After months of dithering, Hockenheim circuit boss Georg Seiler today confirmed that there will not be a round of the Formula One World Championship in Germany this year, the first time the country has not staged a round since 1960 and thereby reducing the championship to 19 races.

"We have no hope any more of having a Formula One race here this year," he told Germany's Bild. "We did everything in the last few years to keep the fans happy.

"We had declared ourselves willing to step in for Nurburgring, something we were contractually not obliged to do," he added. "There were talks with third parties over taking over the risk but they were not successful."

With the German race shared by Hockenheim and the Nurburgring on an alternating basis, this year it was the latter's turn to stage the event. However, in new hands, Bernie Ecclestone having failed in his bid to buy the facility, the circuit was unable to provide the required funding.

Hockenheim therefore remained the only choice however, with the 2014 event having incurred heavy losses and the circuit scheduled to host the race again in 2016, its management was unwilling (and unable) to take the financial hit for three successive years.

As recently as Monday, Bernie Ecclestone said talks were ongoing, but it is understood FOM was unwilling to come to a suitable arrangement in terms of the fee for the event.

The loss of the race comes at a time when a German team - albeit based in Brackley, England - is the reigning champion constructor and there are three German drivers including Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel now at Ferrari.

Indeed, Vettel's move to Ferrari emulates that of his countryman Michael Schumacher to the Maranello outfit in 1996, a move that was to lead to a golden era when at one stage Germany hosted two rounds of the championship.

On the other hand, our picture probably gives you a pretty good idea of what the 2015 would have looked like.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by TokyoAussie, 20/03/2015 3:56

"I feel like making my broken-record comment. Until the circuits get together and negotiate with Bernie as a combined group, they will always be played like this by Bernie. It is in Bernie's interest, and only Bernie's interest, to keep teams divided and hosting venues divided on all issues."

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2. Posted by BWesty, 19/03/2015 5:45

"Has anyone asked why the hosting fees for these races have to be so exorbitant? surely Bernie and Co make enough money off TV rights to give the host venues a bit of a break. In my humble opinion there are two reason why Germany can't afford to host a GP;
Firstly, the racing is not entertaining enough, so the fans don't pitch up in their droves and secondly, what money the hosts do make from the Fans that do pitch, has to be paid to Bernie and Co.... it's a lose/lose situation for the hosts.

I know South Africa has been trying to host an F1 race for years now but whenever it comes down to the crunch, it's all about the bucks... and with the current exchange rate, South African can't put up those sums of money.... it all smack of greed to me... the fans, the tracks and the actual racing is secondary..."

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3. Posted by stackvideo, 18/03/2015 12:04

"A boring track it may well now be but it's another race gone from Europe the so called heartland of F1. "

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4. Posted by Paul C, 18/03/2015 1:57

"I agree with John. The new Hockenheim is nothing more than the touring car track. One of the reasons I keep my old F1 and other racing games along with my PS2 is the real Hockenheim with the real white knuckle straights and chicanes. Groveling to the Green Party destroyed a great circuit."

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5. Posted by johnoneill2006, 17/03/2015 23:56

"From my perspective I would say "meh".

They destroyed the old track. It's been returned to forest.

It didn't need to be destroyed, it was still perfectly viable as a race track. I remember watching the challenge of F1 drivers trying to encourage a car with zero downforce through the stadium section. Now it's a boring medium/high downforce Tilkedrome.

At the same time, it also just about killed the concept of the low downforce F1 package. If it's only for Monza, it wasn't worth it.

The revised track won't be missed by me."

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Hockenheim boss says no German GP in 2015

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