Bernie Ecclestone gives verdict on absence of German GP on F1 calendar

01/05/2025 09:58 AM

The last German GP took place in 2020 when F1 was forced to overhaul its calendar due to the Coronavirus pandemic, which delayed the start of the season. As a result, teams returned to the historic Nürburgring circuit for the first and only edition of the Eifel Grand Prix.

As for the German GP, the last edition was at Hockenheim in 2019, in a race marked by rain and accidents. On that occasion, Max Verstappen won ahead of Sebastian Vettel, who staged a remarkable comeback. The German driver started from 20th position and, thanks to the numerous incidents, managed to finish on the podium.

But why has Formula 1 not returned to Germany? The issue is not a lack of circuits but rather the absence of sponsors capable of funding such a large-scale event. Organizers, partly due to the financial crisis following the Covid pandemic, have been unable to bring Hockenheim back onto the calendar.

For Bernie Ecclestone, it’s “sad”

Bernie Ecclestone also commented on the absence of a German GP on the F1 calendar. “The fact that F1 has forgotten Germany is quite sad,” the Briton told sport.de. “In my time, much of the support came from that area. Now it seems there is no longer the financial will to do what is necessary to bring the Circus back to Germany.”

“I think Stefano Domenicali is achieving the goals of the American owners, which is to have more races. In this context, I don’t think he is very interested in bringing Germany back to the calendar,” Bernie Ecclestone added.

“Germany needs someone to take the lead on this project. It doesn't necessarily have to be a German, just someone who truly wants to see Formula 1 race there again. I thought Mercedes might help with this project, but apparently, they can't do much,” the British entrepreneur concluded.

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