17/03/2015
NEWS STORY
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.