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2016 German Grand Prix race recap: so-so racing, great questions

We can summarize the 2016 German Grand Prix in one sentence: Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton started second on the grid, passed pole-sitter and teammate Nico Rosberg before the first corner, and dominate to the finish. In fact, Hamilton turned his engine power output down on Lap 3 and still took the checkered flag seven seconds ahead of Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo. Ricciardo's teammate Max Verstappen crossed the line another six seconds back. Rosberg fell to fourth at the first corner and couldn't find the pace to reel in the Red Bulls. His questionable pass on Verstappen didn't help when the stewards penalized Rosberg five seconds; the overtake reminded us of Rosberg's move on teammate Hamilton in Austria. That penalty turned into eight seconds when the Mercedes-AMG Petronas stopwatch didn't work in the pits. Ferrari pilots Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen finished fifth and sixth. Those six drivers all started in the top six, too. Behind them, on Lap 28 of the 67-lap race the next four drivers were Valtteri Bottas in the Williams, Nico Hulkenberg in the Force India, and Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso in McLarens. Low fuel and old tires put the kibosh on Alonso's pace just four laps from the finish, allowing Force India's Sergio Perez to pass, rounding out the top ten. The issues up for debate during the four-week break are far more interesting than the weekend's race. As bad as Ferrari's day might have been – and we'll get to that – Rosberg probably took the biggest hit, losing the race before the first corner for the second weekend in a row and falling 19 points behind Hamilton. Rosberg won the first four races of the season, then the teammates tripped over one another in Spain. Hamilton's won six of the seven races since Spain, Rosberg's best result in that time is a second-place in Hungary. Hamilton turned his engine down on Lap 3 (!) because he's used his entire season's allotment of five turbochargers and five MGU-Ks. Those early-season gremlins now have him on edge of grid penalties. Unless Hamilton's momentum cools off in August, however, that reliability danger might be the only dent in his armor. Rosberg, who once led the Championship by 43 points, will surely drown in his thoughts – and maybe schnapps – over the summer break. Whatever the Italian word for "meditation" is, there'll be a lot of it at Ferrari during the F1 summer break.

If you're a Daimler exec, you'll soon have to drive an EV

Luckily, for Daimler's "senior level" managers, the company has a lot of plug-in vehicle options. Lucky because "in the future," these managers will have to drive the company's electrified vehicles. This most likely means a plug-in hybrid – something like the C 350 e or the GLE 500 e 4MATIC – but it could also be the all-electric and peppy Smart ED or the B-Class EV. Board member Ola Kallenius said in a statement (available below) that this new policy, "We are continuing on the path of zero-emission driving with consistency. This is why we are making electric mobility an integral part of the everyday lives of our top management to set an example and to provide a clear role model." It's a big change from five years ago, when Daimler's director of fuel cell and battery drive development, Christian Mohrdieck, was willing to talk up the drawbacks EVs face. Even a year ago, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche explained the financial hardships involved in making EVs. But, EV technology continues to change, and so, perhaps, do the attitudes inside Daimler. As EV advocate Chelsea Sexton said on Facebook regarding this new policy, "This should be standard procedure in any automaker seeking a leadership role in the plug-in vehicle movement. Commitment starts at the top." Related Video: Electric Mobility: Daimler Management leads by example Daimler is once again setting a new milestone on the road to zero-emission driving: In the future managers will drive electrified company cars. Furthermore, Daimler is this year set to invest a further 30 million euros into extending the company's own charging infrastructure across many of its sites. This will also benefit employees, who have access to a growing range of vehicles with alternative drive systems. Stuttgart. It represents a further commitment from Daimler to an electric future for mobility: "We are continuing on the path of zero-emission driving with consistency", states Ola Kallenius, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing, about the importance of the current initiative. "This is why we are making electric mobility an integral part of the everyday lives of our top management to set an example and to provide a clear role model." The agreement applies to the company's senior levels of management and focuses on plug-in hybrids.

These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.
CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).
Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.