2010 Qualifying - 13th, 2010 Race - 10th
"The weather can be quite changeable there, which will again have an impact but the main thing we need is a strong set-up for the car. As usual, aerodynamic efficiency will be the key. It (the car) hasn't performed at the level we know it can, and it has been off the pace for a few races now so we must get it right quickly to turn our season around. Additionally, it's very important we reach Q3 in qualifying so that we can score more points come Sunday afternoon.

"Once again, we will be aiming for the maximum number of points, but we need to look at the whole weekend and get our performance up immediately from P1 right through until the race. Since Silverstone, we have been putting in the work to ensure we give ourselves the best possible chance at the Nurburgring. The speed with which we introduce our new upgrades is the critical factor in our success and I'm convinced that having these upgrades in place for Germany will give us more of a chance."

Eric Boullier, Renault team principal
"At Silverstone, we were unable to recover from the tricky period the team has been going through, however since then we have continued to work really hard in the factory to improve the situation. We have some good developments coming, which unfortunately were not available for Silverstone but will be ready in Nurburgring. I am very confident these will take our performance forwards, closer to where it needs to be."

James Allison, Renault technical director
"I hope that it (the German Grand Prix) will see the start of us clawing our way back to respectability with a reasonable series of upgrades to the car. Nurburgring does not have any particular outstanding features, but it provides a fair all round test of the performance of a car. Probably the most unusual aspect of Nurburgring is that we only go there every two years. It is standard practice to consult the notes from the previous year prior to going to each circuit and, in Nurburgring's case, these notes are two years out of date and therefore less helpful in offering pre-event guidance. For example: last time we were at Nurburgring not a single car on the grid had a blown diffuser."

Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber
2010 Qualifying - 12th, 2010 Race - 11th
"I have only raced once at the Nurburgring, and this was when I drove in GP2 in 2009. In those races I finished ninth and third. I remember it being quite a tricky and difficult circuit because it goes up and down quite a lot. Nevertheless, I expect with it being a fast track again, like Silverstone, it should be good for us. We know in high speed corners we are very strong, so hopefully we can show a good performance again. I'm very much looking forward to it. I also like swapping the tracks in Germany as it is nice to have a variety."

Sergio Perez, Sauber
2010 Qualifying - n/a, 2010 Race - n/a
"After being in Silverstone, the Nurburgring is another historical race track and, like in the UK, is in another country where I have lived. I am very much looking forward to going back to Germany and having a good race there. For me, after having missed two Grands Prix this year, it is very important now to push forward for the rest of the season and especially before the summer break, which is a very intense period with three races in one month. I also drove on the Nordschleife once in a road car. Obviously it is an amazing track. On the modern circuit one of my favourites is the chicane in the last sector, which I enjoy a lot. I also think the circuit should suit our car quite well and, summing it all up, we should have a good race there."

James Key, Sauber technical director
"The Nurburgring is quite a mixed circuit with different features, which makes it hard to characterise. Good braking stability is important into turn one, where there is a potential overtaking opportunity. The first sector is relatively low speed, or at least is after turn one which results in a car which needs good traction and good levels of downforce. Then there is a high speed section down to the hairpin, which presents another overtaking opportunity. The second half to the lap is relatively high speed. Primarily it consists of medium and slow speed corners and a couple of relatively long straights with a chicane in the end and a difficult last corner. This is a challenge for the engineers and drivers to try and get it right particularly in qualifying. It's going to be an interesting weekend, because there are many different challenges with the big mix of corners and straights. The tyre compounds will be medium and soft. We know the medium tyres were a little tricky in Canada, so we have to work on them. The softs should be okay. The car will continue with the updates we brought to Silverstone, which worked well, and we will have a further small update on the diffuser and the rear brake ducts. After our good performance in Silverstone, we look forward to carrying that momentum forward and trying to score more points in Germany."

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes
2010 Qualifying - 11th, 2010 Race - 9th
"With two home races in a row, we are fortunate to be given an extra boost as we head to the Nurburgring next week for the German Grand Prix, just two weeks after Silverstone. This season has been a difficult one for performance predictions so far; however I can predict one thing for sure: the extra boost we are receiving will be transformed into extra motivation. We saw some improvements over the Silverstone weekend with our new exhaust system, along with improvements to how we work with the tyres, so we go to the next race weekend with a good feeling added to our fighting spirit. We definitely want to show our home crowds our best level of performance possible. It will be the first time that I race through the corner which is named after me (Turns 8 and 9), and obviously I would like to believe that this is not only making me proud, but also even faster."

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2010 Qualifying - 9th, 2010 Race - 8th
"Coming to the Nurburgring for the German Grand Prix always feels very special to me. There is so much history around this amazing track, especially for Mercedes-Benz with great drivers from the past having had such successful times on the Nurburgring and the legendary Nordschleife. This year, I will have the opportunity to drive Juan Manuel Fangio's car from 1954 on the amazing old circuit, and that will be very special. But of course I am also looking forward to the Grand Prix itself. I hope that we can take another step forward with our new package and close the gap to the top a little. It will be exciting to drive in front of a big German crowd in the Mercedes-Benz grandstand. Hopefully they see a good performance from both me and our car."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
"Our second home race in succession is next on the calendar with the German Grand Prix taking place at the Nurburgring next week. It is always a pleasure to race in front of our home supporters, and as the Mercedes works team, we are looking forward to a special occasion for the team. Our car showed positive signs of improvement with the new upgrade package and exhaust system in Silverstone, and we have been working hard since then to further enhance our understanding of its performance capabilities. We are hopeful of continuing this progression and putting on a good performance next weekend, giving our drivers the opportunity to show what they can do in front of their own supporters."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"The story of the Silver Arrows began 77 years ago at the Nurburgring in 1934, and this year's German Grand Prix will mark the first time that the modern Silver Arrows, and our Mercedes GP Petronas team, will be racing at this historic circuit. This will be a very special weekend for our team, with many of our loyal fans and colleagues supporting Nico, Michael and Mercedes-Benz at our second home race in a fortnight. Formula One is on a high in Germany right now, and the crowd is going to be bigger than when we last raced there in 2009 - hopefully we will see a sell-out on Sunday and a fully packed Mercedes-Benz grandstand at the spectacular Turn 1 as well. The circuit itself presents a complete challenge: there are three corners below 100 km/h as well as three over 250 km/h, so good performance at both low and high speeds is critical. Of course, the famous Eifel weather is always capable of throwing a joker into the pack - even in late July - so we need to remain adaptable and ready to seize every opportunity. Our race performance in Silverstone showed signs of an upward trend, and we hope that the practice sessions next weekend will allow us to extract further performance from our new aerodynamic package. We will certainly be giving everything in order the get the best possible result on home turf."