Brendon Hartley admitted it was nice to have a few days off after the conclusion of Formula 1’s first ever triple-header, and he hoped his Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda mechanics and engineers also had the opportunity to down their tools to rest after such a busy spell of activity.
The New Zealander only managed to see the chequered flag once in those three races, a fourteenth-place finish in the French Grand Prix, whilst all three races have seen him suffer with mechanical problems, the last of which was a suspension failure during practice for the British Grand Prix, which prevented him from running in Qualifying.
Hartley took some time away to rest in between Silverstone and this weekend’s German Grand Prix, although he was soon back in the simulator to prepare for the race at the Hockenheimring.
“After the three races in a row it was good to have a few days off, and I hope all the team members managed to get a bit of a break too,” said Hartley.
“I spent a couple of days mountain biking in the UK and enjoying the weather, but it was soon time to get back to work with a day in the simulator to prepare for the German Grand Prix.”
It will be Hartley’s first time at Hockenheim for a decade, having raced in the Formula 3 Euro Series back in 2008 with Carlin Motorsport, and he says he expects an amazing atmosphere at the track, particularly in the final sector that will see grandstands packed full of enthusiastic fans.
“I raced at Hockenheim in the Formula 3 Euro Series and I have to say it’s a cool track,” said Hartley. “I like going to these old circuits that have a lot of history, even if we don’t race anymore down those two very long straights through the forest. I’d like to try that!
“The final part with the grandstand in the Motodrom section has an amazing atmosphere when it’s packed with fans. The track has a bit of everything: a very high-speed Turn 1 where the kerb comes into play, and the final sector which is very technical featuring a banked section, which is something of a rarity on modern Formula 1 tracks.
“The combination of the high speed flat parts along with the more technical bits, as well as having some cambered sections, makes it a very interesting lap to drive.”
