Hockenheim may be considered the Nurburgring's poor relation, but the venue for this year's German Grand Prix has an aura all of its own. And, says Edd Straw, it provides this weekend's backdrop to the Webber/Vettel rivalry

Spare a thought for Hockenheim. It is the poor relation of the Nurburgring, which is only a couple of hours down the road, not because of any great failings on its own part but because it can never match the majesty of the history of the Nordschleife.

Ever since the Hockenheimring staged its first German Grand Prix in 1970 – the result of drivers demanding safety changes at the Nurburgring – it has had the air of an interloper. But for all that, it is an atmospheric venue with a rich racing heritage that stretches back to 1932.

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