German Grand Prix

This article is about the Formula One race. For other uses, see German Grand Prix (disambiguation).

German Grand Prix

Hockenheimring
Race information
Number of times held	73
First held	1926
Most wins (drivers)	Rudolf Caracciola (6)
Most wins (constructors)	Ferrari (22)
Circuit length	5.148 km (3.199 miles)
Race length	308.863 km (191.919 miles)
Laps	60
Last race (2012)
Pole position
Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:40.621
Podium
1. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:31:05.862 2. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes +6.931s 3. Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault +16.409s
Fastest lap
Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1:18.275

The German Grand Prix (Großer Preis von Deutschland) is an annual automobile race that has been held most years since 1926, with 73 races presently having been held. The race has had a remarkably stable history for one of the older Grands Prix, having been held at just three different venues throughout its life; the Nürburgring in Rhineland-Palatinate, Hockenheimring in Baden-Württemberg and on odd occasion AVUS near Berlin. The race continued to be known as the German Grand Prix, even through the era when the race was held in West Germany.

Because West Germany was banned from taking part in international events after World War II, the German Grand Prix only became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951. It was designated the European Grand Prix four times between 1954 and 1974, when this title was an honorary designation given each year to one grand prix race in Europe. 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.

History

Origins

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.

Pre-war (1926-1939)

AVUS (1926)

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.

Original Nürburgring (1927-1939)

The Grand Prix moved to the new, 28.3 km (17.6 mi) Nürburgring, which was inaugurated on June 18, 1927, with the annual race, the ADAC Eifelrennen. This was a huge racing circuit that sped and twisted through forests of the Eifel Mountains, and had over 1000 feet (300 m) of elevation change and many spots where the cars visibly left the ground, such as the Flugplatz and the Brunnchen sections. There were two more races on the Gesamtstrecke combined course, which were both sportscar races, where pre-war great Rudolf Caracciola would win his second of 6 German Grand Prixs.

The 1930 and 1933 races were cancelled due to economic reasons. In 1931, the event began to use only the 14.2 mile (22.8 km) Nordschleife, and this would continue onwards throughout the century. Caracciola would win the 1931 and 1932 events in 2 different cars. Starting in 1934, there were often several races each year with the so called "Silver Arrows" Grand Prix cars in Germany, e.g. 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. The 1935 event was considered to be one of the greatest motorsports victories of all time. Italian legend Tazio Nuvolari, driving a hopelessly outdated and underpowered Alfa Romeo against state-of-the-art Mercedes and Auto Unions drove a very hard race in appalling conditions, and after a dreadful start, he was able to pass a number of cars, particularly while some of the German cars pitted. But after a botched pit stop that cost him 6 minutes, he drove on the limit, made up that time and was 2nd by the start of the last lap- 35 seconds behind leader Manfred von Brauchitsch in a Mercedes. But von Brauchitsch had ruined his tyres by pushing very hard in the dreadful conditions- and Nuvolari was able to catch the German and take victory in front of the stunned German High Command and 350,000 spectators. The small 42-year old Italian ended up finishing in front of 8 running Silver Arrows- and 2nd placed Hans Stuck was 2 minutes behind Nuvolari.

The 1936 race was won by German Bernd Rosemeyer, driving an Auto Union, who also won the Eifelrennen event at the Nordschleife in spectacular style, earning the nickname "Fog Master"; and the 1938 race was won by Briton Richard Seaman (in a Mercedes), his only official Grand Prix victory. In the late 1930s a new track was 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 and the circuit never utilised for competition. Soon after Caracciola took his 6th German Grand Prix, World War II broke out, and the fabled German event did not return to international status until 1951.

Post-war (1950-present)

Return to the Nürburgring and the Formula One World Championship (1951-1969)

After Germany's loss of the war, Germany was banned from international sporting events until 1951. An average of 375,000 spectators each year came to watch the event over the next 25 years. A non-championship race was won by Alberto Ascari in 1950, but the event was included in the new Formula One World Championship for 1951. This race was one where Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio led for 14 laps; but he had to refuel his Alfa and he only had 3rd and 4th gears left; and while in the pits, he was overtaken by Ascari in a Ferrari and went on to finish 2nd behind the Italian. Fangio won for the first time in 1954 in a Mercedes; the first time a factory Mercedes Grand Prix car had been competing in 15 years. He won in the new open-wheeled W196. This race also saw the death of Argentine driver Onofre Marimon in a Maserati. The 1955 event was cancelled because of the Le Mans disaster; but Fangio won the next two events. The 1957 event also included a Formula 2 race which was run concurrently alongside the Formula One cars. The 1957 event is, like Nuvolari's 1935 victory, one of the greatest motorsports victories of all time. Fangio led for the beginning of the race in front of two Ferraris driven by Britons Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins. Fangio planned to refuel during mid-distance; and he did; although the pit stop was expected to take 30 seconds, it was a botched one and it took 1 minute and 18 seconds. Fangio was now nearly a minute behind; and he began a charge where he took huge chunks out of the lap record; on the 21st lap (the second-to-last lap) he passed Collins, then Hawthorn late into the same lap. The 46-year old Argentine won the race and his 5th and final championship. 1958 saw the distance shortened to 18 laps; Briton Tony Brooks won; but Collins was killed at this race.

1959 saw the race go to the ultra-fast AVUS circuit in Berlin; but this was the only Formula One race that took place there, it was won by Brooks in a Ferrari. Frenchman and prominent Formula One driver Jean Behra was killed during a support sportscar race driving a Porsche. He lost control of his car, and the car went up and flew off the famous banking there. Behra was thrown 300 feet from his car and his head struck a flagpole; killing him instantly. Behra had been fired by Ferrari after an altercation in a restaurant with the Scuderia's manager shortly before his death. 1960 was a Formula 2 race held on the Sudschleife section of the Nürburgring, and for the rest of the 1960's decade saw 9 Formula One events take place at the Nordschleife. The 1961 event was won by Briton Stirling Moss driving a privately entered Lotus. Moss was able to hold off the 2 faster Ferraris of American Phil Hill and German Wolfgang Von Trips; and a clever decision of tire choice and skillful driving in wet weather conditions helped Moss to finish 16 seconds in front of Von Trips. The 1964 event saw Dutchman Carel Godin de Beaufort die during practice and Briton John Surtees win for the second year in a row from Briton Jim Clark; and in 1965 Clark won, which was his 7th Formula One victory of that season and won his 2nd driver's championship, driving a Lotus. 1966 saw changeable weather conditions and a battle between Australian Jack Brabham and Surtees; Brabham came out on top, and also Briton John Taylor was killed after he tangled with Belgian Jacky Ickx in a Formula 2 Matra. In 1967, a chicane was added before the pits; but the cars were lapping as fast as they had in 1965; and the 1968 event was yet the scene of another great victory. This event took place in heavy rain and fog; and Briton Jackie Stewart won the race by more than 4 minutes from Graham Hill; he was 30 seconds ahead of the second placed Hill by the end of the first lap. Jacky Ickx won in 1969 driving a Brabham. After a long battle with Stewart; the Scot fell back with gearbox problems and Ickx, who had made a bad start, clawed back through the field and took the lead from Stewart on Lap 5, leaving the Belgian in a dominant position, and Stewart was able to hold on to 2nd place. German driver Gerhard Mitter was killed during practice driving a BMW Formula 2 car; this was the 5th Formula One-related fatality at the 14.2-mile German circuit in 15 years- which was by far the most out of all the circuits yet used for the championship.

Rebuilding and demise of the Nürburgring (1970-1976)

1970, however, was to start the demise of the Nordschleife for international motor racing. After the death of Piers Courage at Zandvoort a few months previously, the Grand Prix Driver's Association had a meeting at a hotel in London, and they decided not to race at the dangerous German circuit. Speeds of Formula One cars had increased dramatically as had the technology; and it became clear that the Nürburgring- which was essentially a rough, unprotected road that went through forests situated on mountains- was too dangerous and outdated for Grand Prix racing. The 1970 event was hastily switched to the Hockenheimring, which had already been upgraded with safety features and was won by Austrian Jochen Rindt, resisting a charging Ickx in a Ferrari.

1971 saw the return of the rebuilt Nürburgring; and it was made smoother, straighter and was fitted with Armco barriers and run-off areas wherever possible. The first event saw Jackie Stewart win from his teammate Francois Cevert. The 1972 event saw Jacky Ickx dominate in his Ferrari, and Stewart crashed on the last lap after tangling with Clay Regazzoni, which began to see his championship chances fall by the wayside. The 1973 race was dominated by Tyrrell teammates Stewart and Cevert; and it was to be the 27th and last victory of Stewart's illustrious career. 1974 saw Clay Regazzoni win after Austrian Niki Lauda and South African Jody Scheckter tangled on the first lap; Lauda was out but Scheckter went on to finish second. Howden Ganley and Mike Hailwood both saw their careers ended by accidents during that weekend. 1975 saw Argentine Carlos Reutemann take victory while Lauda had a puncture after leading for 9 laps; the 1975 Grand Prix was the fastest race ever run on the old Nürburgring; Lauda became the first and only driver ever to lap the circuit in under 7 minutes.

Over the years, the Nürburgring was modified several times at the behest of the drivers; but the 1976 event was one that was to go down in history. Lauda, the reigning world champion, was dissatisfied with the safety arrangements of the mammoth circuit, and attempted to boycott the race. Formula One in the 1970's was the beginning towards a safer kind of motor racing; and the Nürburgring was considered to be something of an anachorism at that time. It was, by its very nature- almost impossible to be made safe. There were many problems with the circuit- there were parts of it that were nearly inaccessible and took too long for marshals to access, there were a number of places where the cars left the ground, it was too narrow, too rough, and so on. Also, as Formula One was becoming more commercialized, the extraordinary length of the circuit made it very difficult and too expensive for any broadcasting organization to effectively cover a race on the Nordschleife.

As the 1976 event started, parts of the circuit were wet and were even experiencing rain, and other parts were dry and had the sun shining brightly; another classic problem of the Nürburgring. After pitting to change from wet to dry tires at the end of the first lap, Lauda came out again, far behind the leader, West German Jochen Mass. And on that second lap, while pushing hard to make up time, Lauda crashed at the left hand kink near Bergwerk corner- one of the more inaccessible parts of the circuit; and the car hit a grass embankment and burst into flames. He was nearly killed, but the Austrian returned to racing only 6 weeks later. This, and many other factors- proved to be the final straw, and after 49 years of hosting the German Grand Prix the old Nürburgring never hosted a Grand Prix again; the event returned to Hockenheim.

Hockenheim and a brief return to the new Nürburgring (1977-2006)

The fast, flat Hockenheim circuit near Heidelberg played sole host to the German Grand Prix for the next 30 years. The 1977 event was won by Lauda, and the 1979 event was one where Swiss Clay Regazzoni in his Williams attempted to chase down his teammate, Australian Alan Jones, but to no avail. The 1981 event saw a tremendous battle between Jones and rising star Alain Prost in a Renault, with Jones passing Prost in the stadium due to inference by Prost's teammate Rene Arnoux; but the race was won by Brazilian Nelson Piquet after Jones went into the pits with problems with his Williams. The 1982 race saw changes to the circuit; most notably a chicane to the ultra-fast Ost-Kurve; and it also saw the end of Frenchman Didier Pironi's career; after an appalling crash in the pouring rain, and during the race, Brazilian Nelson Piquet attacked Eliseo Salazar on live television after Salazar punted off Piquet, who was leading the race. The 1984 event saw Toleman rookie Ayrton Senna drive very hard at the front of the field during the beginning of the race; although he had a big crash early on; his performance, like so many others that year, did not go unnoticed.

1985 saw a one-off return to the new 2.8 mile (4.5 km) Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit, which had been completed and hosted the European Grand Prix the year before. It was a race where a number of drivers battled for the lead; it was won by Italian Michele Alboreto. The GP circuit replaced the abandoned Sudschleife; although the Nordschleife still exists in shortened form; it no longer hosts international races. But for the next 20 years the German Grand Prix stayed at Hockenheim. The 1986 event was one where a number of the leaders ran on fumes at the very end; top 3 drivers Piquet, Senna and Prost were all running out of fuel and although Piquet and Senna finished 1-2, Prost finished 6th after his car was completely drained of fuel; and 3rd place was taken by Briton Nigel Mansell.

The 1989 race was one where Prost and Senna's famous rivalry was happening; and this race was one where the two McLaren teammates drove on their absolute limits and Prost's gearbox malfunctioned on the second to last lap and Senna passed him to take the victory; Senna won the next year's race as well from Italian Alessandro Nannini. The 1992 race saw further changes to the Ostkurve after a crash that Erik Comas had there in 1991; it was turned into a more complex chicane rather than simple left-right chicane with a tire wall in the middle. 1994 saw a further change to the third chicane to make it slower; this happened to many circuits in an attempt to make them safer after the Imola tragedies that year.

1995 saw German Michael Schumacher win, he was the first German to win his home race since Rudolf Caracciola in 1939. Formula One interest in Germany had peaked during the emergence of Schumacher. 1997 saw an exceptional win by Austrian Gerhard Berger. But the 2000 race was to play host to a number of problems. During the race, a disgruntled ex-Mercedes employee went onto the circuit during the race and disrupted the proceedings; and Jean Alesi had a huge accident at the third chicane and suffered dizziness for 3 days. And on the far side of the circuit (where the Ost-Kurve was) it was dry, but in the stadium section and the pits, it was pouring with rain. Rubens Barrichello won the race from 17th on the grid, which was his first Formula One victory. 2001 saw a huge accident at the start between Italian Luciano Burti in a Prost-Acer and Schumacher in a Ferrari; this race was won by Michael's brother Ralf in a BMW-powered Williams.

2002 saw the Hockenheimring dramatically shortened and the layout altered. The forest straights were removed and more corners were added to increase the technical challenge of the circuit. The circuit went from 4.2 to 2.7 miles long. Michael Schumacher won in that year and twice more.

Alternating between the Nürburgring and Hockenheim (2007-present)

In 2006 it was announced 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, owing to a dispute with Hockenheim over the naming rights of the race, the race was eventually held under the title "Großer Preis von Europa" (European Grand Prix). By 2009, the circuits appeared to have resolved their disputes as the Nurburgring race was held under the German Grand Prix title.

The 2010 GP, held in Hockenheim, at one stage appeared to be in jeopardy as the track owners, the city and the state of Baden-Württemberg, were 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. If the track had been relieved from being the venue, the owners were intending to returning the track back to its former layout. However, on 30 September 2009, it was announced that the circuit had agreed a deal which would keep it on the calendar until 2018, under a new deal which saw the circuit management and FOA sharing the financial burden of hosting the event. This race saw Ferrari violate the "no team orders" rule, Brazilian Felipe Massa let his teammate, Spaniard Fernando Alonso (who was better placed in the championship) on to victory.

In total, seven German drivers have won the German Grand Prix; 5 before World War II and 2 when the event was part of the Formula One calendar. Grand Prix great Carraciola won the event 6 times; a record that stands to this day, and Bernd Rosenmeyer won in 1936. When the German Grand Prix was part of the Formula One calendar, a German driver did not win until 1995; Michael Schumacher won that year and has won 4 times in total; and his brother Ralf won in 2001.

Sponsors

Großer Mobil 1 Preis von Deutschland 1987-2006
Großer Preis Santander von Deutschland 2008-

Winners of the German Grand Prix

Repeat winners (drivers)

Embolded drivers are competing in the Formula One championship in the current season.
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.

Number of wins	Driver	Achieved
6	Rudolf Caracciola	1926, 1928, 1931, 1932, 1937, 1939
4	Michael Schumacher	1995, 2002, 2004, 2006
3	Alberto Ascari	1950, 1951, 1952
	Juan Manuel Fangio	1954, 1956, 1957
	Jackie Stewart	1968, 1971, 1973
	Nelson Piquet	1981, 1986, 1987
	Ayrton Senna	1988, 1989, 1990
	Fernando Alonso	2005, 2010, 2012
2	Tony Brooks	1958, 1959
	John Surtees	1963, 1964
	Jacky Ickx	1969, 1972
	Nigel Mansell	1991, 1992
	Alain Prost	1984, 1993
	Gerhard Berger	1994, 1997
	Lewis Hamilton	2008, 2011

Repeat winners (constructors)

Embolded teams are competing in the Formula One championship in the current season.
A pink background indicates an event which was not part of a structured championship. A cream background indicates an event which was part of the pre-war European Championship.

# of wins	Constructor	Years won
22	Ferrari	1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1963, 1964, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012
9	Williams	1979, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2001, 2003
8	Mercedes-Benz	1926, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1954
	McLaren	1976, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2008, 2011
4	Brabham	1966, 1967, 1969, 1975
	Lotus	1961, 1965, 1970, 1978
2	Alfa Romeo	1932, 1935
	Auto Union	1934, 1936
	Tyrrell	1971, 1973
	/ Benetton	1995, 1997

By year

Nürburgring GP-Strecke, used in 1985 (with no Mercedes-Arena) and 2007-Present

Old Hockenheimring, (albeit some changes) used in 1970 and 1977-2001

Nürburgring Nordschleife (plus the addition of a chicane before the pits), used from 1967-1976

Nurburgring Sudschleife, used for a Formula 2 race in 1960

Nürburgring Nordschleife, used from 1931-1966

Nürburgring Gesamtstrecke (combined circuit, 17.6 miles, 28.3 km long) used from 1927-1929

AVUS Berlin, used in 1926 (19 km) and 1959 (8 km)

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
2012	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	Hockenheimring	Report
2011	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	Nürburgring GP-Strecke	Report
2010	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	Hockenheimring	Report
2009	Mark Webber	Red Bull-Renault	Nürburgring GP-Strecke	Report
2008	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	Hockenheimring	Report
2007	Event held as 2007 European Grand Prix
2006	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	Hockenheimring	Report
2005	Fernando Alonso	Renault		Report
2004	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari		Report
2003	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW		Report
2002	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari		Report
2001	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW		Report
2000	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari		Report
1999	Eddie Irvine	Ferrari		Report
1998	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes		Report
1997	Gerhard Berger	Benetton-Renault		Report
1996	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault		Report
1995	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Renault		Report
1994	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari		Report
1993	Alain Prost	Williams-Renault		Report
1992	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault		Report
1991	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault		Report
1990	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Honda		Report
1989	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Honda		Report
1988	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Honda		Report
1987	Nelson Piquet	Williams-Honda		Report
1986	Nelson Piquet	Williams-Honda		Report
1985	Michele Alboreto	Ferrari	Nürburgring GP-Strecke	Report
1984	Alain Prost	McLaren-TAG	Hockenheimring	Report
1983	René Arnoux	Ferrari		Report
1982	Patrick Tambay	Ferrari		Report
1981	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford		Report
1980	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Ford		Report
1979	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford		Report
1978	Mario Andretti	Lotus-Ford		Report
1977	Niki Lauda	Ferrari		Report
1976	James Hunt	McLaren-Ford	Nürburgring Nordschleife	Report
1975	Carlos Reutemann	Brabham-Ford		Report
1974	Clay Regazzoni	Ferrari		Report
1973	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford		Report
1972	Jacky Ickx	Ferrari		Report
1971	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford		Report
1970	Jochen Rindt	Lotus-Ford	Hockenheimring	Report
1969	Jacky Ickx	Brabham-Ford	Nürburgring Nordschleife	Report
1968	Jackie Stewart	Matra-Ford		Report
1967	Denny Hulme	Brabham-Repco		Report
1966	Jack Brabham	Brabham-Repco		Report
1965	Jim Clark	Lotus-Climax		Report
1964	John Surtees	Ferrari		Report
1963	John Surtees	Ferrari		Report
1962	Graham Hill	BRM		Report
1961	Stirling Moss	Lotus-Climax		Report
1960	Joakim Bonnier	Porsche	Nürburgring Sudschleife	Report
1959	Tony Brooks	Ferrari	AVUS Berlin	Report
1958	Tony Brooks	Vanwall	Nürburgring Nordschleife	Report
1957	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati		Report
1956	Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari		Report
1955	Not held
1954	Juan Manuel Fangio	Mercedes	Nürburgring Nordschleife	Report
1953	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari		Report
1952	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari		Report
1951	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari		Report
1950	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	Nürburgring Nordschleife	Report
1949 - 1941	Not held
1940	Cancelled		(Deutschlandring)
1939	Rudolf Caracciola	Mercedes-Benz	Nürburgring Nordschleife	Report
1938	Richard Seaman	Mercedes-Benz		Report
1937	Rudolf Caracciola	Mercedes-Benz		Report
1936	Bernd Rosemeyer	Auto Union		Report
1935	Tazio Nuvolari	Alfa Romeo		Report
1934	Hans Stuck	Auto Union	Nürburgring Nordschleife	Report
1933	Cancelled
1932	Rudolf Caracciola	Alfa Romeo	Nürburgring Nordschleife	Report
1931	Rudolf Caracciola	Mercedes-Benz	Nürburgring Nordschleife	Report
1930	Cancelled
1929	Louis Chiron	Bugatti	Nürburgring Gesamtstrecke	Report
1928	Rudolf Caracciola Christian Werner	Mercedes-Benz		Report
1927	Otto Merz	Mercedes-Benz		Report
1926	Rudolf Caracciola	Mercedes-Benz	AVUS Berlin	Report