Hockenheimring facts for kids

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Hockenheimring
Grand Prix Circuit (2002–present)
Grand Prix Circuit (2002–present)
Location	Am Motodrom, Hockenheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Time zone	CET (UTC+1) CEST (DST)
Coordinates	49°19′40″N 8°33′57″E / 49.32778°N 8.56583°E / 49.32778; 8.56583
Capacity	70,000
FIA Grade	1 (GP) 3 (National)
Broke ground	23 March 1932; 93 years ago (1932-03-23)
Opened	29 May 1932; 93 years ago (1932-05-29)
Former names	Kurpfalzring (1938–1965) Hockenheimer-Dreieck (1932–1938)
Major events	Current: DTM (2000–present) International GT Open (2019, 2024–present) TCR Europe (2016, 2019, 2025) European Drag Racing Championship NitrolympX [de] (1986–2019, 2022–present) Former: Formula One German Grand Prix (Intermittently, 1970–2019) Grand Prix motorcycle racing German motorcycle Grand Prix (Intermittently, 1957–1994) FIA World RX World RX of Hockenheim (2015–2017) GT World Challenge Europe (2022–2024) World SBK (1988–1997, 1999–2000) FIM EWC (1986) FIA GT (1997–1999, 2004) World Sportscar Championship (1966–1967, 1977, 1985)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	4.574 km (2.842 mi)
Turns	17
Race lap record	1:13.780 ( Kimi Räikkönen, McLaren MP4-19B, 2004, F1)
National Circuit (2002–present)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	3.736 km (2.322 mi)
Turns	15
Race lap record	1:19.742 ( Daniel Juncadella, Dallara F309, 2010, F3)
Short Circuit (1966–2001)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	2.638 km (1.639 mi)
Turns	11
Race lap record	0:57.450 ( Josef Neuhauser, Minardi M190, 2001, F1)
Hockenheimring (1994–2001)
Surface	Asphalt, concrete
Length	6.823 km (4.240 mi)
Turns	16
Race lap record	1:41.808 ( Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams FW23, 2001, F1)
Hockenheimring (1992–1993)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	6.815 km (4.235 mi)
Turns	16
Race lap record	1:41.591 ( Riccardo Patrese, Williams FW14B, 1992, F1)
Hockenheimring (1982–1991)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	6.802 km (4.227 mi)
Turns	16
Race lap record	1:43.569 ( Riccardo Patrese, Williams FW14, 1991, F1)
Hockenheimring (1970–1981)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	6.790 km (4.219 mi)
Turns	14
Race lap record	1:48.490 ( Alan Jones, Williams FW07B, 1980, F1)
Hockenheimring (1966–1970)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	6.769 km (4.206 mi)
Turns	10
Race lap record	1:54.600 ( Trevor Taylor, Surtees TS5, 1969, F5000)
Kurpfalzring (1938–1965)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	7.692 km (4.780 mi)
Turns	7
Race lap record	2:13.300 ( Bob McIntyre, Gilera Saturno [it], 1957, 500cc)

The Hockenheimring is a famous race track in Germany. It's located near the town of Hockenheim in the Rhine valley. This track is known for hosting many exciting motor racing events, including the German Grand Prix for Formula One cars. The circuit is mostly flat and has a top-level license for racing.

History of the Hockenheimring
Formula One Racing at Hockenheim
Drag Racing: The NitrolympX
DTM Racing
Rallycross Action
Track Layouts Over Time
- Current Circuit Configurations
- Previous Configurations
Events Held at Hockenheimring
- Current Events
- Past Events
Music Concerts
See also

History of the Hockenheimring

The Hockenheimring has changed a lot since it was first built. Let's look at how this cool race track developed over the years!

Building the First Track (1932–1938)

The original layout of the track, called "Dreieckskurs", used between 1932 and 1938

The Hockenheimring was first built in 1932. It was originally called "Dreieckskurs," which means "triangle course." A young timekeeper named Ernst Christ had the idea to build a race track in his hometown. His plans were approved in late 1931. This first track was about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) long. It had a big triangle shape, a sharp turn in the city, and two long straight sections connecting them.

Changes and New Names (1938–1965)

The layout of the track used between 1938 and 1965

In 1938, the track became much shorter, about 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) long. A new corner called "Ostkurve" (East Curve) was added, which stayed until 2001. The track was also renamed "Kurpfalzring." After World War II, the track was fixed up and renamed "Hockenheimring." A famous motorcycle racer, Wilhelm Herz, became the manager in 1954. He helped the track become popular, and it started hosting Grand Prix motorcycle racing events. This version of the track still had two long straight sections, with the Ostkurve in the forest and the original sharp turn in Hockenheim connecting them.

The "Motodrom" Era (1965–2001)

In 1965, a new highway was built, which meant the track had to be changed. A new section called the "Motodrom" was added. This part of the track is like a stadium, with lots of grandstands for spectators. It was designed by John Hugenholtz, who also designed the Suzuka International Racing Course.

After a sad accident in 1968 where racer Jim Clark passed away, two fast turns (called chicanes) were added to make the track safer. Crash barriers were also put up. A small memorial for Jim Clark was placed near the first chicane, which was named after him. More safety changes were made in 1982 and 1992, adding more chicanes and making some turns slower. The second chicane was later named after Ayrton Senna, another famous racer who passed away.

This version of the track was very long. It had super-fast sections through forests, with four long straight parts. These were followed by a twisty "stadium" section called the Motodrom. This design made it tricky for race car teams to set up their cars. They had to choose between being fast on the straights or having good grip in the twisty parts. Because the track was so long, Formula One races only had about 45 laps. This meant fans in the stadium didn't see the cars as often.

Why the Track Needed a Change (2000)

During the 2000 German Grand Prix, some problems with the track became clear.

The weather was tricky, with rain in some parts of the track and dry conditions in others.
Most of the exciting overtaking happened in the forest sections, where many fans couldn't see it.
A security breach happened when someone got onto the track, showing that the forest sections needed better safety.
A crash also highlighted safety concerns in one of the chicanes.

These issues led to calls for big changes to make the track safer and better for spectators. Race officials said the track wasn't suitable for modern Formula One racing anymore.

The Big Redesign (2002)

Current track compared to previous track

Aerial view of the track in 2023 with remains of the old track layout visible in the forest (upper left)

Remains of the Ostkurve in early 2012

In the early 2000s, Formula One officials insisted that the track be shortened. They even threatened to stop racing there if changes weren't made. The government helped fund a redesign by a famous track designer named Hermann Tilke.

The stadium section stayed mostly the same, but the long forest straights were cut out. The track became much shorter, with more tight corners. A new long straight called the "Parabolika" was added. Sadly, the old forest section was removed and replanted with trees. This meant the old, longer track could no longer be used.

Many people, including some famous drivers, weren't happy about the changes. They felt the new track lost some of its unique character. A new memorial for Jim Clark was also placed at the new Turn 2, where the old track used to go into the forest.

The new track can hold 120,000 spectators. It also has a special quarter-mile track for drag racing. This hosts one of Europe's biggest drag racing events, called the NitrOlympx.

Formula One Racing at Hockenheim

The Hockenheimring first hosted the German Grand Prix in 1970. This happened because F1 drivers felt another track, the Nürburgring, was too dangerous. After some safety improvements, the German Grand Prix returned to the Nürburgring for a few years.

From 1977 to 2006, the Hockenheimring regularly hosted the German Grand Prix. There was only one exception in 1985 when the race was held at the Nürburgring. For many years, Germany even had two Formula One races each year!

Kimi Räikkönen at the Nordkurve during the 2014 German Grand Prix

Later, it was decided that Germany would only have one Grand Prix per year. The Nürburgring and Hockenheimring took turns hosting the race. The Hockenheimring hosted its last German Grand Prix in 2019. That year, Mercedes-Benz sponsored the race to celebrate 125 years in motorsport.

Drag Racing: The NitrolympX

The Hockenheimring is also famous for drag racing. From 1986 to 1988, a short part of the main straight was used. In 1989, a proper drag strip was built.

Today, the drag strip is used for two big events in August: the Public Race Days and the main NitrolympX [de] event. The NitrolympX is one of the largest drag racing events in Europe. It features powerful Top Fuel dragsters and other exciting races. The event also has a Saturday night show that attracts thousands of fans.

In 2008, the drag strip was named the Rico Anthes Quarter Mile. This was to honor Rico Anthes, a German former Top Fuel driver and a long-time organizer of the NitrolympX.

DTM Racing

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series has raced at the Hockenheimring regularly since 2000. DTM is a popular touring car racing series in Germany. Most years, the DTM has two races at Hockenheim during its season.

Rallycross Action

The Hockenheimring also has a special track for rallycross races. This track uses parts of the stadium section, combined with a dirt section right in front of the grandstands. It hosted the first-ever World RX of Hockenheim in 2015. This was a round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship and happened alongside a DTM event.

Track Layouts Over Time

The Hockenheimring has had many different layouts throughout its history. Here are some of the main ones:

Current Circuit Configurations

Hockenheimring Grand Prix Circuit (2002–present)
Hockenheimring Short Circuit 2 (2002–present)
Rallycross Circuit (2015–present)
Comparison between old layouts and new layouts of Hockenheimring

Previous Configurations

Hockenheimer-Dreieck (1932–1938)
Kurpfalzring (1938–1965)
Comparison between Kurpfalzring and Hockenheimer-Dreieck
Comparison between Hockenheimring and Kurpfalzring
Hockenheimring Grand Prix Circuit (1966–1969)
Hockenheimring Grand Prix Circuit (1970–1981) and Motorcycling Circuit (1982–2001)
Hockenheimring Grand Prix Circuit (1982–1991)
Hockenheimring Grand Prix Circuit (1992–2001)
Hockenheimring Short Circuit (1966–2002)