FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[darwin dali]

ESPNF1:
Hockenheim boss Georg Seiler says the circuit cannot host this year's German Grand Prix due to the short turnaround to sell tickets.

In January F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said Hockenheim would host the Germany race on July 19 having previously alternated the race with the Nurburgring. But circuit boss Georg Seiler says it is impossible for Hockenheim to host this year's race due to short amount of time it had to prepare.

"We do not have hope the race can be here in Hockenheim," Seiler told Bild. "The moment to organise a race here has passed, otherwise the quality of the event would have suffered."

Seiler added there was not enough time to sell tickets and that the circuit would have been unlikely to reach last year's total of 52,000 race day fans.

It means Formula One faces the prospect of no grand prix in a country home to Mercedes and responsible for nine drivers' championships since 2000. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Nico Hulkenberg are the German drivers on the 2015 grid.

If the German Grand Prix does not go ahead this season's calendar will shrink back to 19 races.

[myownalias]

Was the Nurburgring supposed to host this season? if so why are they not holding the race?

[darwin dali]

Was the Nurburgring supposed to host this season? if so why are they not holding the race?

This was the news in January
Ain't looking good. Maybe Mercedes should buy one of the circuits to ensure their German PR platform?

[LewEngBridewell]

It's a shame, as both venues are excellent IMO.

Many people have criticised the re-vamped Hockenheim (post-2001), but I still thought it was a good circuit, with overtaking opportunities aplenty.

What did shock me though was the big drop in crowd size at last year's event. And I'm still not certain of the exact reasons. Austria and Britain, for example, did not have the same issues.

[darwin dali]

ESPNF1:

The German Grand Prix looks unlikely to go ahead at all in 2015 after the Nurburgring confirmed it cannot host the event scheduled to take place on July 19.

The Germany race has been in doubt since the calendar for 2015 was announced, with the venue initially listed as 'To Be Announced' due to ongoing financial troubles at the Nurburgring circuit. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone then said the race would be held at Hockenheim again this year, ending the alternating deal it has with Nurburgring which started in 2007.

But Hockenheim said this week it is unable to host the race, citing the lack of time to organise the event and low forecasted ticket sales. Nurburgring has confirmed it is in the same position and is now looking at hosting a non-F1 event over that weekend.

"We submitted an offer to Mr. Ecclestone but have so far not been able to come to an agreement," circuit spokesman Pietro Nuvoloni told NBC. "Seeing as no decision has been taken in the past weeks and months, we have come to the conclusion that for reasons of time, organization and economy, it does not make sense to wait any longer.

"The time slot during which it would have been economically viable to host a Formula One race at the Nürburgring is now closed. We deeply regret this. We would have liked to welcome the pinnacle of motorsport at the Nürburgring. In the interest of planning certainty for all parties involved, however, we have decided to make the July date reserved for Formula One available to another organizer."

If the German Grand Prix does not go ahead the calendar will shrink back down to 19 races.


Boom!

[sagi58]

How can this be happening? First teams not showing up and now venues pulling out!
Doesn't Ecclestone recognize his own hand in all this? Doesn't he realize he is single-
handedly responsible for the financial mess teams/venues are mired in??

[LiamCatterson]

Horrible. Horrible decision. I loved the German GPs. Both GPs were great...Feels like a part of me has been stolen

[Stephen]

Horrible. Horrible decision. I loved the German GPs. Both GPs were great...Feels like a part of me has been stolen

Absolutely but it's all about the money. Sad.

[myownalias]

But in fairness to Hockenheim, it wasn't supposed to be their year to host the race and if it's too late to organize and at least break even, it would be a terrible business decision on their part!

[darwin dali]

It's official now: GP of Germany dropped from the calendar

[LewEngBridewell]

It's official now: GP of Germany dropped from the calendar

BOOOOOOO!!

Not good.

[stonemonkey]

Not good at all, both of them gave good races. I feel for the German drivers and their fans not having a home race.

[darwin dali]

Austria will be their destination...

[LewEngBridewell]

Austria will be their destination...

That's what I was thinking, yes.

I love that circuit.

[stonemonkey]

Austria will be their destination...

Is that not like if the Americans lost their GP going 'it's cool, we got Canada to go to' just on a slightly smaller scale.