Hockenheim- Ruin of a Great Circuit!!!

[mervyn charter]

Every Hockenheim Grand Prix now makes me lament as to how Formula One managed to destroy one of its Great Tracks, and change it into basically a Character-less go kart track.

Variety is the spice of life, and the old Hockenheim Track with its long high speed straights cutting through the forest was unlike any other circuit except Spa and Monza which are the last of the `great` formula one tracks.

The Drivers and TV Viewers loved this track where real high-speed overtaking was possible, so why did they ruin it? There was some fantastic races their over the years.

Boring Tracks usually produce Boring Races. It is no coincidence that Barcelona, Magny Cours and Hungary year in year out usually produce the worst races.

[ShiftingGears]

I think it was because the owners didn't want the safety concerns of having the long tree lined straights where the marshall posts would find it difficult seeing the other marshall posts along the circuit.

In any case, its just your average circuit now.

The contrast between the quiet forest section and the boom of the spectators in the grandstand was great.

Although having said that, I never liked the three chicanes that broke up the flow of the forest section one bit. Not least because it turned what could've been one of the most spectacular corners on the calendar (the Ostkurve) into just another chicane. A bit like the bus stop at Watkins Glen.

[ArrowsFA1]

I saw a photo of was was the straight leading away from the first turn recently - completely overgrown. The 'old' circuit seems to be slowly disappearing into the undergrowth

At least the Jim Clark memorial stone has been tidied up, but still it's sad to see all that history disappearing, like may other circuits that were once a big part of Grand Prix racing.

[Powered by Cosworth]

I saw a photo of was was the straight leading away from the first turn recently - completely overgrown. The 'old' circuit seems to be slowly disappearing into the undergrowth

At least the Jim Clark memorial stone has been tidied up, but still it's sad to see all that history disappearing, like may other circuits that were once a big part of Grand Prix racing.

This photo?



It's sad they didn't keep the old layout for historic races and such.

[wedge]

You can't really blame the circuit owner, it's the tree huggers. You're going to have to cut down a hell of amount of trees to get it up to F1 safety standards.

Also very dangerous in the wet. The trees act like walls, the tyres disperse water and there droplets fall off the trees and back onto the track.

[Corny]

I can't see what was so special about the 'old' circuit.. It were straights and a few chicanes thru a wood, so what? There have been better circuits...

But that's what I think

[Tazio]

As F1 circuits go, It's near the bottom of my list!

[Nikki Katz]

I really don't like the new circuit. As much in general I hate losing European races, this would be top of my list to axe, if only so that we got to race at new Nurburgring each year instead, which is still a great track.
Incidentally, Hockenheim are still insisting that they own the rights to the title "German GP", so I guess we could be seeing a Luxembourg GP next year.

[wedge]

It's a strange track. As dull as it is it produces fantastic races, especially for Button! - came from the middle of the pack in 2004, a great wheel to wheel tussle with Alonso and Schumi a couple of years ago.

[gravity]

From memory, I recall that the old Hock circuit had to be changed to allow for the new F1 regulations. Extra sandtraps and chicanes would have had to be installed (to the detriment of the trees), and for some reason they rather chose to keep the trees!?

The area the size of 1 football field of trees get razed per second in the Amazon... at that rate, they could have increased the safety levels of the old Hock circuit within 2 mins. Who would have noticed an extra 2 mins of trees missing anyway?
Next thing they're gonna say that F1 cars can't run on rubber tyres unless they're bio-degradable. sigh