No German Grand Prix in 2017
Hockenheim circuit manager Georg Seile confirms that the 2017 German Grand Prix will not take place, after talks with Bernie Ecclestone broke down.
The 2017 German Grand Prix was one of the three Grand Prix subject to confirmation on the provisional Formula 1 calendar released earlier this year. As a reminder, Canada and Brazil were on this list. Georg Seiler, director of the circuit in western Germany near the French border, confirmed that the Grand Prix will not be held there next season. The 2017 calendar therefore only (provisionally) includes 20 races. The Hungarian Grand Prix, which was supposed to precede it, will be rescheduled to the provisional date of the German round on July 31.
Negotiations for the organization of the race had been opened between Bernie Ecclestone and the circuit management. But the result was not conclusive, as the financial demands of the FOM could not be met.
Let us recall that the German Grand Prix was alternating between the Nürburgring and Hockenheimring for a few years. The 2015 race had already been canceled.
In response, the circuit director emphasized the economic aspect, crucial but which led the race to its downfall.
« No offer could have excluded all economic risks. That was our prerequisite. It’s a shame, but not a surprise given that the date was subject to confirmation and no agreement was found between F1 and the Hockenheimring. » The deadlock was all the more evident as Mercedes did not want, on their part, to provide potential financial support to ensure the sustainability of the event. Toto Wolff’s team preferred to shift the responsibility to Bernie Ecclestone and the FOM in order to resolve this issue.
As a reminder, the two other dates subject to annotation « subject to confirmation » on the provisional calendar are currently on different paths. Doubts still remain for Interlagos, while the Canadian Grand Prix will indeed be present in 2017.
