What has happened to the German Grand Prix?

As of last week the 2015 Formula 1 calendar dropped down to 19 venues as the German Grand Prix was axed from the schedule. But in a sport that still remains heavily Eurocentric, how has such a cornerstone of Formula 1 been allowed to slip away?

The Nurburgring Grand Prix Circuit

No Substitue: The Hockenheim Ring

The announcement came as the FIA’s World Motorsport Council officially removed the German Grand Prix from the calendar on the basis that, “the CRH (Commercial Rights Holder) and promoter did not reach an agreement.”  Now, we are used to seeing tracks come and go from the schedule without too much of a bother, take Korea or India as examples, but for the third longest serving country in Formula 1 to not feature in a season    for the first time since 1960 presents itself as  much more of a prominent absence. 

So why has this occurred? Well, in March of last year the Nürburgring circuit was bought by the Capricon Group for a bargain €100 million (no really, a bargain!). However, the Nürburgring was neither contracted to host a grand prix in 2015 nor did the new owners agree to pay the entry fee. As such, in a sport where money talks, Mr Ecclestone decided in order to save the German Grand Prix, he appealed to the German sister venue, Hockenheim which, due to financial constraints, has only host the German Grand Prix on alternate years since 2007.  They were asked to step in to take the place of the Nürburgring to allow for a German race. However, this deal was deemed not financially viable by the owners of the Hockenheim ring as the four month turn around period would not be sufficient in order to sell enough tickets and as a result the deal with Bernie fell through.

Massa probably won't miss the German Grand Prix the most

2010: 'Alonso is faster than you'

This could also be seen as a sign of things to come. Bernie has already said that Monza’s contract will not be renewed so we could potentially be racing without an Italian Grand Prix from 2017 onwards. But unlike Monza, Germany does suffer from massively dwindling crowd attendance at each race. Despite German dominance in Sebastian Vettel and now Mercedes Benz, only 50,000 attended last season’s race. In comparison, Silverstone racks up close to 120,000 spectators on a race day with 330,000 attending the race weekend as a whole. Such is the gulf in attendance and therefore income, that Mercedes themselves who have their own grandstand at Hockenheim offered to make a financial contribution to make a German Grand Prix viable.

It is difficult to place exactly where Bernie stands on this issue. Whilst many would propose from this that he is solely money focused and shows a total disregard for the history of the sport by allowing Germany to fall, he does ensure that historical gems such as Italy and Britain pay far less to stage a race than countries that newly enter the sport. Monaco in fact is exempt from charge all together. However there is still genuine foundation for concern over the loss of historical circuits as the fees commanded to host a race are still extortionate, hence why oil rich nations such as Abu Dhabi and Bahrain will remain on the calendar in the near future and why Azerbaijan has entered for next season.

As a consequence of this news, the mid-season shutdown lasting a month from the July 26^th Hungarian Grand Prix will follow directly after another 3 week break from the British Grand Prix as caused by the loss of Germany before then resuming in Spa.

The aftermath of Niki Lauda's 1976 crash at the German Grand Prix

At present it is not known when we can realistically expect the German Grand Prix to return. It once again mires F1 in the debate over its fatally flawed economics. With the constructors most obviously suffering from the enormous costs of F1, maybe the loss of a country shrouded in Formula 1 history will provide a different and louder tune in order to limit similar events from reoccurring.