Michael Schumacher is expecting emotions to run high, as he returns to race in Germany for the first time since 2006.
Although the 41-year-old has triumphed on no less than four occasions at the Hockenheimring circuit, this will be his first outing for a German manufacturer.
As a result, Schumacher believes that the weekend will be an unforgetable experience and one which will see a marked improvement in his fortunes.
“There is one thing for sure; no matter how long you are around, it is always something special to race in front of your home crowd.” Schumacher said in Mercedes GP’s German Grand Prix Preview.
“At Hockenheim, I will definitely try my best for my fans who give me such a lot of support, especially over the race weekend. But the German Grand Prix is very special for any German driver. There are very few areas on any race circuit worldwide comparable to the Motodrom, and as a driver you feel that energetic atmosphere when entering.
“It will be the first time for me to come to Hockenheim as a Mercedes driver and I am very much looking forward to the experience. Driving in front of our Grandstand and in front of all the employees, members and friends of Mercedes-Benz will be an emotional moment. I will therefore be extra motivated to give them a weekend to remember. We will have some updates for our car which we hope will give us a step forward so we can look forward to an exciting race.”
Team-mate Nico Rosberg is also relishing the chance to race in front of his home fans, at a track which has brought him great success in the past.
“As a German driver, the German Grand Prix is always a very special weekend, and it will be even better this year to be racing there for Mercedes-Benz.” said Rosberg “I have great memories from Hockenheim as I won there in all the junior categories that I competed in, including my first single seater race win.”
“There’s always a great atmosphere at the German Grand Prix and the fans are very enthusiastic with the huge grandstands in the stadium section creating so much noise!
“It’s fantastic to see their support for the German drivers. I love the track itself as it’s quite challenging with some good overtaking opportunities and the races here can often be quite exciting. Going into one of the team’s home weekends with the podium finish from Silverstone is a real boost for us, and we will be working hard to continue our improvement in performance and have a strong weekend.”
