Vettel: "German Siberia" weather could impact Nurbugring race
Sebastian Vettel says Formula 1 must be braced for unpredictable weather when it returns to the Nurburgring in October, calling the region "German Siberia".
F1 announced last month it would be returning to the Nurburgring this year after adding the track as part of its heavily-revised calendar.
The track will host the inaugural Eifel Grand Prix on 11 October, marking its first F1 race since 2013 when it last hosted the German Grand Prix.
Vettel won the last race at the Nurburgring for Red Bull, marking his sole home grand prix win to date in F1.
The announcement immediately led to questions about the weather conditions in the Eifel mountains region, with average temperatures only sitting around 10ºC in October.
Asked about the return of the race, Ferrari driver Vettel joked that it was "called German Siberia for a reason", and said the weather would surely be a challenging aspect of the race weekend.
"We can expect anything," Vettel said. "We can expect if we are lucky 20 degrees, but it could also be close to zero, so it will be a challenge nevertheless.
"I think it is a great track and I have good memories. Last time we were there I won, so I'm looking forward to going back.
"It is a really interesting and nice track to drive and with these cars especially it should be a lot of fun.
"I think the weather will play a role. It would be a surprise if it didn't."
McLaren F1 team principal Andreas Seidl also has significant experience at the Nurburgring through his racing career, most recently overseeing Porsche's 1-2 finish at the World Endurance Championship event in 2017.
"I did a lot of racing there in my racing life in various categories," Seidl said.
"We see GT racing from March onwards, in heavy snow, fog and so on. It will be interesting how that goes, especially that late in the year.
"But obviously looking forward, I'm very happy that we have a race in Germany again. I like the track, I like the country, I like the people there, I like the food. So I'm looking forward to that.
"It's still not the Nordschleife, but I'm looking forward to it."
Related video
Sainz: 2020 will decide fate of old school F1 circuits
Perez could return at Silverstone after completing quarantine
The inevitable consequence of the Liberty F1 popularity boom
Sell out crowds at Formula 1 races are the norm rather than the exception these days, as grand prix racing is enjoying a massive boom under Liberty Media. But the Spanish Grand Prix highlighted numerous issues some circuits may face as demand for F1 soars
The danger for Red Bull in its Barcelona F1 team orders choice
OPINION: Red Bull walked into a team orders saga on its way to taking a Spanish Grand Prix 1-2 last weekend, where it took the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time. But its decisions have added an element of risk to later races.
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...
The key aspects of Porsche and Audi's planned F1 entries
The VW Group’s German superpowers of sportscar racing have all but confirmed they are coming to F1 when the next set of engine rules come into force in 2026. Here's why both manufacturers are all set to take the plunge, and crucially how it might work