Posted on 18th January 2015
Later this week, it was announced by Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone that Hockenheim will host the 2015 German Grand Prix after failing to reach a deal with the Nurburgring.
Since 2008 Hockenheim and Nurburgring have alternated as hosts of the race but the latter admitted this week it had no contract in place for this year. The 2015 calendar did not specify a venue for the July 19 race, leading to speculation the Nurburgring could be dropped as the host venue.
On Thursday, Ecclestone confirmed this is the case and he is working on a deal with Hockenheim, which hosted consecutive races between 1986 and 2006, to stage this year’s grand prix. Ecclestone stated the following:-
'It’s going to be at Hockenheim, we’re in the middle of doing something with them. It can’t be Nurburgring because there’s nobody there. We’ve got a contract in place [with Hockenheim], we just have to amend the years of the contract. It was alternating with Nurburgring so we’ll just take that out.'
It would seem from what Ecclestone has stated in his interview to the media this week that the German Grand Prix will be held at Hockenheim (subject to contract issues of course) due to the organisers at the Nurburgring not being present to hold discussions with him about the circuit hosting a Grand Prix in the near future.
As a result of this news, Ecclestone is prepared to take out the alternating clause and amend the contract between the two venues and concentrate solely on ensuring that Hockenheim has everything in place needed to host the Grand Prix and meet the standard expected of it.
Further on in his interview, Ecclestone admitted that he tried to buy the Nurburgring last year but he said he was frustrated by his failure to do so. Ecclestone added the following:-
'We wanted to buy the Nurburgring, we made an offer and somebody topped us with a few dollars and bought it. And then they couldn’t pay and it went on sale again. I said I’d be interested and then they found somebody else. So I don’t know what’s happening.'
It is clear for all to see that the future of the Nurburgring as a venue is not safe or secure even after Ecclestone has twice tried to help the organisers. In my opinion, the fact that Ecclestone has offered to help them twice shows that he does take his commitments and contracts with the circuit organisers on the calendar very seriously and will do everything he can to help them honour the existing contract that is in place at the moment.
But in conclusion, it is clear that the future of the Nurburgring as a venue is not secure at all and I do really hope that either someone like Ecclestone can help it and hopefully get back to hosting a Grand Prix event in the near future. With regards to Hockenheim, they have managed to secure a deal that works for them and also for Ecclestone and the organisers shouldn't take it for granted in the slightest.
All the organisers at the Hockenheim circuit can do now for this year and beyond is to work closely with Ecclestone to make sure that they have the facilities, the capital and also the support needed to host the event and make sure that they meet the expectations set out by the FIA and also from Ecclestone.
But the main thing is that no matter which venue was hosting the German Grand Prix; the fact is that one of the venues is hosting the event and is not lost from the calendar. And at this moment in time, Hockenheim is the best and most suitable venue for the job at hand.
