Formula 1 News: Germany not prepared to revive F1 race

(GMM) The boss of the famous Nurburgring circuit has confirmed that Germany is no closer to returning to Formula 1.

Even with F1 open to safeguarding key European events with a new race rotation scheme, and with Mercedes to be joined on the grid by Audi next year, Toto Wolff thinks a German GP revival is a long way off.

“The mood in Germany as a business location is apparently not sufficient for a Formula 1 race at the moment,” the Mercedes team boss told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

In the wake of Wolff’s comments, the Cologne newspaper Kolner Express got in touch with the boss of the Nurburgring, which last held a F1 race in 2020 as a one-off amid the covid crisis.

“Under the current model, we, as the racetrack operator, would be required to purchase Formula 1 as a racing format and cover the costs through ticket sales,” said managing director Ingo Boder.

Nurburgring managing director Ingo Boder and his son. From his Facebook Page

“That’s a nearly impossible task,” he added. “All other marketing rights belong to Formula 1.

“In addition, the track’s infrastructure will be blocked for approximately two weeks for setup and dismantling and cannot be used or marketed for any other purpose during this time. For these reasons, the project is not expedient for us as a private company,” Boder explained.

When asked when the last discussions with Formula 1 took place, he admitted: “A good year ago.”

May 31, 2025

(GMM) Even with Formula 1 open to accommodating multiple European races with a new annual rotation scheme, the revival of the defunct F1 race in Germany still seems unlikely.

Next year, Sauber will fully transition to become Audi’s 100 percent works team, competing against established fellow German carmaker Mercedes.

Mercedes team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff, however, doubts Hockenheim or the Nurburgring are in a position to join the F1 calendar.

“The mood in Germany as a business location is apparently not sufficient for a Formula 1 race at the moment,” he told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Wolff said he thinks the problem is that no German entity is prepared to take a risk.

“Perhaps people are too stuck in the old structures,” said the Austrian.

However, he pointed out that even without direct government backing, the promoters of the British GP at Silverstone manage to make the event work.

“The English manage to do business with Formula 1,” said Wolff.

“Anyone who wants to host a grand prix either has the business side in mind or wants to achieve a global image transfer,” he explained.