NURBURGRING, Germany — For the first time in 15 races, Sebastian Vettel, the reigning world champion who is leading this year’s Formula One series, failed to start from the first or second position.  And that was all it took for the German Grand Prix to turn into a competition among three other drivers, as they exchanged the lead throughout the race while Vettel, who started third, flailed about further down the pack. Vettel eventually finished fourth.  It was also the first time this season that he failed to finish first or second.  In the end. the race was won by Lewis Hamilton, who drove his McLaren Mercedes to his second victory of the season, and the 16th of his career.  “Every win is special but the big emotion of this one,” Hamilton said, “when we see results like this, it hits the sweet spot. We really never expected to come here and be so fast. I just feel great. One of the best races I have ever done.”  Fernando Alonso of Ferrari came in second and Mark Webber of Red Bull was third.  Webber scored the pole position for a second consecutive race after the British Grand Prix two weeks ago, and once again, he lost the lead at the start, this time as Hamilton, who started second passed him by the first corner.  “It was one of our best starts,” Hamilton said. “We have been working really hard on our starts. As we pulled away it felt fantastic. It was important to get in the lead right at the beginning otherwise we might have seen Mark pull away.”  The race soon became a three-way battle between Webber, Hamilton and Alonso, who won the previous race. The three passed each other in separate battles on the track, sometimes passing and then losing position, exchanging places several times. It was a kind of racing rarely seen on the Nurburbring, and it was thanks to the new rules to facilitate overtaking.  “Mark, me and Fernando all within a tenth of each other lap aftar lap, it was all about not making a mistake,” Hamilton said. “It was awesome.”  But it was clearly thanks to Vettel’s poor grid position and poor start that the three other drivers were able to play the game at the front for the first time.
Lewis Hamilton drove to victory in a closely fought battle on the Nurburgring, as Sebastian Vettel finished fourth.