A historic setting for W Series’ inaugural race

Hockenheim first hosted the German GP in 1970, but its history goes back much further than that, as a circuit was first built on the site as long ago as 1932. The version that would become famous, featuring two long straights in the forest, and a trademark twisty section past the huge grandstands in the stadium, was first seen in 1965.

A long-standing classic

Three years later the track became internationally known when double World Champion Jim Clark lost his life in an F2 race. Ironically it was concerns over safety at the Nurburgring that led to the German GP moving to Hockenheim on a one-off basis in 1970. However, by 1977 the Nurburgring was no longer suitable for F1 cars, and Hockenheim became the new fulltime home of the German GP.



And it has remained so for most of the past 40 years. However, over the last decade Hockenheim was used only in even numbered years. The track was shortened in 2002, with the long straights lost and subsequently reclaimed by the forests.



The F1 role of honour at Hockenheim includes many of the greats of the past 50 years, from Jochen Rindt, winner of the venue’s first Grand Prix in 1970, to Lewis Hamilton, who scored his third Hockenheim triumph in 2018.



Hockenheim was the setting for one of the most memorable victories by a female driver, and one that still has a unique place in the history books. On May 24th 1992 Ellen Lohr became the first and thus far only woman to win a DTM race, and she did it some style, overtaking her team mate and former World Champion Keke Rosberg on the way to the chequered flag.