Hockenheimring
Circuit Statistics
Location: Hockenheim, Germany
Established:
Circuit Type:
Race
Designed by:
Hermann Tilke
Capacity:
130,000
Turns:
13
Direction:
Clockwise
First Grand Prix Race:
Total Races:
35
About Hockenheimring
The 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.
Latest News
Valentino Rossi admitted a “mistake” as he was forced into the gravel but he ends GT World Challenge Europe race in fifth
Valentino Rossi recovered from being in the gravel and causing a Safety Car to help his team in finishing fifth in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.
F1 turns to Hockenheimring contingency as British GP talks stall
Hockenheimring has emerged as the front-runner to hosts rounds three and four of the revised 2020 F1 calendar as British GP talks stall
The F1-ready circuits that could host races in 2020
Following the news that Formula 1 is holding discussions with circuits not originally on the 2020 calendar about the possibility of hosting races this year, we take a look at some F1-ready tracks.
Hockenheim open to helping F1’s 2020 season bid by staging a race
Hockenheim is understood to the latest track not on the original 2020 calendar offering to stage a race to help Formula 1’s bid to get its season off the ground.
Sebastian Vettel: F1 must use common sense to protect classic races
Sebastian Vettel feels Formula 1 bosses should make decisions on "common sense" when shaping the sport's future calendar and do more to protect classic, well-attended races.
Charles Leclerc moved on 'quite easily' from Hockenheim crash
Charles Leclerc says he was able to move on “quite easily” from his crash at Hockenheim last Sunday that cost him a shot at his maiden Formula 1 victory, with attention now turning to this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Kubica explains conservative approach that led to Hockenheim point
Robert Kubica says his "conservative approach" in Sunday's German Grand Prix was in order to avoid damaging his car and compromising Williams for the upcoming race in Hungary given the tight turnaround between the two races.
Max Verstappen: Communication with Red Bull key to Hockenheim victory
Max Verstappen put his charge to victory in a dramatic German Grand Prix down to good communication with the Red Bull pit wall to make the right tyre calls in changeable conditions.
Hamilton names German GP weather as biggest threat to Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton is keeping one eye on the weather ahead of the German Grand Prix as he expects the strong possibility of rain or hot conditions to become Mercedes’ biggest worry while fighting for victory.
Leclerc predicts Mercedes, Red Bull fightback in cooler conditions
Charles Leclerc predicts Mercedes and Red Bull will draw closer to Ferrari at the front of the pack should weather conditions at Hockenheim cool as expected on Saturday.
Sebastian Vettel leads Ferrari 1-2 in opening German GP practice
Sebastian Vettel set the pace for Ferrari in opening practice for the German Grand Prix on Friday at Hockenheim, heading up a one-two finish for the Italian marque ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc.
One year on, has Vettel recovered from his Hockenheim heartbreak?
Standing on the grid at Hockenheim ahead of last year’s German Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel would have sensed he was on the verge of a big opportunity.
German Grand Prix: What next for the future of F1 in Germany?
Formula 1 returns to Hockenheim this weekend for the German Grand Prix, but the future of the event beyond this year is unclear.
Sebastian Vettel: 'We have got to make up for last year' at Hockenheim
Sebastian Vettel says he has "got to make up for last year" at the German Grand Prix this weekend as he returns to the site of one of the biggest errors of his Formula 1 career.
Jamie Chadwick wins historic W Series debut
Jamie Chadwick has claimed the historic first win of the all-new W Series as she recovered from an opening lap mistake to charge to victory at Hockenheim.
DTM Hockenheimring: Rast 'proud' of comeback after 'incredible year'
Rene Rast says he's 'proud' of himself and Audi after coming to within just four points of successfully defending his 2017 DTM crown following a sensational second half of the season.
DTM Hockenheimring: Di Resta: It was simply not my weekend
Paul di Resta's 2018 championship campaign ended in disappointment after the Mercedes driver missed out on the DTM title by 22-points to his team mate Gary Paffett at the Hockenheimring.
DTM Hockenheimring: Paffett: This is the best day in my life
Newly-crowned two-time DTM champion Gary Paffett has described winning the 2018 drivers' title, 13-years after his previous championship winning success, as 'the best day of his life'.
DTM: Rast takes sixth straight win, Paffett crowned champion
Gary Paffett has secured the 2018 DTM drivers' title for Mercedes after finishing the final race of the season on the podium in third behind race winner Rene Rast and Marco Wittmann at the Hockenheimring.
DTM Hockenheimring: Race Results (2)
1. Rene Rast GER Audi Sport Team Rosberg 37 laps 2. Marco Wittmann GER BMW Team RMG +3.786s 3. Gary Paffett GBR Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS +15.838s
DTM Hockenheimring: Wittmann secures final DTM pole of 2018
Two-time DTM champion Marco Wittmann will start the final race of the 2018 season from pole position after beating title contender Rene Rast in qualifying at the Hockenheimring.
DTM Hockenheimring: Qualifying Results (2)
1. Marco Wittmann GER BMW Team RMG 1 minute 32.683 seconds 2. Rene Rast GER Audi Sport Team Rosberg 1 minute 32.737 seconds
DTM Hockenheimring: Rast 'not giving up' on title after making history
Reigning champion Rene Rast made a further mark in DTM history after claiming a record-breaking fifth straight win in the series to set up a three way title fight ahead of tomorrow's last race of the season at Hockenheim.
DTM Hockenheimring: Di Resta: Nothing is lost yet
DTM title contender Paul di Resta remains defiant despite losing the championship lead to his Mercedes team mate Gary Paffett, following a difficult opening race at Hockenheim.
Circuit Information
The 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.
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 on 7 April 1968 in a Formula 2 racing accident, two fast chicanes were added and the track was lined with crash barriers in 1970. A small memorial was placed near the first chicane, at the site of his accident. In 1982, another chicane was added at the Ostkurve (east curve), after Patrick Depailler was killed there in 1980; and the first chicane was made slower as well.
In the early 2000s, F1 officials demanded the 6.823 km (4.240 mi) 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 for 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, forested straights section chopped off in favour of more tight corners. In an extremely controversial move, the old forest section was torn up and replanted with trees, eliminating any chance of using the old course either for future F1 events or for historic car events.