Hockenheim to not Return?

[tristan1117]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76494

Hmm... Considering no financial company here in the US can suvive without government backing, where does this leave Hockenheim. Sorry the new Hockenheim.

[Captain Hammer]

It'll probably continue hosting DTM events and maybe Formula 3 or World Series by Renualt while the race will likely be held at the Nurburgring. It's not surprising that they lost funding, really; Formula One has suffered from a lack of popularity in Germany since Schumacher retired. That said, Sebastian Vettel might be able to bring abut a renaissance in the future.

[johnston21]

...the new Hockenheim.

Well that's just it. They butchered it at Bernie's request.

[Captain Hammer]

Actually, it was the FIA's request. Hockenheim was smply too long in its original form, and it was difficult for marshalls to access the circuit at some points. Hermann Tilke had to create a design that kept the length in order, but with very limited space available because he wasn't allowed to build anywhere except the infield and he probably didn't have a ginormous budget to do it with. Given the circumstances and the fact that he at least tried to retain some of the circuit's qualities wih the Parabolika, he actually did a pretty good job.

[Alianora La Canta]

Tilke was also ordered to do a design that increased the number of spectators - there were 35,000 more seats in the new Hockenheim than the old one despite the layout being shorter. More seats means more money can be charged per ticket - but that only helps if the tickets can be sold in the first place...

That said, I've heard Bernie's offered to be Hockenheim's promoter, so I guess it a) won't be going away any time soon and b) nobody will struggle to get a seat ever again.

[Fitch]

and they could have added 35,000 More seats to the old Layout PLUS an additional 100,000 more probably...........

[jackanderton]

Slightly bored and knowledgeless question here, but is the old layout used in any other motor racing series?

[Salamander]

No, I think it's abandoned and overgrown now, in order to appease the environmentalists.

[Dom]

If you look on Google Earth there are some poignant photos of the overgrown old track, including one with a rusting marshal's post by the old Jim Clark Chicane.

[Alianora La Canta]

and they could have added 35,000 More seats to the old Layout PLUS an additional 100,000 more probably {Fitch - 4 posts ago}

The environmentalists that BlindCaveSalamander referred to 2 posts ago said no so quickly that as far as I'm aware the circuit owners didn't even see the point in applying for permission to do the necessary forest seating grandstands. There was certainly more "general admissions" space available, but then there was the problem of policing it, especially after the man walked onto the track in 2000.

[RejectSteve]

There was certainly more "general admissions" space available, but then there was the problem of policing it, especially after the man walked onto the track in 2000.

But that produced one of the best races of the past decade, so....

Yeah, safety first and all, but Hockenheim is soulless now. Unlike the reconfiguration of Spa-Francorchamps, the bits that made Hockenheim, Hockenheim are gone, i.e. long blasts through woodland. I don't think the circuit length was the problem, it is shorter than Spa and, in the event of an accident, would be quicker on average to attend to since there are fewer corners for the medical vehicles to travel.

[lostpin]

Yeah, the old legendary Hockenneim is definetly ruined. The new one is in terms with the face of the modern F1: safe and boring...

[Captain Hammer]

I never understoood the love for the old Hockenheim. Sure, it was a test of an engine's durability, but it was just a couple of drag strips broken up by chicanes that they had the nerve to name after men who dedicaed their lives to going faster.

[jackanderton]

I guess, like Monaco, it was somewhat of a spectacle. In fact the distance of the cars from the fans made the race seem more exciting, as they ventured out into the forests. There was an added intimacy of it just being the drivers and the cars out there making it work. A bit like a lot of the old Nurburgring I guess.

I was personally quite fond of it. The complete change of style needed to attack the stadium section made it quite interesting and there has been quite a few decent scraps in recent years around there (I seem to remember Kimi in a McLaren finding about a second of time over everyone else in that sector alone one year).

[Debaser]

The track was different. In an era of dull Tilke-dromes a track which rewarded power and mixed up the grid while having a high attrition rate which often made for unusual results made it a good race. Now the only fast track is Monza and now engines are so similar the pecking order doesn't change much anyway. The new Hockenheim is rubbish, and anyway it was hypocritical to change the track for spectators when they charge ludicrous amounts for tickets and tret spectators like walking wallets.

[BB01]

I liked it because, as has been said, it was different but also because i really like seeing the cars in low-downforce trim and because there was the possibility to overtake. There would often be a late-braking duel at the end of the straights. The 80s-style Ostkurve chicane was a bit silly but the 90s version was ok. Also, the fact that the drivers used to blast out into the forest made it look good on tv. It was a bit narrow by the end of its life, though.

[Pedro_Diniz]

It was the spectacle of Hockeheim that made it so loved by fans. The vision of an F1 car blasting at high speed through the dense forest was always a joy to see. There was something almost mythological about the old Hockenheim which has been lost with the anti-spetic Tilke version.

[Irisado]

The old Hockenheim may not always have produced very exciting racing, but I agree with all those who had a soft spot for it, because, like them, I enjoyed watching races at Hockenheim because they were different. It was a circuit which stood out from many of the others, and I will forever remember the 2000 race where Rubens Barrichello scored his first win.

As for it having to be shortened for safety reasons, I don't buy that. Spa is a long lap, and it can be difficult to marshal in places, but this hasn't been shortened (thankfully). It was all done in the name of getting more people into spectator areas to generate more revenue for both the circuit and the FIA, and to make it more 'TV friendly' for Ecclestone and the sponsors (it's much easier to see sponsor logos in slow corners, such as the new hairpin).

The new Hockenheim may not be the worst track, but it is a shadow of its former self, and it has all the soul of a zombie in my opinion.

[StoneColdSpider]

i think the reason the old Hockenheim had such appeal was cause it was different....
sure it didnt always produce the best racing... but it was different....
and fans love sumthing different....

[Barbazza]

The first races I remember were from the 1982 season. I'm sure I watched the Canadian GP but all I can remember was the awful start and Paletti's death.

The first moment I can recall watching as clear as if it was yesterday though was the Piquet/Salazar punch up at Hockenheim. So I have a soft spot for it as well. I loved the dopey chicanes, and I also enjoyed the ludicrous 94 race as well.

[Osiris13]

I Google Earth'd Hockenheim the other day and it displayed the old circuit. Not a trace of the new one.

[thehemogoblin]

fans love sumthing different....

Isn't that why we're all here on this forum?