This Is Why We Miss The Old Hockenheimring Layout

Formula 1 returns to the Hockenheimring this weekend, but the track is a shadow of its former self – the old layout was fast, bonkers and completely unique, which is why we miss it so much

Jack Leslie

27 Jul 2016

The Hockenheimring has had a long association with Formula 1, stretching all the way back to 1970 when the track hosted its first race. But this inaugural F1 event took place on a very different layout, one that was fast, scary, mad and completely different to the circuit that is currently raced on.

Up until 2001 the German track featured long straights through the woods, broken up by tight chicanes and with a slower stadium-like section towards the end of the lap. This final part of the Hockenheimring has remained largely unchanged, but the rest was drastically redesigned for the 2002 race.

The famous long straights and chicanes were replaced by a shorter, slower layout with more low-speed and medium-speed corners. It has remained largely unchanged since the dramatic redesign, apart from the typical minor changes to run-off areas and kerbs.

But while the new layout may provide better overtaking opportunities, the soul and charm of the Hockenheimring was lost. It was a unique track, now its characteristics are no different to the majority of the other circuits on the F1 calendar.

This Is Why We Miss The Old Hockenheimring Layout

Most of the old layout has been taken up and replaced by trees and plants. It has been reclaimed to the forest, eliminating any chance of it ever being used. If you go on Google Maps and type in the circuit name, you can see the outline of the old circuit where cars used to speed down straights at well over 200mph.

Changes to the Hockenheimring needed to be made for safety reasons, but that still doesn’t take away the character and thrill of the old layout. It’s certainly missed by many in F1 - fans and drivers alike. We’ll just have to settle for watching classic clips on TV and YouTube to get our fix of the original track.

Comments

I like the new layout actually even more, because its still a fast track but with a really good hairpin for overtakes. If you sit on the mercedes stand you can see the parabolika, the hairpin and the left and right corner right before the stand, so from turn 5 to turn 10. Really a great place to watch races. The old layout had long straights but they ended in chicanes, so it was not a good place for overtakes and not so good for the fans on the track

Damn! I didn’t realise The Hockenheimring used to have such a diverse layout,shame its it’s gone now :(

What do you folks think of the Silverstone’s new layout?

I never liked the old abbey and bridge corners much, and i really like the new quick back to back hairpins, so im quite a fan

Silverstone pretty much still has a lot of the old track . Maybe when they used to go left after the new pits and under the bridge . But about 80 percent is still the old track .

Im sure if they still raced the old layout everyone would complain saying its a race to watch.

I believe this is the worst track change in the motorsport history. It was exciting to see the cars going flatout through the Black Forest.

Now it is just a single race track.

Hockenheim is quite far from the Black Forest

i remember de la rosa on his wingless arrows reaching 355km/h if i remember correctly. what a brave guys haha.

Lots of straights. I guess the average speed was similar to the Monza

Now I miss V10’s too

The old circuits were so much better. Today’s F1 circuits are designed mostly by one person (i forgot his name but i read this somewhere years ago) and they are quite soul-less for lack of any other word…