Formula 1 German Grand Prix History
History - Facts - Winners - Schedule - Circuit
Important Facts
Circuit Hockenheim Ring
Lap distance: 4.574 km/2.842 miles.
Total distance: 67 laps, 306.458 km/190.433 miles.
Race lap record: Kimi Raikkonen (FIN), Mercedes-McLaren, 2004, 1min 13.780 secs
Brief description of recent races:
2002 (Michael Schumacher, Ferrari)
Schumacher started his home race on pole for the first time and secured his ninth win in 12 starts. Montoya provided the main thrill with an overtaking move on Raikkonen.
2001 (Ralf Schumacher, Williams)
Montoya started on pole, but his teammate won after a dramatic start, with Michael Schumacher faltering and the Prost of Brazilian Luciano Burti flying over the Ferrari. Neither was hurt and Schumacher was at the restart. Montoya's hopes of victory were gone when his refueling rig malfunctioned.
2000 (Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari)
Barrichello wept after winning a race from 18th on the grid and at his 124th attempt. It was ran in heavy rain and the safety car was deployed half way through when a French protestor ran across the track and walked along the verge. Schumacher and Italian Giancarlo Fisichella collided at the first corner.
1999 (Eddie Irvine, Ferrari)
Irvine led a Ferrari one-two, winning after being waved through by stand-in teammate Mika Salo, who was replacing injured team mate Michael Schumacher. Mika Hakkinen started on pole and led until a disastrous pit stop when his refuelling rig failed.
1998 (Mika Hakkinen, McLaren)
McLaren's turn for a one-two finish, with Hakkinen taking the pole and beating Coulthard to the line.
The Circuit:
Hockenheim is one of the longer world championship circuits Hockenheim, as well as one of the fastest, but the main straight with its high-speed blast through the forest has now been chopped out.
The German Grand Prix has been held there since 1977, with the exception of 1985 when it returned to the Nuerburgring.
The circuit is extremely fast with two distinct sections - the stadium complex with the track twisting in front of the grandstands and pit/paddock area, and then the flowing section through the forest. Anyhow, this is a very fast and exciting circuit, demanding also in terms of car set-up.
Hockenheim was originally built for testing Mercedes cars and the atmosphere is tremendous, especially when German drivers are doing well.
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