THE BIG PICTURE: We're not ready to say the season is starting to settle down just because Fernando Alonso has now won 30% of the first half of the season's races. We still expect a whole lot more fun and surprises in the second half.

EVENT: Maybe the ticket prices are too high. But with three key German drivers (Schumacher, Vettel, and Rosberg) and a few other Germans to root for, there is no excuse for the fans not to show up.

QUALIFYING: Alonso pulls it out in horrid conditions, Schumacher barely squeezes through to Q2 to ultimately grab the third spot, and Red Bull is back in the controversy tent.

RACE: The leaders eyed each other while the midpackers were going at with gusto.

TRACK: Another one going bankrupt?

START: Another great start by Alonso, the German champion dukes it out, Grosjean's weekend continued to go downhill, and Massa goes wingless before the first turn.

ALONSO: Imagine if Fernando always had halfway decent cars in his career, never mind a dominant one like Schumacher had all those years.

MASSA: Just when Felipe had a string of great runs... He did manage to stay on the lead lap.

FERRARI: Who would have thought at the beginning of the year, Ferrari would have the driver to be first to three wins?

BUTTON: Jenson is back in the groove.

HAMILTON: Lewis was ready to give up because of a flat tire on the first lap? He really is the biggest head case in F1.

MCLAREN: They have a fast car. It must be frustrating to see everyone else win.

RAIKKONEN: Very aggressive. The Kimi of old.

KOBAYASHI: Grabbed lots of points, jumping Kamui four spots in the standings.

VETTEL: Sebastian was clearly off track when he made the pass. That type of corner will produce more speed when running wide. Ergo, the penalty for running off the track.

PEREZ: Hardly anyone mentioned Sergio, but he ran a fine race to sixth.

SCHUMACHER: Another solid performance by Michael, even if the result didn't show it.

WEBBER: The yo-yo season continues for Mark.

SAUBER: A super race for the little team.

ECCLESTONE: Bernie emphatically stated he was not afraid to go to Germany with possible bribery charges hanging over his head. Then, he did not go to Germany.

FIA: More useless than ever.

WORD OF THE WEEKEND: Off-road.

STAT OF THE WEEKEND: 20 -- The number of seconds Vettel was penalized, costing him three spots, instead of the more reasonable demotion of one position.

HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: In the last eight years, the Hockenheimring hosted the German Grand Prix five times. Fernando Alonso has won three of them, the only German Grands Prix he has won.

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Red Bull's Christian Horner on the engine mapping controversy, "There's no clause in the regulations that refers to the spirit of the regulations." He's right.

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: Lewis Hamilton in a classic pot calling the kettle black, reacting to Vettel's criticism, "I guess it shows his maturity."

SCHEDULE: Right to Hungary, then the teams get five weeks off.

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