German Grand Prix

The German Grand Prix or the GroBer Preis von Deutschland is an automobile race that takes place yearly. After World War II, Germany was restricted from participating in any international events. This meant that the German GP only became part of the Formula One World Championships in 1951. Before that the Automobile Club of Germany had been organizing similar events since 1926. The renowned ADAC hosts a lot of other races like the second Formula One race in Germany held in 1995 at Nurburgring.

Germany put together one of the first Kaiserpreis races in 1907 at the Taunus Circuit, where entries were limited to engines with less then eight litres. Italian Felice Nazzaro won the race in his Fiat. Like the Prinz-Heinrich-Fahrt held in 1908 to 1911, these races were predecessors to the German Grand Prix. The first national event in German Grand Prix motor racing took place at the AVUS racecourse as a sports car race in southwest Berlin. The event was officially recognized in 1929. Rudolf Caracciola won the race in heavy rain.

The Grand Prix moved to the new Nurburgring track, 28-kilometre track, when it was inaugurated on the 18th of June 1927. The German Grand Prix failed to take place in 1930 and 1933 because of the country’s failing economy, but started a year later in 1934. Although there were many races taking place throughout the country, it was only the Grand Prix at Nurburgring that was considered the national Grande Epreuve, which counted toward the European Championships.

Meanwhile a new track was being built at Dresden, called the Deutschlandring, and it was to be the host of the 1940 German Grand Prix, but this never happened because of World War II. Hockenheimring has become the German Grand Prix’s permanent location since 1977, except for 1985 when the race took place at the new 4.5km Nurburgring. With the success of Michael Schumacher on the international Formula One scene, the Nurburgring track became the venue for a second annual Formula One race in Germany. The first event, called the European Grand Prix, or as it is also known, the Luxembourg Grand Prix, took place in 1995.

Setting out plans for the future of F1 racing in Germany, in 2006 it was announced that the German Grand Prix would take place at Nurburgring in 2007 and 2009, with Hockenheimring hosting the event in 2008 and 2010. The 2010 German Grand Prix has been scheduled for 23-25 July, although there is an element of uncertainty as to whether it will take place, with high F1 licensing costs and problems in resolving issues with Bernie Ecclestone being cited as reasons for possible withdrawal as hosts. Despite the obstacles, the 2010 German Grand Prix was included in the F1 season schedule.

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