The summer had a “Rise & Fall-Scenario” on offer. Alonso was provided with #296 to race the German GP, the Hungarian GP and the Belgian GP. He was leading the Championship table still after those three races and it looked surprisingly as if the driver’s title could have been the pay for his great efforts of the 2012 season.
He was the first driver of the season to achieve a third win when he took a start-goal win in Hockenheim. Once again he showed an extraordinary performance in bad weather when he achieved the pole position in heavy rain on Saturday. Massa was again not the luckiest one. He did not reach Q3 and had to start from 14th position on the grid and he damaged his front wing after a tussle at the start to find himself at the end of the field, making a 12th position finally.
296 F2012
20. – 22.7.12 – Grand Prix von Deutschland, Hockenheimring, F. Alonso #5, free practise First session 3rd 1.17.370 +0:00.775 21 Laps 18/20 °C, track 20/24 °C. Cloudy, light rain Second session 20th +0:03.731 1.31.207 20 Laps 16/18 °C, track 21/22 °C. Cloudy, intermittent rain Third session 1st 1:16.014 14 Laps Dry 19°C, track 24-32°C Q1 4th 1:16.073 +0:00.380 8 laps Q2 4th 1:38.521 +0:01.156 8 laps Q3 1st 1:40.621 7 laps Dry then heavy Rain 16-17°C, track 19-25°C
22.7.12 – Grand Prix von Deutschland, Hockenheimring, F. Alonso #5, 1st 67 laps 1:31:05.862 201,844 km/h dry, 22°C, track 30-37°C
294 F2012
20. – 22.7.12 – Grand Prix von Deutschland, Hockenheimring, F. Massa #6, free practise First session 8th 1.17.995 +0:01.400 22 Laps 18/20 °C, track 20/24 °C. Cloudy, light rain Second session 12th +0:02.243 1.29.719 15 Laps 16/18 °C, track 21/22 °C. Cloudy, intermittent rain Third session 8th 1:16.771 +0:00.757 15 laps Dry 19°C, track 24-32°C Q1 7th 1:16.265 +0:00.572 9 laps Q2 14th 1:40.212 +0:02.847 8 laps Q3 dnq Dry then heavy Rain 16-17°C, track 19-25°C
22.7.12 – Grand Prix von Deutschland, Hockenheimring, F. Massa #6, 12th 67 laps +1:11.428 199,240 km/h dry, 22°C, track 30-37°C
The last stage before the summer break was the Hungarian GP held in Budapest again. Even here the rain had at least an intermezzo during the first practise session what is very strange for the Hungaroring. The track is designed best for cars with maximum speed and that was exactly what the F2012 was missing. However, Alonso managed to cut his losses when came in as 5th after being 6th on the grid. Massa was able to reach Q3 and started from 7th position, but finished in 9th position only.
296 F2012
27. – 29.7.12 – Hungarian GP F. Alonso #5, First session 3rd 1.23.397 +0:00.576 24 Laps 26 °C, track 33/37 °C. Sunny. Second session 5th 1.22.582 +0:00.587 22 Laps 32/28 °C, track 42/32 °C. Sunny, cloudy, rain half way through the session Third session 5th 1:21.884 +0:00.334 13 Laps Dry 28°C track 39-43°C Q1 5th 1:22.095 +0:00.301 9 Laps Q2 6th 1:21.598 +0:00.538 7 Laps Q3 6th 1:21.844 +0:00.891 3 Laps Dry 30-31°C track 39-46°C
29.7.12 – Hungarian GP F. Alonso #5, 5th 69 Laps +0:26.653 178,606 km/h. Dry 31°C track 42-47°C
294 F2012
27. – 29.7.12 - Hungarian GP F. Massa #6, First session 7th 1.23.904 +0:01.083 25 Laps 26 °C, track 33/37 °C. Sunny. Second session 4th 1.22.417 +0:00.422 29 Laps 32/28 °C, track 42/32 °C. Sunny, cloudy, rain half way through the session Third session 8th 1:22.136 +0:00.586 15 Laps Dry 28°C track 39-43°C Q1 8th 1:22.203 +0:00.409 10 Laps Q2 4th 1:21.534 +0:00.474 6 Laps Q3 7th 1:21.900 +0:00.947 4 Laps Dry 30-31°C track 39-46°C
29.7.12 - Hungarian GP F. Massa #6, 9th 69 Laps +0:38.350 178,264 km/h. Dry 31°C track 42-47°C
Many of us saw the start to the Belgian GP as a bad omen for Alonso’s title hopes. We all can be thankful that he survived the big crash during the start when Grosjean again was much too optimistic, touched Hamilton and had a lift-off that took him over the Ferrari only inches away from Alonso’s head – and that is all we should remember from that race. #296's Racing history was done with that race. It was clear, that Alonso’s chance to keep the gap in table of the championship was gone with the rivals Vettel and Raikkönen coming in 2nd and 3rd. Massa looked to escape his drop in performance when he managed to finish in 5th position.
296 F2012
31.8. – 2.9.12 – Belgian Grand Prix, Spa, Alonso, #5, free practice session 1 22nd 2:40.749 +0:29.360 4 laps Rain 12°C track 13-14°C session 2 3rd 2:50.497 +0:01.143 3 laps Rain 11°C track 11°C session 3 1st 1:48.542 18 laps sunny, 12-14°C track 20°C Q1 4th 1.49.401 +0:00.408 6 laps Q2 7th 1.48.598 +0:00.944 6 laps Q3 6th 1.48.313 +0:00.740 3 laps Sunny19/22 °C, track 25/28 °C
2.9.12 – Belgian Grand Prix, Spa, Alonso, #5, dnf, crash at the start, Grosjean hit Hamilton who then hit Alonso amongst others, Alonso remains unhurt. Sunny with light clouds, 20-22°C, track 33-35°C
294 F2012
31.8. – 2.9.12 – Belgian Grand Prix, Spa, Massa, #6, free practice session 1 24th no time set 2 laps Rain 12°C track 13-14°C session 2 no time set 2 laps Rain 11°C track 11°C session 3 6th 1:49.092 +0:00.550 16 laps sunny, 12-14°C track 20°C Q1 7th 1.49.588 +0:00.595 7 laps Q2 14th 1.49.147 +0:01.493 6 laps Q3 dnq Sunny19/22 °C, track 25/28 °C
2.9.12 – Belgian Grand Prix, Spa, Massa, #6, 5th 44 laps +0:29.845 206,194 km/h. Sunny with light clouds, 20-22°C, track 33-35°C