Ralf Schumacher expresses a bleak outlook for the future of Formula 1 in Germany. According to the former Formula 1 driver, the foundation for motorsports, including karting, has been significantly eroded in his home country over the years. He believes that without government support, the chances of a German Grand Prix returning are slim.
Ralf Schumacher points out that the problems start at the grassroots level of Formula 1 – karting – in his home country. “At the moment, we have about 700 karting licenses in Germany, and that number is decreasing,” the former Formula 1 driver tells T-Online. “In England, for example, there are 4,000. Karting is still very much alive there — and especially in Italy. But here in Germany, it’s disappearing more and more. There are hardly any decent karting tracks left, and fewer and fewer racing classes. It’s actually quite simple: if you remove all the football fields, you will naturally have fewer footballers. And that’s exactly the problem we’re facing in motorsports right now.”
To address this, Mercedes and the German motorsport federation ADAC have recently embarked on a collaboration to promote young talent towards Formula 1. “Collaborations are incredibly important,” says Schumacher. “If Mercedes and Audi were to decide to support such a project together, something could really happen. I would like to see that.” However, Schumacher believes more is needed to facilitate a Formula 1 race in Germany.
No German GP Without Government Support
According to the current analyst, a German Grand Prix is not possible without financial support from the state. “As long as the government does not provide financial resources – which they then simply recoup through tourism around such a race – it will not work. The entrance fees are so high these days that the organizer also has to provide a full safety net with police and fire brigade. Hockenheim will never achieve those kinds of revenues. You don’t need to have studied mathematics to understand that it won’t work,” he states. Yet, the German “still has hope that there will be a German Grand Prix again someday.”
