Historic Formula 1 Circuits: What Are They Used For Now? - Hockenheim

In the previous article on this subject, we focused on the lost but not forgotten Nürburgring Nordschleife. In the second part of this five-part series, we read about the Hockenheimring, the sister circuit to the Nordschleife.

(Image credit to https://www.nytimes.com)

The Hockenheimring was first constructed in 1932 as a job creation project during the Great Depression. The early version of this track, called ‘Dreieckshurs’, was a 12km long circuit that used existing forest roads as its base. In 1938, the track was shortened to just 7.7km to increase speed and safety around it, also giving it it’s high-speed oval-like shape. But this wasn’t the last reconstruction. In 1996, the famous ‘Motodrom’ stadium section was built and added to compensate for the A6 motorway that cut through the circuit’s west end. Fast-forward to 1970, Hockenheim became the home of the Formula 1 German Grand Prix, alternating with the Nürburgring Nordschleife. For decades, Hockenheim competed with Monza as the fastest circuit on the calendar. With cars reaching 350 km/h, it was something never seen before in that era. After the dreadful deaths of Jim Clark and Patrick Depailler, chicanes were added along the forest straights to further improve safety. In 2002, the job fell to famous circuit designer Hermann Tilke to completely redesign and modernise Hockenheim. This 62 Million Euro overhaul saw the track go from 6.8km to 4.5km, and the forest section was completely bypassed, leading to the beloved asphalt to be torn up and replanted with trees, removing one of Formula 1’s most iconic sections. This new layout saw the introduction of the Parabolika, a long, curved straight leading into a tight hairpin, which remains one of F1’s best overtaking spots. Formula 1 bid goodbye to Hockenheim in the rain-soaked thriller that was the 2019 German Grand Prix. The current owners of Hockenheim are investing in upgrades in and around the circuit to try to bring F1 back to Germany. In 2026, the Hockenheimring will host many major events, such as DTM (German Touring Cars), NitrOlympx, which is Europe’s biggest drag racing event, Hockenheim Historic, and the International GT Open. The Glücksgefühle Festival also utilises the massive stadium capacity for its events. Maybe it’s possible to see Hockenheim return to Formula 1 in the future.

Written by Aj Dyson