Originally called "Dreieckskurs" (triangle course), the Hockenheimring was built in 1932. Ernst Christ, a young timekeeper, was the driving force behind its creation. The initial layout was approximately twelve kilometres long and featured a large triangle-like section, a hairpin within the town, and two connecting straights.
In 1938, the circuit was significantly shortened to just over seven and a half kilometres, and the Ostkurve corner was introduced. The track was renamed "Kurpfalzring" in the same year. During World War II, the track sustained damage from tanks. Following repairs after the war, it was renamed "Hockenheimring". Wilhelm Herz became the track manager in 1954 and successfully promoted Grand Prix motorcycle racing events, with the German motorcycle Grand Prix alternating between Hockenheimring and other tracks. This iteration of the circuit was just over seven and a half kilometres long, comprising the original two long straights, linked by the Ostkurve in the forest and the original hairpin in Hockenheim.
A new version of the Hockenheim circuit was constructed in 1965 when the new Autobahn A 6 separated the village from the main part of the track. This new version included the "Motodrom" stadium section, designed by John Hugenholtz. Following the fatal accident of Jim Clark on April 7, 1968, during a Formula 2 race, two fast chicanes were added, and the track was lined with crash barriers in 1970. A small memorial was placed near the first chicane, named in his honour, at the site of his accident. In 1982, another chicane was added at the Ostkurve after Patrick Depailler's fatal accident there in 1980, and the first chicane was also made slower. For the 1992 German Grand Prix, the Ostkurve was modified again, transforming from a quick left turn into a more complex right-left-right chicane, following Érik Comas's crash in 1991. The second chicane was renamed in memory of Ayrton Senna after his death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. This version of the track was characterized by a very long and fast section through forests, consisting of four straights of roughly 1.3 km, separated by a chicane sequence, followed by a tighter and twistier "stadium" section known as the Motodrom. This configuration presented challenges for setting up racing cars due to the trade-off between downforce for the stadium section and speed on the straights. The long track length also meant Formula One races typically had only 45 laps, limiting spectator viewing of the stadium section action. During the mid-1980s "turbo era" of Formula One, with restricted fuel capacities, drivers like Alain Prost sometimes ran out of fuel near the end of races at Hockenheim.
Significant issues arose during the 2000 German Grand Prix, prompting calls for major improvements to spectator viewing, safety, and security, with claims that the track was no longer suitable for modern Formula One racing. These events included a security breach on the first forest straight and a collision between Jean Alesi and Pedro Diniz.
In the early 2000s, F1 officials demanded the 6.823 km track be shortened, threatening to discontinue racing there. The state government of Baden-Württemberg funded a redesign by Hermann Tilke for the 2002 German Grand Prix. The Motodrom section remained largely unchanged, but the circuit was dramatically shortened, with the long, forested straights replaced by more tight corners. More than half of the first straight and almost all of the straight between the Ostkurve and the Senna chicane were removed and connected by a new long straight called the "Parabolika". A small right-left-right complex was added to the remaining part of the final straight. The old forest section was removed and replanted with trees. The redesign faced considerable criticism for altering the circuit's unique technical challenges and creating a more homogenized layout. Several drivers and team principals, including Ron Dennis, Jarno Trulli, and Juan Pablo Montoya, expressed a preference for the old circuit. A new memorial to Jim Clark was installed at the outside of the current track's turn 2. The new track has a seating capacity of 120,000, with new large grandstands sponsored by Mercedes-Benz. The complex also features a quarter-mile track for drag racing, hosting the NitOlympx, one of Europe's largest drag racing events.
The Hockenheimring first hosted the German Grand Prix in 1970. From 1977 to 2006, it hosted the German Grand Prix annually, with the exception of 1985. In July 2006, it was announced that from 2007 onwards, Germany would host only one Grand Prix per year. Hockenheimring and the Nürburgring alternated hosting the German Grand Prix from 2007. Despite financial deficits, the contract for the circuit to hold the German GP was extended to 2018. Neither Hockenheim nor the Nürburgring hosted a Grand Prix in 2015 or 2017. 2019 was the last time the facility hosted the German Grand Prix, celebrating Mercedes-Benz's 125th year in motorsport.
From 1986 to 1988, the start–finish straight was used for 1/8 mile drag racing. In 1989, a dedicated drag strip was constructed. The drag strip is primarily used for the Public Race Days and the NitrolympX main event in August. When the Hockenheimring was shortened in 2002, the drag strip was moved back. The NitrolympX typically hosts most of the European Drag Racing Championship. The drag strip was named Rico Anthes Quarter Mile in 2008. The grip on the drag strip can be sub par compared to permanent drag strips. The best performances on the full quarter-mile were significantly below those at Santa Pod Raceway. In 2016, Hockenheim saw the first 3-second Top Fuel 1000 ft passes.
The DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) series has regularly raced at the Hockenheimring since its revival in 2000, often competing twice in a season.
The rallycross track, located in the stadia section, uses a portion of the circuit combined with a dirt section. It hosted the first ever World RX of Hockenheim in 2015 and also hosted WRX events combined with DTM in 2017.
27–29 March: DMV Goodyear Racing Days
17–19 April: Preis der Stadt Stuttgart
1–3 May: Porsche Sports Cup Deutschland ADAC Racing Weekend Hockenheim
8–10 May: BOSS GP Hockenheim Historic
21–23 August: European Drag Racing Championship NitrolympX
11–13 September: International GT Open, Formula Regional European Championship, Euroformula Open Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, Supercar Challenge
18–20 September: Hockenheim Classics
25–27 September: IDM Superbike Championship
2–4 October: Porsche Sports Cup Deutschland ADAC Racing Weekend Hockenheim
9–11 October: Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, ADAC GT Masters, ADAC GT4 Germany, Porsche Carrera Cup Germany
22–25 October: DMV 1000km Hockenheim
24H Series
ADAC Formel Masters (2008–2014)
ADAC Formula 4 (2015–2022)
ADAC TCR Germany Touring Car Championship (2016–2022)
Alpine Elf Europa Cup (2019)
BMW M1 Procar Championship (1979–1980)
Drift Masters (2017–2018)
Eurocup Mégane Trophy (2010)
European Formula 5000 Championship (1969–1971)
European Formula Two Championship (1967–1984)
European Touring Car Championship (1986, 2004)
EuroV8 Series (2014)
F4 Eurocup 1.6 (2010)
Ferrari Challenge Europe (2000, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2022, 2025)
FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2011–2018)
FIA GT Championship (1997–1999, 2004)
FIA World Rallycross Championship (2015–2017)
FIM Endurance World Championship (1986)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2003–2012)
Formula 750 (1973, 1975–1979)
Formula BMW ADAC (2000–2007)
Formula BMW Europe (2008, 2010)
Formula One (1970, 1977–1984, 1986–2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018–2019)
Formula Renault 2.0 Germany (1998–1999, 2001–2003, 2005)
Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2010)
Formula Renault Eurocup (1995–1998, 2004, 2010, 2018–2020)
Formula Renault 2.0 Middle European Championship (2004–2008, 2010)
Formula Renault Northern European Cup (2007–2018)
Formula Volkswagen Germany (2001, 2003)
French Formula Renault Championship (1978, 1980)
Grand Prix motorcycle racing (1957, 1959, 1961, 1966–1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981–1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991–1994)
GP2 Series (2005-2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016)
GP3 Series (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016)
GT Cup Open Europe (2024–2025)
GT World Challenge Europe (2022–2024)
GT2 European Series (2021, 2024)
GT4 European Series (2022–2024)
International Formula 3000 (1990–2004)
Italian Formula Renault Championship (2004, 2006)
Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe (2010–2011)
NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (2017–2019)
Northern Talent Cup (2020, 2023)
Porsche Supercup (1993–2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018–2019)
Prototype Cup Germany (2022–2025)
Renault Clio Cup Europe (2021–2022, 2024)
Sidecar World Championship (1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1966–1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981–1983, 1985–1987, 1989, 1991–1994, 1999–2000)
Superbike World Championship (1988–1997, 1999–2000)
Supersport World Championship (1997, 1999–2000)
Superstars GTSprint Series (2010)
Superstars Series (2010–2011)
TCR Europe Touring Car Series (2016, 2019, 2025)
TCR International Series (2016)
Trofeo Maserati (2004)
Ultimate Cup Series (2022–2024)
V8Star Series (2001–2002)
W Series (2019)
World Sportscar Championship (1966–1967, 1977, 1985)
Michael Jackson – Bad World Tour (10 July 1988), HIStory World Tour (10 August 1997)
Tina Turner – Foreign Affair: The Farewell Tour (26 August 1990)
Pink Floyd – The Division Bell Tour (13 August 1994)
The Rolling Stones – Voodoo Lounge Tour (19 August 1995), Licks Tour (22 June 2003)
AC/DC – Stiff Upper Lip World Tour (10 June 2001), Black Ice World Tour (22 May 2009), Rock or Bust World Tour (16 May 2015), Power Up Tour (13 July 2024)
Robbie Williams – Close Encounters Tour (12–13 August 2006)
Sonisphere Festival (2009)
Hardwell (2016)
Ed Sheeran – ÷ Tour (22–23 June 2019)
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – Springsteen and E Street Band 2023 Tour (21 July 2023)
1968: Jim Clark, during a Formula 2 race
1972: Bert Hawthorne, during a Formula 2 race
1980: Markus Höttinger, during a Formula 2 race
1980: Patrick Depailler, during a private test session
1986: Tony Boden, during a drag racing meeting
2014: Albert Fleming, during the Bosch Hockenheim Historic
This article is based solely on the supplied corpus. No external sources were consulted; claims that could not be substantiated against the corpus were omitted under the drop-the-claim rule.
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