Guide

The German Grand Prix is held at the Hockenheimring in Germany’s Rhine Valley. This will be the first visit to the 4.574km loop for two years as the Nurburgring hosted the only race in Germany last year. The circuit hosted the German Grand Prix for the first time in 1970 when drivers boycotted the old Nurburgring on safety grounds. In 1971 the race returned to the Cologne track, but in 1977 F1 came back to Hockenheim, where it has been held almost every year since.

Originally built in 1932, the track was a high speed 8km circuit through the forests with a loop through the tiny village of Hockenheim. Later on the ‘Motodrom’ section was added - a slower complex surrounded by grandstands on three sides that still stand today, even if the structures have been updated.

Until the early 2000s, the lap was almost 7km of pure speed, with only three chicanes and the complex stopping the cars being flat out for the entire lap. It was a logistical challenge to marshall the longest circuit on the calendar, so the track was redesigned by Hermann Tilke in time for the 2002 German Grand Prix. The character of the circuit remained, with the stadium complex intact save a few changes to the surface and also the first corner, but the track was shortened to its current length by cutting out most of the forest loop.