German Grand Prix facts for kids
| Hockenheimring | |
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| Race information | |
|---|---|
| Number of times held | 78 |
| First held | 1926 |
| Last held | 2019 |
| Most wins (drivers) |  / Rudolf Caracciola (6) |
| Most wins (constructors) |  Ferrari (22) |
| Circuit length | 4.574 km (2.842 mi) |
| Race length | 306.458 km (190.424 mi) |
| Laps | 67 |
| Last race (2019) | |
| Pole position | |
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| Podium | |
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| Fastest lap | |
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The German Grand Prix (which in German is Großer Preis von Deutschland) was a famous car race. It happened almost every year since 1926. In total, 75 races have been held.
This exciting race took place at three main tracks: the Nürburgring, Hockenheimring, and sometimes AVUS in Berlin. Even when the race was held in West Germany after World War II, it was still called the German Grand Prix.
Germany was not allowed to join international events right after World War II. So, the German Grand Prix only became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951. Sometimes, it was also called the European Grand Prix. This was an honorary title given to one big race in Europe each year. The Automobilclub von Deutschland (AvD) has organized the race since 1926.
The German Grand Prix was held at Hockenheimring almost every year from 1977 to 2006. During this time, another F1 race, the European Grand Prix, was often held at the Nürburgring. From 2008 to 2014, the Hockenheimring and Nürburgring took turns hosting the German Grand Prix. After 2014, the Nürburgring stopped hosting. Hockenheim then hosted the race every other year until 2018. A special one-year deal brought the German Grand Prix back in 2019. As of 2023, the German Grand Prix hasn't been run again. However, Germany did host the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.
History of the Race
Early Days
In 1907, Germany held its first big car race called the Kaiserpreis (Emperor's Prize). It took place on a long public road circuit near Frankfurt. This circuit was very challenging. Sadly, a driver and his co-driver died in an accident during this race. Because of this, the Taunus circuit was never used again for racing.
Later, from 1908 to 1911, another important German race was held. It was called the Prinz-Heinrich-Fahrt. These were long-distance races that lasted a week. They started in Berlin and covered about 2,000 km (1,250 mi) across different countries. These races were like the first rallies and were very famous.
In the early 1920s, races called ADAC Eifelrennen were held on public roads near Cologne and Bonn. Around 1925, people decided to build a special race track. This track was planned near the town of Nürburg. It was meant to show off German automotive engineering and racing talent. Building the track started in September 1925.
Before World War II
Racing at AVUS
The first German Grand Prix was held at the AVUS circuit in Berlin in 1926. This track had two long straight sections and two sharp turns. It was known for being very fast. Germany's own Rudolf Caracciola won this first race in a Mercedes-Benz. Sadly, the event had a serious accident where three people died. Because AVUS was considered very dangerous, the race moved to a different track.
The German Grand Prix became an official event in 1929. AVUS was used for other fast races in the 1930s. But the Grand Prix only returned there once, in 1959.
The Nürburgring Era
The Grand Prix then moved to the new Nürburgring track. This track was 28.3 km (17.6 mi) long. It was located in the Eifel Mountains in western Germany. The Nürburgring opened on June 18, 1927. It was a huge and very challenging circuit. It twisted through forests and had many ups and downs, with over 300 meters (1000 feet) of elevation changes. Cars would even lift off the ground in some sections!
The races in 1930 and 1933 were cancelled due to economic problems. From 1931 onwards, the event used only the 22.8 km (14.2-mile) Nordschleife (North Loop) part of the track. This continued for many years.
In 1935, a famous race took place. Italian driver Tazio Nuvolari won, even though his Alfa Romeo car was older and less powerful than the German "Silver Arrows" cars. He had a bad start and a slow pit stop. But he drove incredibly fast and caught up to the leader on the last lap, winning the race in front of 350,000 amazed spectators.
The 1936 race was won by German driver Bernd Rosemeyer. In 1937, another German driver, Rudolf Caracciola, won again. Sadly, a driver named Ernst Von Delius died after a crash during this race. In 1938, Briton Richard Seaman won his only championship Grand Prix victory at the Nürburgring.
In 1939, Caracciola won his sixth German Grand Prix. Soon after, World War II began. A new track called the Deutschlandring was planned for the 1940 German Grand Prix. But because of the war, the race never happened there. The German Grand Prix did not return to international racing until 1951.
After World War II
Nürburgring and the World Championship
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After World War II, West Germany was not allowed to join international sports until 1951. In 1950, a non-championship race was held at the Nürburgring. The German Grand Prix then became part of the new Formula One championship in 1951. The Nordschleife track became the main place for this big race for the next 25 years. It was known as the toughest and most challenging track in F1. About 375,000 people came to watch the race each year.
The 1951 race was won by Italian Alberto Ascari. In 1954, Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio won for the first time in a Mercedes. Sadly, during practice for this race, Argentine driver Onofre Marimón died after a crash. The 1955 race was cancelled because of a big accident at the Le Mans race. All car racing in Germany was stopped until tracks could be made safer. Fangio won the next two races.
The 1957 race is remembered as one of the greatest victories in motorsports. Fangio had a very slow pit stop, which put him almost a minute behind the leaders. But he drove incredibly fast, breaking the lap record nine times. He caught up and passed both leaders on the second-to-last lap to win the race. This was his 24th and final F1 victory.
In 1958, Briton Tony Brooks won the race. Sadly, another driver, Peter Collins, died after a crash during this event.
In 1959, the race moved back to the very fast AVUS circuit in Berlin. This was the only F1 race held there. Brooks won again. However, a French driver named Jean Behra was killed during a support race at AVUS. He lost control and crashed off a very steep, banked turn.
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For 1960, the race returned to the Nürburgring. But this time, it used the smaller Südschleife (South Loop) section. This race was for Formula 2 cars, not Formula 1. This helped lower the costs for the organizers.
For the rest of the 1960s, Formula One races were held at the Nordschleife. In 1961, Briton Stirling Moss won in wet conditions. He drove skillfully and held off faster cars. In 1964, Dutch driver Carel Godin de Beaufort died after a crash during practice. Briton John Surtees won that race. In 1965, Jim Clark won, securing his second championship. In 1966, Australian Jack Brabham won. Sadly, Briton John Taylor was killed after a crash during this race.
In 1968, Briton Jackie Stewart won a famous race in heavy rain and fog. He was four minutes ahead of the second-place driver! In 1969, Belgian Jacky Ickx won. Sadly, German driver Gerhard Mitter was killed during practice for this race. This was the fifth death related to Formula One at the Nürburgring in 15 years.
By 1970, the Nürburgring was seen as too dangerous for modern F1 cars. The cars had become much faster. Drivers felt the track needed major safety changes. The track owners could not make these changes in time. So, the 1970 race was quickly moved to the Hockenheimring. Austrian Jochen Rindt won this exciting race.
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In 1971, the race returned to a changed Nürburgring. It was smoother and had safety barriers. But it still kept its challenging character. Jackie Stewart won again. In 1972, Jacky Ickx dominated. Stewart won his last F1 race in 1973. In 1974, New Zealander Howden Ganley had a bad crash and ended his F1 career. Austrian Niki Lauda won pole position in 1975. He was the only driver to complete a lap of the old Nürburgring in under seven minutes. Sadly, Briton Ian Ashley was seriously injured in a crash during practice that year.
However, the 1976 race at the Nürburgring became very famous. The reigning world champion, Niki Lauda, was worried about the track's safety. He tried to get other drivers to boycott the race. The Nürburgring was very long and hard to make safe. It needed many more marshals and medical staff than other tracks. Also, its location in the mountains made it very expensive to add safety features.
During the 1976 race, some parts of the track were wet, and others were dry. Lauda crashed his Ferrari on the second lap. His car caught fire. Other drivers, including Brett Lunger, helped pull Lauda from the burning car. Lauda was badly burned and breathed in toxic fumes. He was in a coma and nearly died. He was out of racing for six weeks. The race was stopped and restarted. Briton James Hunt won this important race. After 49 years, the old Nürburgring never hosted a Grand Prix again. The race moved back to Hockenheim.
Hockenheim Takes Over
The fast Hockenheimring circuit near Heidelberg became the main host for the German Grand Prix for the next 30 years. In 1977, Niki Lauda won. The 1979 race saw a close battle between teammates Clay Regazzoni and Alan Jones. In 1980, Frenchman Jacques Laffite won. But the race was overshadowed by a fatal accident involving driver Patrick Depailler during testing a few days before.
In 1982, changes were made to the Hockenheimring. A chicane (a series of turns) was added to the very fast Ost-Kurve. Sadly, French driver Didier Pironi had a terrible crash during qualifying in the rain. He suffered very serious leg injuries, which ended his career. During the race, Nelson Piquet had a physical argument with driver Eliseo Salazar after they crashed. Patrick Tambay won his first race for Ferrari.
In 1985, the race returned for one year to the new 2.8-mile (4.5 km) Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit. This track was built next to the old Nordschleife. Italian Michele Alboreto won this race.
Hockenheim was chosen to host the German Grand Prix for the next 20 years. The 1986 race was exciting, with many leaders running low on fuel at the end. Brazilians Piquet and Ayrton Senna finished first and second. The 1988 race was held in wet conditions. Senna, a master in the rain, won.
The 1989 race was a highlight of the famous rivalry between Senna and Alain Prost. Senna won after Prost's car had a problem on the second-to-last lap. Senna also won the 1990 race. In 1992, more changes were made to the Ostkurve at Hockenheim to make it safer. Further changes were made in 1994 after serious accidents in other races.
In 1995, German driver Michael Schumacher won. He was the first German to win his home race since 1939. Schumacher's success made Formula One very popular in Germany. In 1997, Austrian Gerhard Berger won.
The 2000 race had some strange moments. A person ran onto the track during the race. Also, parts of the track were dry while others were pouring rain. Rubens Barrichello won the race from 18th place, which was his first F1 victory. In 2001, there was a big crash at the start. Michael Schumacher's brother, Ralf Schumacher, won this race.
Hockenheim Gets Shorter
There was pressure to make the Hockenheimring shorter and safer. This was after accidents like Ayrton Senna's death in 1994 and other incidents in 2000 and 2001. Several new or rebuilt tracks in Germany were considered as new venues. Because of this, the Hockenheimring was dramatically shortened and changed in 2002. The long forest straights were removed, and more turns were added. The track went from 4.2 miles to 2.7 miles long. Michael Schumacher won that year.
In 2003, Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya won. In 2004, Michael Schumacher continued his winning streak. Spaniard Fernando Alonso won in 2005. In 2006, Schumacher won his home race again.
Sharing the Race
In 2006, it was announced that the German Grand Prix would be shared between the Nürburgring and the Hockenheimring from 2007 to 2010. They would take turns hosting the race. However, in 2007, the Nürburgring race was called the "European Grand Prix" due to a disagreement over naming rights. By 2009, the issue was resolved, and the Nürburgring race was called the German Grand Prix.
The 2010 race at Hockenheim was almost cancelled. The track owners were losing money because of high fees. But a deal was made to keep the race on the calendar until 2018. This deal meant the track and F1 management would share the costs. This sharing pattern continued, with Hockenheim hosting in even years and the Nürburgring in odd years, until 2013.
Every Other Year at Hockenheim
The Nürburgring changed owners in 2014. The new owners could not agree to host the race in odd-numbered years. Hockenheim also couldn't host the race in 2015 or 2017. So, the German Grand Prix was not held in those years. It became a race that happened every other year at Hockenheim, returning in 2016 and 2018.
One Last Visit to Hockenheim
The deal with Hockenheim ended after the 2018 race. This put the future of the event in doubt. However, a new deal was made in August 2018 for one more race at Hockenheim in 2019.
The Race Stops
No new deal was made with Hockenheim after 2019. So, the German Grand Prix was not on the Formula One calendar in 2020 or in the years after. Because many races were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a special race called the Eifel Grand Prix was held in Germany at the Nürburgring in October 2020.
Winners of the German Grand Prix
Drivers with Multiple Wins
Drivers in bold are racing in Formula One this season. A pink background means the race was not part of the Formula One World Championship. A yellow background means the race was part of the pre-war European Championship.
| Wins | Driver | Years won |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | / Rudolf Caracciola |
1926, 1928, 1931, 1932, 1937, 1939 |
| 4 |  Michael Schumacher |
1995, 2002, 2004, 2006 |
 Lewis Hamilton |
2008, 2011, 2016, 2018 | |
| 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 | |
Winning Car Teams
Teams in bold are racing in Formula One this season. A pink background means the race was not part of a structured championship. A yellow background means the race was part of the pre-war European Championship.
| 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 |
| 11 | Mercedes |
1926, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1954, 2014, 2016, 2018 |
| 9 | Williams |
1979, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2001, 2003 |
| 8 | McLaren |
1976, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2008, 2011 |
| 5 | Brabham |
1966, 1967, 1969, 1975, 1981 |
| 4 | Lotus |
1961, 1965, 1970, 1978 |
| 3 | Red Bull |
2009, 2013, 2019 |
| 2 |  Alfa Romeo |
1932, 1935 |
| Auto Union |
1934, 1936 | |
| Tyrrell |
1971, 1973 | |
| / Benetton |
1995, 1997 | |
Winning Engine Manufacturers
Manufacturers in bold are racing in Formula One this season. A pink background means the race was not part of a structured championship. A yellow background means the race was part of the pre-war European Championship.
| Wins | Manufacturer | 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 |
| 14 | Mercedes * |
1926, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1954, 1998, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2018 |
| 11 |  Ford ** |
1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 |
| 9 | Renault |
1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2009, 2013 |
| 6 |  Honda |
1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2019 |
| 2 | Alfa Romeo |
1932, 1935 |
| Auto Union |
1934, 1936 | |
| Climax |
1961, 1965 | |
 Repco |
1966, 1967 | |
| BMW |
2001, 2003 | |
* Built by Ilmor in 1998
** Built by Cosworth
Winners by Year
A pink background means the race was not part of the Formula One World Championship. Both non-Formula One World Championship events after World War II followed Formula 2 rules. A yellow background means the race was part of the pre-war European Championship.
Images for kids
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The new Hockenheimring track layout, used from 2002.
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The new Nürburgring GP-Strecke, used from 2009.
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The original Nürburgring GP-Strecke, used in 1985.
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The old Hockenheimring track layout, used from 1977 to 2001.
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The Nürburgring Nordschleife, used from 1967 to 1976.
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The Nürburgring Südschleife, used for a Formula 2 race in 1960.
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The Nürburgring Nordschleife, used from 1931 to 1966.
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The Nürburgring Gesamtstrecke (combined circuit), used from 1927 to 1929.
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The AVUS Berlin track, used in 1926 and 1959.
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A map showing the locations of the German Grand Prix tracks.
See also
In Spanish: Gran Premio de Alemania para niños
