The Hockenheimring is a motorsport circuit near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, that opened on May 29, 1932. Originally a long triangular course cut through the surrounding forest, part of the layout had to be reworked in the mid-1960s when construction of the Mannheim-Walldorf autobahn cut through the old track, prompting designer John Hugenholtz to add the ‘Motodrom,’ a stadium-style loop with grandstands ringing a new pit straight, which opened in May 1966.
Best known as a long-time home of the Formula 1 German Grand Prix, Hockenheimring hosted the race regularly from 1977 to 2006 and continued alternating hosting duties with the Nürburgring afterward, most recently staging an F1 race in 2019. Today the circuit also hosts DTM touring car racing, the European Drag Racing Championship, and other national and international events.
Stats at a Glance
- Events: Formula 1 German Grand Prix, DTM
- Location: Hockenheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Opened: May 29, 1932
- Capacity: About 120,000
- Track length: 4.574 km (2.842 mi)
- FIA grade: Grade 1
- Notable fact: Most recent F1 race held in 2019
The Motodrom and Its Grandstands
The heart of the modern Hockenheimring is the Motodrom, a stadium-style loop built in the mid-1960s after the new Mannheim-Walldorf autobahn cut through the old triangular course. Designed by John Hugenholtz and inaugurated in May 1966, it added a fan-friendly pit straight and a tight final sequence of corners ringed by grandstands, seating that today totals around 120,000 spectators across permanent and temporary stands.
When the circuit’s long forest sections were removed in a major 2002 redesign that shortened the lap to its current 4.574 km, the Motodrom itself was largely left intact, remaining the visual and spectator heart of the track much as it had been since the 1960s while the rest of the layout was rebuilt around it.
Formula 1 and Beyond
Hockenheimring entered Formula 1 history in 1970, stepping in to host the German Grand Prix after drivers boycotted the Nürburgring over safety concerns. It became the race’s regular home from 1977 through 2006, then shared hosting duties with the Nürburgring in the years that followed, with its last F1 race run in 2019.
Beyond Formula 1, the circuit remains active as the home of DTM touring car racing since 2000, along with drag racing and GT competitions, keeping the Motodrom’s grandstands filled well beyond its grand prix heritage.
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Hockenheimring FAQs
Is Hockenheimring still used for racing today?
Yes. While it no longer holds a regular Formula 1 date, it continues to host DTM touring car races, drag racing, and other national and international motorsport events.
When did Hockenheimring last host a Formula 1 race?
Its most recent Formula 1 German Grand Prix was held in 2019.
How many spectators can Hockenheimring hold?
The venue has a spectator capacity of about 120,000 across its permanent and temporary grandstands, most of them surrounding the Motodrom stadium section, which dates to 1966.
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Photo: Matti Blume / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.