The 2011 German Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Grosser Preis Santander von Deutschland 2011, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 24 July 2011 at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany. It was the tenth round of the 2011 Formula One season. The 60-lap race was won by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who had started from second position on the grid. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished in second place, and Mark Webber, who had started the race from pole position, completed the podium in third position for Red Bull Racing. Webber's teammate and championship leader Sebastian Vettel finished fourth, ending an eleven-race streak of finishing in the podium placings.
The two Virgins and the two HRTs were on the back three rows of the grid along with Karun Chandhok, who drove Jarno Trulli's Lotus during the weekend, and Sébastien Buemi, whose Toro Rosso's fuel irregularity had left him 24th.
Michael Schumacher finished the race in eighth position.
2011 Formula One World Championship
The 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 65th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. The original calendar for the 2011 Formula One World Championship consisted of twenty rounds, including the inaugural running of the Indian Grand Prix before the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Pirelli returned to the sport as tyre supplier for all teams, taking over from Bridgestone, marking their return to Formula One for the first time since the 1991 season. Red Bull Racing was the reigning Constructors' Champion. Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel was the defending Drivers' Champion, one of five World Champions appearing on the grid. Vettel won his second World Championship at the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver, at 24 years and 98 days, to do so. Red Bull Racing won the Constructors' Championship.
Sebastian Vettel successfully defended his World Championship, eclipsing Fernando Alonso as the youngest double World Champion in Formula One history.
McLaren's Jenson Button came in second behind Vettel by a then record gap of 122 points.
Mark Webber, Vettel's teammate, finished third in the championship for the second season in succession.
The season started with controversy when two teams using the Lotus name were entered onto the grid, Lotus Renault GP (foreground) and Team Lotus (background).