Date 30 July 1995 | Course length 6.823 km (4.264 mi) | |
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Official name XXIV Grosser Mobil 1 Preis von Deutschland Course Permanent racing facility Distance 45 laps, 307.035 km (191.896 mi) | ||
The 1995 German Grand Prix (formally the XXIV Grosser Mobil 1 Preis von Deutschland) was a Formula One motor race held on 30 July 1995 at the Hockenheimring, Hockenheim. It was the ninth race of the 1995 Formula One season. The 45-lap race was won by Benetton driver Michael Schumacher after he started from second position. David Coulthard finished second for the Williams team and Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger came in third. It also was the first race since the death of Argentine five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who died the Monday after the previous F1 round, the British Grand Prix.
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Summary
Damon Hill started the race from the pole position alongside Michael Schumacher. After making a good start, Hill spun in the first corner on the 2nd lap sending his car across a gravel trap and into a tyre barrier, ending his race.
Schumacher was left leading David Coulthard and Gerhard Berger, who was promptly assessed a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for jumping the start of the race. The penalty dropped Berger to 14th position though he fought back to finish back in 3rd place. Berger denied jumping the start, claiming that though his car did move slightly when he put it into gear, it was stationary when the green light came on to start the race.
Benetton's 2-stop strategy for Schumacher prevailed over the 1-stop strategy Coulthard was on, as Schumacher pulled away from the field giving himself enough room to make his second pit stop and remain in the lead. Schumacher became the first German to win a World Championship German Grand Prix. His car broke down after the race had finished, as did that of team-mate Johnny Herbert and Aguri Suzuki (whose car caught fire).
Initially it was believed that Hill spun off due to oil laid down on the track from overfull oil tanks - as it is common practice for teams to fill the oil tanks prior to the start of the race. A few days after the race, however, the Williams team discovered that Hill's car had in fact suffered from a driveshaft failure leading to his accident. Shortly before he went off, Murray Walker commented that he had noticed blue smoke coming out of the back of Hill's car; the reason for this was never discovered.
The blown Ford engine of Pierluigi Martini spelt the end of the Italian's F1 career, as he was replaced in Minardi by Pedro Lamy for the next race.