Bad news for fans of the iconic German circuit, the Nürburgring. Due to financial reasons, the organization behind the circuit rules out the possibility of the racetrack returning to the Formula 1 calendar, even though Spa-Francorchamps will be rotating. Meanwhile, Hockenheimring is keen to try to bring Formula 1 back to Germany.
The Nürburgring last appeared on the Formula 1 calendar in 2020, under the name of the Eifel Grand Prix. Due to the global COVID pandemic, the event was moved to the German circuit in the Eifel. Lewis Hamilton won this race on the iconic German racetrack, which was previously dubbed ‘the green hell’ by Scottish driver Jackie Stewart.
With the announcement that the GP Belgium will start rotating from 2028, there was a glimmer of hope that Formula 1 could return to the Nürburgring. However, the organization behind the Nürburgring does not see this happening, as organizing a Grand Prix would not be profitable due to the high organizational costs. “For these reasons, the plan is not feasible for us as a private company in this form,” Nürburgring spokesperson Alexander Gerhard told Sky Sports Germany.
Hockenheim
If Formula 1 were to return to Germany, there’s a higher likelihood that the premier racing event would be held at the Hockenheimring. Plans are in place to invest 400 million euros in refurbishing the circuit. “We have been working behind the scenes for over four years on the further development of the Hockenheimring as a leading race circuit and now want to implement forward-looking projects,” Tim Brauer tells Welt. Brauer is the director of the Emodrom Group, the organization behind the refurbishment of the Hockenheimring.
“Of course, we also have Formula 1 in mind, but we approach such considerations with great caution. We’re not going to make any reckless financial decisions, but we’re trying to find ways to bring Formula 1 back to Germany,” concludes Brauer.
