History

1930s - 1960s

In 1932 the original Hockenheimring was built within only 3 months using roads in the forest as an alternative to the Wildpark-Circuit in Karlsruhe, which had become prohibited for the use of racing by German officials. The track was used for motorcycle racing and additionally as test track for Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union in 1936. In 1938 it was renamed the Kurpfalzring, a name which was used until 1947. After the war, former DKW and NSU factory rider and world record setter Wilhelm Herz extensively promoted the track with great success. The original track was almost eight kilometres long and consisted of two long straights, a long "Eastern" corner in the forest and a U-turn inside Hockenheim connecting the two.

1960s - 2001

The track prior to 2002

With the construction of the new Autobahn A 6 in 1965, the village was separated from the main part of the track, which led to building a new version of the Hockenheim circuit, including the new "Motodrom" stadium section. Two chicanes and an Armco barrier were added after the deadly accident of  Jim Clark in 1968 in a Formula 2 racing accident. Also a small memorial was placed in his name at the site of his accident, near the first chicane. After a further deadly accident of Patrick Depailler in 1980, another chicane was added at the Ostkurve (east curve). This version of the track was originally quite large, with a very long, fast section going through forests, specifically consisting of four straights of roughly 1.3 km, separated by a chicane sequence, followed by a more tight and twisty "stadium" section (named after all the grandstands situated there) called “Motodrom”. The long track length implied that the spectators saw the cars go through the stadium for only 45 laps in a typical Formula 1 race.

Security issues arose after the 2000 German Grand Prix, causing much protest from the FIA to greatly improve spectator viewing, safety and security at the circuit: It had become clear that the track was no longer suited to meet modern Formula 1 racing standards.

2001

In the early 2000s, F1 officials demanded that the 6.8 km (4.2 mi) track should be shortened. In addition, competition arising from other tracks such as the EuroSpeedway Lausitz and sites in Asia, jeopardized the continuity of racing in Hockenheim.

The financing for the redesign of the circuit by Hermann Tilke was secured by the Baden-Württemberg state government for the 2002 German Grand Prix. Despite a new surface and a tighter Turn 1 ("Nordkurve") the stadium section remained mostly intact. The circuit was dramatically shortened, with the long, sweeping forest section chopped off in favour of multiplied tight corners. Increasing amount of protests led to the old forest section being replanted with trees.

Formula 1

The Formula 1 took place at the Hockenheim Circuit for the first time in 1970 after F1 drivers had decided at the French Grand Prix to boycott the Nürburgring unless major changes were made in terms of security. The year after, the German Grand Prix returned to the Nürburgring until the 1976 German Grand Prix. From 1977 to 2006, the Hockenheimring hosted the German Grand Prix with the exception of 1985, when the race was held at the redesigned Nürburgring.

In July 2006, Bernie Ecclestone announced that from 2007 on, only one Grand Prix per year  would be allowed in Germany (since 1995, two Grand Prix events had been held annually in Germany: the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, plus either the European Grand Prix or the Luxembourg Grand Prix at the Nürburgring). Hence, from 2007 on, the Nürburgring and Hockenheimring would be to alternate hosting the German Grand Prix, starting with the Nürburgring in 2007.

Deficits of the Formula 1 race 2008, amounting to up to 5.3 million Euro which that had to be covered by the local communities, made it likely the contract between the Hockenheimring and the Formula 1 would not be extended after the 2010 Grand Prix. However, in October 2009 Hockenheim confirmed the contract for the circuit to hold the German GP up to 2018.