The German Grand Prix
(Großer Preis von Deutschland
) is an annual automobile race.
Because Germany was banned from taking part in international events after World War II, the German GP only became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951. It has been organized by AvD (Automobile Club of Germany) since 1926. The well-known ADAC hosts many other races, one of which has been the second F1 race in Germany at the Nürburgring, held there since 1995.
|
GERMAN GRAND PRIX TICKETS
|
History
In 1907,
Germany staged the first of the
Kaiserpreis
races at the
Taunus Circuit. Entries were limited to touring cars with engines of less than eight
litres.
Italy's Felice Nazzaro won the race in a
Fiat. Like the
Prinz-Heinrich-Fahrt, which was held from 1908 to 1911, it was a precursor to the German
Grand Prix
.
The first national event in German
Grand Prix motor racing was held at the
AVUS (Automobil Verkehrs und Übungs-Straße) race circuit in southwestern
Berlin in 1926 as a sports car race. The first race at AVUS, in heavy rain, was won by Germany's native son,
Rudolf Caracciola in a
Mercedes-Benz. The event was marred by
Adolf Rosenberger's crash into one of the marshals' huts, killing three people. The German
Grand Prix
became an official event in 1929, but would not return to AVUS again until 1959, and then only once.
The
Grand Prix
moved to the new, 28 km (17.4mi)-long course at
Nürburgring, which was inaugurated on
June 18,
1927, with the annual race, the
ADAC Eifelrennen
. It stayed mainly on the 22.8 km (14.2mi)
Nordschleife
(North Loop) course until the 1970s, when the rival
Hockenheimring would take over owing to safety concerns.
The 1930 and 1933 German Grands Prix were both cancelled because of the country's economic problems.
Starting in 1934, there were often several races each year with the so called "
Silver Arrows"
Grand Prix
cars in Germany, eg. the
Eifelrennen
, the AVUS race, and several
hillclimbs. Yet it was only the Grand Prix at the Nürburgring that was the national
Grande Epreuve
, which counted toward the
European Championship from 1935 to 1939.
After
Bernd Rosemeyer and
Hans Stuck scored one victory each,
Rudolf Caracciola took the German GP in 1937 and again in 1939, a feat no other German driver accomplished between 1937 and 1995, when
Michael Schumacher won.
[clarification needed] During this time, foreigners scored two upset wins: Italian
Tazio Nuvolari in 1935 and the British
Dick Seaman in 1938.
At that time, a new track had been built near
Dresden, called the
Deutschlandring
, which was intended to host the 1940 German
Grand Prix.
However, because of the outbreak of
World War II, the race was never run.
After WWII, Germany and German drivers were banned from international contests until 1951, so the inaugural F1 Season in 1950 did not include the German GP.
Owing to the decline in attendance after the retirement of Mercedes and
Juan Manuel Fangio, the
AvD returned the German GP to AVUS in 1959. Owing to the simple layout of this high speed track and several accidents, it was considered a bad move. In anticipation of 1961 rule changes in F1, the 1960 GP was held for
Formula 2 cars of
Porsche as well as the F2
Ferrari Dino of
Wolfgang von Trips, which did not show up. This GP did not count towards the World Championships, and was also held on the shorter 7.7 km (4.8mi) Nürburgring
Südschleife
(South Loop).
After the former Formula 2 rules were declared the new Formula 1, Porsche entered Formula 1 in 1961.
[clarification needed] Additional F1 races were held at their home town
Stuttgart at the
Solitude circuit. These races, joined together with
Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship events, drew an average of 288,000 spectators. There were rumours that the German Grand Prix might be moved to the more popular track, yet the opposite happened, as the Solitude races were canceled after 1965, while the GP had returned to the Nürburgring
Nordschleife
in 1961.
In 1970, drivers asked for safety improvements on such short notice that they could not be made, and the German
Grand Prix
moved to the Hockenheimring, which had already been modified. After a rebuild, the
Nordschleife
hosted six more GPs. Formula 1 finally declined to race there after 1976, with
Niki Lauda's crash sealing this decision.
Since 1977, the
Hockenheimring
has become the German
Grand Prix's
permanent home, with the exception of the event in 1985, which was held on the new 4.5 km (2.8mi) Nürburgring. In 1984 an additional F1 race already had been held at the Nürburgring following the inauguration of its modern "Grand Prix Strecke" layout. Following the success of Schumacher, this went on to become the venue for a second annual F1 race in Germany, the
European Grand Prix or
Luxembourg Grand Prix since 1995.
In 2006 it was reported that from 2007 until 2010, the German Grand Prix would be shared between the
Nürburgring (former home of the European Grand Prix) and the
Hockenheimring. The former would hold the races in 2007 and 2009 and the latter in 2008 and 2010. However, the name for the 2007 Grand Prix was later changed. While it was originally intended to be the German Grand Prix
[1], the Nürburgring currently lists the 2007 event as "Großer Preis von Europa" (
European Grand Prix).
[2]
The 2010 GP, to be held in Hockenheim, is in jeopardy as the track owners, the city and the state of
Baden-Württemberg, are not willing anymore to lose money due to the high licensing costs imposed by F1 management. In addition, talks with Bernie Ecclestone were hampered by his Hitler quotes.
[clarification needed]
Sponsors
Großer
Mobil 1 Preis von Deutschland
1987-2006
Großer Preis
Santander von Deutschland
2008-
Winners of the German Grand Prix
Repeat winners
Only includes World Championship events
| Number of wins
| Driver
| Achieved
|
| 4
| Michael Schumacher
| 1995, 2002, 2004, 2006
|
| 3
| Juan Manuel Fangio
| 1954, 1956, 1957
|
| Jackie Stewart
| 1968, 1971, 1973
|
| Nelson Piquet
| 1981, 1986, 1987
|
| Ayrton Senna
| 1988, 1989, 1990
|
| 2
| Alberto Ascari
| 1951, 1952
|
| Tony Brooks
| 1958, 1959
|
| John Surtees
| 1963, 1964
|
| Jacky Ickx
| 1969, 1972
|
| Nigel Mansell
| 1991, 1992
|
| Alain Prost
| 1984, 1993
|
| Gerhard Berger
| 1994, 1997
|
A pink background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
A cream background indicates an event which was part of the pre-war European Championship.
| Year
| Driver
| Constructor
| Location
| Report
|
| 2009
| Mark Webber
| Red Bull-Renault
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 2008
| Lewis Hamilton
| McLaren-Mercedes
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 2007
| Cancelled
[3]
|
| 2006
| Michael Schumacher
| Ferrari
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 2005
| Fernando Alonso
| Renault
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 2004
| Michael Schumacher
| Ferrari
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 2003
| Juan Pablo Montoya
| Williams-BMW
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 2002
| Michael Schumacher
| Ferrari
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 2001
| Ralf Schumacher
| Williams-BMW
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 2000
| Rubens Barrichello
| Ferrari
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1999
| Eddie Irvine
| Ferrari
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1998
| Mika Häkkinen
| McLaren-Mercedes
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1997
| Gerhard Berger
| Benetton-Renault
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1996
| Damon Hill
| Williams-Renault
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1995
| Michael Schumacher
| Benetton-Renault
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1994
| Gerhard Berger
| Ferrari
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1993
| Alain Prost
| Williams-Renault
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1992
| Nigel Mansell
| Williams-Renault
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1991
| Nigel Mansell
| Williams-Renault
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1990
| Ayrton Senna
| McLaren-Honda
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1989
| Ayrton Senna
| McLaren-Honda
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1988
| Ayrton Senna
| McLaren-Honda
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1987
| Nelson Piquet
| Williams-Honda
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1986
| Nelson Piquet
| Williams-Honda
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1985
| Michele Alboreto
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1984
| Alain Prost
| McLaren-TAG
| Hockenheimring
|Report
|
| 1983
| René Arnoux
| Ferrari
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1982
| Patrick Tambay
| Ferrari
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1981
| Nelson Piquet
| Brabham-Ford
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1980
| Jacques Laffite
| Ligier-Ford
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1979
| Alan Jones
| Williams-Ford
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1978
| Mario Andretti
| Lotus-Ford
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1977
| Niki Lauda
| Ferrari
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1976
| James Hunt
| McLaren-Ford
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1975
| Carlos Reutemann
| Brabham-Ford
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1974
| Clay Regazzoni
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1973
| Jackie Stewart
| Tyrrell-Ford
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1972
| Jacky Ickx
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1971
| Jackie Stewart
| Tyrrell-Ford
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1970
| Jochen Rindt
| Lotus-Ford
| Hockenheimring
| Report
|
| 1969
| Jacky Ickx
| Brabham-Ford
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1968
| Jackie Stewart
| Matra-Ford
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1967
| Denny Hulme
| Brabham-Repco
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1966
| Jack Brabham
| Brabham-Repco
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1965
| Jim Clark
| Lotus-Climax
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1964
| John Surtees
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1963
| John Surtees
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1962
| Graham Hill
| BRM
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1961
| Stirling Moss
| Lotus-Climax
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1960
| Joakim Bonnier
| Porsche
| Nürburgring Südschleife
| Formula 2 event
|
| 1959
| Tony Brooks
| Ferrari
| AVUS Berlin
| Report
|
| 1958
| Tony Brooks
| Vanwall
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1957
| Juan Manuel Fangio
| Maserati
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1956
| Juan Manuel Fangio
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1955
| Not held
|
| 1954
| Juan Manuel Fangio
| Mercedes-Benz
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1953
| Giuseppe Farina
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1952
| Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1951
| Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1950
| Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| Nürburgring
| Formula 2 event
|
1949
-
1941
| Not held
|
| 1940
| Cancelled
| (Deutschlandring)
|
|
| 1939
| Rudolf Caracciola
| Mercedes-Benz
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1938
| Richard Seaman
| Mercedes-Benz
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1937
| Rudolf Caracciola
| Mercedes-Benz
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1936
| Bernd Rosemeyer
| Auto Union
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1935
| Tazio Nuvolari
| Alfa Romeo
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1934
| Hans Stuck
| Auto Union
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1933
| Cancelled
|
| 1932
| Rudolf Caracciola
| Alfa Romeo
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1931
| Rudolf Caracciola
| Mercedes-Benz
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1930
| Cancelled
|
| 1929
| Louis Chiron
| Bugatti
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1928
| Rudolf Caracciola
Christian Werner
| Mercedes-Benz
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1927
| Otto Merz
| Mercedes-Benz
| Nürburgring
| Report
|
| 1926
| Rudolf Caracciola
| Mercedes-Benz
| AVUS Berlin
| Report
|
References
- 2007 FIA Formula One championship circuit and lap information, published on February 14, 2007
- Nürburgring
- Originally to be held at Nürburgring, the title was changed to European Grand Prix owing to a dispute over ownership of the German Grand Prix name. See Autosport: Name row leads to return of European GP