Hockenheimring Formula One Race Track in Germany

Hockenheimring in Germany

The Hockenheimring, or Hockenheimring Baden-Wurttemberg, is located near the German town Hockenheim, which is situated in Baden-Wurttemberg. This circuit is the host to the Formula One German Grand Prix, and many other racing events.

The Hockenheimring was constructed in the Rhine Valley, in 1932. It was built due to the closing of the Wildpark-Circuit that was located in Karlsruhe, by German Officials. In its early years, the Hockenheimring Circuit was used for motorcycle races, but later in 1936, it became a test track for Auto Union and for Mercedes-Benz. The circuit was renamed to Kurpfalzring in 1938, but the name only lasted until the year 1947. Grand Prix motorcycle racing was held here after the war, which alternated between Hockenheim and other racing circuits.

Originally, Hockenheimring consisted of an eight kilometer track, that had two long straights. A U-turn in Hockenheim and an outstretched ‘eastern’ corner that through the forest, joined the two straights together. The Autobahn A6 separated the main part of the track form the village in 1965, and it brought about the construction of the “Motodrom” stadium and a new Hockenheimring Circuit version. An Armco and two chicanes were added after Jim Clark had a fatal accident in a Formula 2 race in the year 1968. An additional chicane was added in 1980, to the Ostkurve, after another driver, Patrick Depailler, lost his life.

Formula One Officials requested that the Hockenheimring circuit be shortened in 2000, as the track was 6.8 kilometers, and gave the state government of Baden-Wurttemberg an ultimatum. Either the circuit was shortened, or they would move the event to another circuit. The state government received financing and commissioned Hermann Tilke to redesign the circuit before the 2002 German Grand Prix. The redesign had most of the stadium section remain the same, except for a much tighter corner in Turn 1 and new surfacing. The circuit was shortened to the extreme, which cut off the entire forest section and replaced it with more tight corners. The tight hairpin corner that was added, that follows a long straight, has added another overtaking possibility, but the changes have still received a vast amount of criticism. A large stand that is sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, gives the Hockenheimring Circuit a spectator capacity of 120 000. It also has a quarter mile track that hosts drag racing, with the Nitro Olympics being the biggest event in Europe.

The German Grand Prix was hosted by the Hockenheimring Circuit, for the first time in 1970. From 1971 to 1976 the German Grand Prix was hosted by Nurburgring. During the years 1977 to 2006, the German Grand Prix moved back to the Hockenheimring Circuit, with the exception of one year, 1985. Bernie Ecclestone has announced that from 2007, starting with Nurburgring, the German Grand Prix will alternate between Nurburgring and the Hockenheimring Circuit.