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German drivers eying rare success in home GP, Rosberg with added incentive to extend lead

Associated Press
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World Championship leader and Mercedes Formula One driver Nico Rosberg of Germany, left, shakes hands with Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany, right, during a press conference in Hockenheim, Germany, Thursday, July 17, 2014. The German Grand Prix will be held on Sunday, July 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) (The Associated Press)

World Cup leader and Mercedes Formula One driver Nico Rosberg of Germany smiles besides Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari Formula One driver Kimi Raikkoenen of Finland, from left to right, during a press conference in Hockenheim, Germany, Thursday, July 17, 2014. The German Grand Prix will be held on Sunday, July 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) (The Associated Press)

None of the Germans competing in Formula One this season have won the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, giving Nico Rosberg another incentive on Sunday.

Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel's win on the Nurburgring circuit last year was his first German GP victory, highlighting the difficulty German drivers seem to have in triumphing at home.

Vettel is one of just three German drivers to have claimed victories on home soil in 60 German GPs. Michael Schumacher's four wins are more than any other driver, while his younger brother Ralf had one triumph in 2001.

Neither Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) nor Adrian Sutil (Sauber) are likely to win on Sunday, but the other competing Germans, Rosberg and, to a lesser extent, Vettel, have hopes of the victory.