Hockenheim dates all the way back to 1932, when it was created by Mercedes as a test track for their cars, in particular to fettle them for the Tripoli Grand Prix. The original track was an enormous 12km triangular affair – in fact it was called the ‘Dreieckskurs’, or ‘Triangle Track’ – that speared off to the outskirts of nearby Oftersheim before looping back via the current B291.
The Dreieckskurs was shortened in 1938, while following a further 1960s update from Dutchman John Hugenholtz – the man responsible for Suzuka – Formula 1 came to Hockenheim in 1970. That year’s world-champion-to-be, Jochen Rindt, won the race by just 0.7 seconds from main title rival Jacky Ickx.
Up until 2002, Hockenheim’s design saw the cars roar out into the forest before looping around the Ostkurve and steaming back into the stadium. In 2002, the track was truncated, with the cars now turning right shortly after Turn 1 and bisecting the original track. Hockenheim is still a fast track, though, with Scuderia Ferrari German driver Sebastian Vettel recording a 231km/h average during his 2018 pole lap.
Follow us later in the afternoon for the latest updates and results from the Hockenheimring, as the second practice session for the 2019 German Grand Prix is about to get underway, with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc at the wheel of the SF90, ready to continue evaluating the ideal set-up ahead of the qualifying session and the race on Sunday.
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