Thursday June 1st, 2000

This year - or next - could be the last for the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, the circuit which has been its regular home since 1977.

Race promoter Andreas Meyer says: "It is more than a possibility" that the race will go to the new Lausitzring circuit, near Berlin, if not in 2001 then in 2002 when Hockenheim's contract expires.

The reason for the move is that Hockenheim currently has seating for 85,000 - 70,000 permanent seats in the Motodrom, and another 10-15,000 temporary seats in grandstands. According to Meyer, they don't give the promoter enough income to pay for the race. Furthermore, the circuit facilities are 'old-fashioned' and need modernising.

No financial support comes from the local government and there seems little realisation of the situation from the town of Hockenheim, population 20,000. "The town is too small, they can't afford a Grand Prix," says Meyer. He points out that local government isn't interested in the race, in an area which is wealthy anyway. "You don't see politicians at Hockenheim as you did at Nurburgring." says Meyer.

Proposals have been made to increase seating capacity. The local town suggested a relatively short 4-km circuit with a link behind the current short circuit, making one big motodrom area. This has been rejected by both Germany's motoring industry and Formula One administration as it loses Hockenheim's high speed nature.

Meyer suggested a link between the first and third chicanes. "This would give us another 30-35,000 seats and we could bring spectators in via the OstKurve and park on the old circuit," explains Meyer. This, however, was rejected as it would mean cutting down too many trees. Already, for the same reason, there are no spectators on the inside or outside of the circuit from the OstKurve to the current motodrom.

Meyer is therefore unable to sign a further five year contract with Ecclestone and Hockenheim, and expects to be in the Berlin area, and staging the German Grand Prix at Lausitzring in 2001 or 2002.

Lausitzring is due for completion in August 2000, and includes an oval. It could therefore be a return to Berlin for the German Grand Prix, which was run at Avus, on a circuit largely made up of motorbahns, in 1959. Rumours that the Grand Prix could go to Oschersleben, also in the former East Germany, are unfounded; the circuit is too short.