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Germany: Hockenheim Track Guide
By Phil Huff July 17 2008
Reopened in 1966, after the original oval was cut in two by the construction of an autobahn, Hockenheim was radically changed again in 2002. The legendary sweeping forest straights were removed in place of a tighter, more modern layout that boasts a much larger spectator capacity.

The new Hockenheim is a very different challenge to the old layout, but the old Motodrom section, with its testing mix of elevation changes and double-apex corners, has been retained in the new layout.

Opinion on the new circuit is still very much divided among the drivers and teams.

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Car set-up is a compromise between this twisty infield section and the straights at the back of the circuit. The teams spent last week’s three-day test session at the track trying to establish good levels of mechanical grip with their cars, while minimising the amount of aerodynamic downforce in order to be fast in a straight line.

Stability under braking is also important because there are a number of heavy braking areas on the lap, particularly at the Spitzkehre hairpin (Turn 6) where the cars slow from 310kph (193mph) to 60kph (37mph). It’s one of the slowest corners on the Formula One calendar and the best overtaking point at Hockenheim.

With only two high-speed corners on the lap, into and out of the Motodrom, tyre wear is not such a factor at this race, but the high track temperatures sometimes witnessed in late July can create large fluctuations in grip.

Honda-powered drivers dominated the German Grand Prix between 1986-1990, Nelson Piquet taking victory in 1986 and 1987 and Ayrton Senna scoring a hat-trick of wins from 1988-1990. In 2001 Jacques Villeneuve scored Honda's second podium finish of its third generation in Formula One, when he crossed the line in third place at Hockenheim.

The last race at Hockenheim, in 2006, saw Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello lineing up in fourth and sixth places on the grid respectively. An engine problem forced Rubens in to retirement after 18 laps, while Jenson held position and finished the race in fourth, five seconds ahead of World Champion Fernando Alonso.

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