German Grand Prix

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Circuit Hokenheimring.png
German Grand Prix
Circuit 22px-Flag of Germany.png Hockenheimring
Laps 67
Circuit length km 4.57
Circuit length mi 2.84
Race length km 306.46
Race length mi 190.42
Current year 2005
Winner Fernando Alonso
Winning team Renault
Winning time 1:26'28.599
Pole driver Kimi Räikkönen
Pole team McLaren-Mercedes
Pole time 1'14.320
Fastest lap driver Kimi Räikkönen
Fastest lap team McLaren-Mercedes
Fastest lap 1'14.873


The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Amongst other motor racing events, it holds the annual Formula One German Grand Prix. Situated in the Rhine valley, the circuit is completely flat, without any changes in elevation.

History

1930s - 1960s

Hockenheimring was originally built in 1932 using roads in the forest as an alternative to the Wildpark-Circuit in Karlsruhe, which became forbidden as a racing circuit by German officials. It was used for motorcycle racing and was expanded to be used as test track for Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union in 1936. In 1938 it was renamed the Kurpfalzring and that name was used until 1947. After the war, Grand Prix motorcycle racing events were held, with the German motorcycle Grand Prix alternating between Hockenheim and other tracks.

The original circuit was almost eight kilometres long and consisted of two long straights with a long "Eastern" corner in the forest and a U-turn inside Hockenheim joining them together.

1960s - 2000s

Hockenheimring - 1960s and 2000s version

In 1965, when the new Autobahn A 6 separated the village from the main part of the track, a new version of Hockenheim circuit was built, with the "Motodrom" stadium section. After Jim Clark was killed in 1968 in a Formula 2 racing accident, two chicanes and an armco were added. In 1980, another chicane was added at the Ostkurve (east curve), after Patrick Depailler was killed there.

This version used to be quite large, with a very long, fast section going through forests essentially consisting of four straights of roughly 1.3 km, separated by a chicane sequence, followed by a more tight and twisty "stadium" section (so called because of all the grandstands situated there) named Motodrom. This made setting racing cars up difficult, as a choice had to be made - whether to run low downforce to optimise speed through the straights and compromise grip in the stadium section, or vice-versa.

2000s

In the early 2000s, F1 officials demanded the 6.8 km track be shortened and threatened to discontinue racing there, due to competition from other tracks such as the EuroSpeedway Lausitz and sites in Asia. The state government of Baden-Württemberg secured the financing of the redesign by Hermann Tilke for the 2002 German Grand Prix. The stadium section remained mostly intact, despite a new surface and a tighter Turn 1 ("Nordkurve"). However, the circuit was dramatically shortened, with the long, sweeping forest section chopped off in favour of more tight corners. There was a great deal of criticism of the track redesign, however, the tight hairpin following the very long back straight offers an overtaking possibility.

The tracks has a seating capacity of 120,000, due to new large grandstands sponsored by Mercedes-Benz.

The complex also features a quarter mile track for drag racing. It hosts one of the largest drag racing events in Europe known as the Nitro Olympics.

Hockenheimring 2004 as viewed from the "Südkurve" of the "Motodrom stadium section", with the main straight visible to the left and dragstrip to the right

Formula 1

The Hockenheim Circuit hosted the German Grand Prix for the first time in 1970 when the F1 drivers decided at the French Grand Prix to boycott the Nürburgring unless major changes were made. The next year the German Grand Prix went back to the Nürburgring until the 1976 German Grand Prix. From 1977 to 2006, the Hockenheimring hosted the German Grand Prix with the exception of 1985, when the race was held at the Nürburgring.

In July 2006, Bernie Ecclestone announced that from 2007 onwards, there would be only one Grand Prix per year in Germany. (Since 1995, there had been two Grands Prix every year in Germany; the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, plus either the European Grand Prix or the Luxembourg Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.) From 2007 onwards, the Nürburgring and Hockenheimring will alternate hosting the German Grand Prix, starting with the Nürburgring in 2007.


Repeat Winners

Only includes World Championship events

Number of wins Driver Achieved
4 22px-Flag of Germany.png Michael Schumacher 2006
3 22px-Flag of Argentina.png Juan Manuel Fangio 1957
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jackie Stewart 1973
22px-Flag of Brazil.png Nelson Piquet 1987
22px-Flag of Brazil.png Ayrton Senna 1990
2 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Alberto Ascari 1952
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Tony Brooks 1959
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png John Surtees 1964
22px-Flag of Belgium (civil).png Jacky Ickx 1972
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Nigel Mansell 1992
22px-Flag of France.png Alain Prost 1993
22px-Flag of Austria.png Gerhard Berger 1997


A light gray background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.

A med gray background indicates an event which was part of the pre-war European Championship.

Year Driver Constructor Location Report
2007 Cancelled
2006 22px-Flag of Germany.png Michael Schumacher Ferrari Hockenheimring Report
2005 22px-Flag of Spain.png Fernando Alonso Renault Hockenheimring Report
2004 22px-Flag of Germany.png Michael Schumacher Ferrari Hockenheimring Report
2003 22px-Flag of Colombia.png Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW Hockenheimring Report
2002 22px-Flag of Germany.png Michael Schumacher Ferrari Hockenheimring Report
2001 22px-Flag of Germany.png Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW Hockenheimring Report
2000 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Hockenheimring Report
1999 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Eddie Irvine Ferrari Hockenheimring Report
1998 22px-Flag of Finland.png Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes Hockenheimring Report
1997 22px-Flag of Austria.png Gerhard Berger Benetton-Renault Hockenheimring Report
1996 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Damon Hill Williams-Renault Hockenheimring Report
1995 22px-Flag of Germany.png Michael Schumacher Benetton-Renault Hockenheimring Report
1994 22px-Flag of Austria.png Gerhard Berger Ferrari Hockenheimring Report
1993 22px-Flag of France.png Alain Prost Williams-Renault Hockenheimring Report
1992 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault Hockenheimring Report
1991 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault Hockenheimring Report
1990 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Ayrton Senna McLaren-Honda Hockenheimring Report
1989 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Ayrton Senna McLaren-Honda Hockenheimring Report
1988 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Ayrton Senna McLaren-Honda Hockenheimring Report
1987 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Nelson Piquet Williams-Honda Hockenheimring Report
1986 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Nelson Piquet Williams-Honda Hockenheimring Report
1985 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Michele Alboreto Ferrari Nürburgring Report
1984 22px-Flag of France.png Alain Prost McLaren-TAG Hockenheimring Report
1983 22px-Flag of France.png René Arnoux Ferrari Hockenheimring Report
1982 22px-Flag of France.png Patrick Tambay Ferrari Hockenheimring Report
1981 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford Hockenheimring Report
1980 22px-Flag of France.png Jacques Laffite Ligier-Ford Hockenheimring Report
1979 22px-Flag of Australia.png Alan Jones Williams-Ford Hockenheimring Report
1978 22px-Flag of the United States.png Mario Andretti Lotus-Ford Hockenheimring Report
1977 22px-Flag of Austria.png Niki Lauda Ferrari Hockenheimring Report
1976 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png James Hunt McLaren-Ford Nürburgring Report
1975 22px-Flag of Argentina.png Carlos Reutemann Brabham-Ford Nürburgring Report
1974 20px-Flag of Switzerland.png Clay Regazzoni Ferrari Nürburgring Report
1973 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jackie Stewart Tyrrell-Ford Nürburgring Report
1972 22px-Flag of Belgium (civil).png Jacky Ickx Ferrari Nürburgring Report
1971 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jackie Stewart Tyrrell-Ford Nürburgring Report
1970 22px-Flag of Austria.png Jochen Rindt Lotus-Ford Hockenheimring Report
1969 22px-Flag of Belgium (civil).png Jacky Ickx Brabham-Ford Nürburgring Report
1968 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jackie Stewart Matra-Ford Nürburgring Report
1967 22px-Flag of New Zealand.png Denny Hulme Brabham-Repco Nürburgring Report
1966 22px-Flag of Australia.png Jack Brabham Brabham-Repco Nürburgring Report
1965 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Nürburgring Report
1964 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png John Surtees Ferrari Nürburgring Report
1963 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png John Surtees Ferrari Nürburgring Report
1962 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Graham Hill BRM Nürburgring Report
1961 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Stirling Moss Lotus-Climax Nürburgring Report
1960 22px-Flag of Sweden.png Joakim Bonnier Porsche Nürburgring Südschleife Formula 2 event
1959 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Tony Brooks Ferrari AVUS Report
1958 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Tony Brooks Vanwall Nürburgring Report
1957 22px-Flag of Argentina.png Juan Manuel Fangio Maserati Nürburgring Report
1956 22px-Flag of Argentina.png Juan Manuel Fangio Lancia-Ferrari Nürburgring Report
1955 Not held
1954 22px-Flag of Argentina.png Juan Manuel Fangio Mercedes-Benz Nürburgring Report
1953 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Giuseppe Farina Ferrari Nürburgring Report
1952 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Alberto Ascari Ferrari Nürburgring Report
1951 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Alberto Ascari Ferrari Nürburgring Report
1950
-
1941
Not held
1940 Cancelled (Deutschlandring)
1939 22px-Flag of Germany.png Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz Nürburgring Report
1938 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Richard Seaman Mercedes-Benz Nürburgring Report
1937 22px-Flag of Germany.png Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz Nürburgring Report
1936 22px-Flag of Germany.png Bernd Rosemeyer Auto Union Nürburgring Report
1935 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Tazio Nuvolari Alfa Romeo Nürburgring Report
1934 22px-Flag of Germany.png Hans Stuck Auto Union Nürburgring Report
1933 Cancelled
1932 22px-Flag of Germany.png Rudolf Caracciola Alfa Romeo Nürburgring Report
1931 22px-Flag of Germany.png Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz Nürburgring Report
1930 Cancelled
1929 22px-Flag of Monaco.png Louis Chiron Bugatti Nürburgring Report
1928 22px-Flag of Germany.png Rudolf Caracciola
22px-Flag of Germany.png Christian Werner
Mercedes-Benz Nürburgring Report
1927 22px-Flag of Germany.png Otto Merz Mercedes-Benz Nürburgring Report
1926 22px-Flag of Germany.png Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz AVUS Report


Deaths from crashes

External links


Races in the Formula One championship:
2007 championship Grand Prix events:

Australian | Malaysian | Bahrain | Spanish | Monaco | Canadian | U.S. | French | British
German | European| Hungarian | Turkish | Italian | Belgian | Japanese | Chinese | Brazilian

Past championship Grand Prix events:

Argentine | Austrian | Dutch | Indy 500 | Las Vegas | Luxembourg | Mexican | Morocco
Pacific | Pescara | Portuguese | San Marino | South African | Swedish | Swiss | USA East | USA West

Confirmed future Grand Prix events:

Abu Dhabi | Korean | European | Singapore


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