By Ollie Barstow
There was something rather reserved about the 2005 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. It wasn’t the lack of action or the absence of excitement, but rather the fact that their man
Michael Schumacher was not leading the championship - in fact his hopes of the title by this point were all but over.
However, what a difference 12 months make because while Schumacher is not leading going into the twelfth round of the
F1 Championship again, he is within touching distance and it is that scent of catching
Fernando Alonso that both Schumacher and his devoted band of German fans can smell all too readily.
Indeed, Schumacher has quickly become the aggressor in this year’s title race, winning back-to-back grands prix in the United States and France and getting that gap down to Alonso to 17 points.
Although most championship leaders would revel in a 17 point lead, few would want Michael Schumacher as the driver who is doing the chasing and as the series rolls back into his home country for the second time this season, he is determined to make it a hat-trick of wins.
FIA F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS:
After the drama of Juan Pablo Montoya’s departure ahead of the French Grand Prix, the rumour mill has been somewhat less active over last couple of weeks with the biggest news coming from the lower end of the grid.
Indeed, Germany is finally herald the first competitive outing for Super Aguri’s SA06, the car they hope will get them off the back of the grid and challenging their more seasoned competitors. Although it is still fresh out of the box and as a result expected to be fragile, hopes are high that the almost new vehicle will be the necessary step forward.
