Door ajar for return of the German GP – Formula 1 is booming. The calendar is bursting with glitzy new street races in Miami, Las Vegas, and next year in Madrid. Saudi Arabia is building a dramatic state of the art new circuit but Germany with two approved tracks is absent from the F1 calendar. Spa and Monza fight just to survive on rotation. Yet somehow, Germany – the nation of Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, and soon Audi – doesn’t even have a place at the table.
Now, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali has opened the door for a return to Germany. Speaking to Bild, he declared that Germany “belongs in Formula 1” and confirmed he is “ready for talks” with serious promoters. On paper, this is the moment German motorsport fans have been waiting for. But in reality, it might just underline how far Germany has slipped from F1’s priorities.
For decades, Germany wasn’t just on the F1 calendar – it was the heartbeat of it. From the “green hell” of the Nürburgring Nordschleife of the 1950s and 1960s to the high-speed forests of Hockenheim, Germany’s rounds were essential stops in the F1 world championship.
By the late 2000s, Germany was so popular it hosted two races a year. The German GP at Hockenheim and the European GP at the Nürburgring gave German fans back-to-back summers of F1 glory. Schumacher packed the grandstands. Vettel’s rise made him a national hero. Rosberg’s 2016 title capped off the dominance of Mercedes in modern times.
Germany was a motorsport superpower. The thought that it would one day the country would cease hosting F1 entirely was unthinkable. The decline wasn’t because of empty stands or poor racing – it was money, plain and simple.
Hosting fees under Bernie Ecclestone were already eye-watering. When Liberty Media took over in 2017, the demands only grew. Hockenheim’s circuit director Jörn Teske admitted bluntly that “Formula 1 must not ruin us.” The venue tried to make it work through alternating deals with the Nürburgring, but both circuits eventually crumbled under the financial weight.
Germany’s last full-fledged Grand Prix was in 2019. A pandemic one-off at the Nürburgring in 2020 briefly papered over the cracks, but since then, silence.
The simple truth is Germany didn’t walk away from Formula 1. Formula 1 priced Germany out.
If you want to understand why Germany failed, just look at Singapore. Introduced in 2008, the Singapore Grand Prix was a revelation. It wasn’t just a race; it was a city-wide festival. Government funds, corporate sponsors, tourist boards – everyone bought in.
Singapore’s circuit is narrow, twisty, and frankly doesn’t produce great racing. But it is sold out every year, plastered across travel brochures, and broadcast to the world as a marketing masterstroke.
Alpine decide. Colapinto finished
Sepang in Malaysia was the opposite: brilliant racing, terrible economics. Germany fell into the same trap. Fantastic tracks, unforgettable races, but no government or corporate structure to make it sustainable. Formula 1 today doesn’t reward great circuits. It rewards great business plans.
That’s what makes Germany’s absence feel absurd. This isn’t just a country with racing heritage – it’s a country with two of the most important names in the sport. Mercedes has defined modern Formula 1 with its era of dominance. Audi, part of the Volkswagen Group, joins the grid in 2026 with its own factory team. Add in the legacy of Schumacher and Vettel, the fan base of Rosberg, and the sheer depth of German motorsport culture, and you’d think Germany would be untouchable.
Yet here we are: Las Vegas gets a Grand Prix before Germany. Saudi Arabia can host a second race before Hockenheim can afford one. The message is clear: if Germany wants back in, it will need more than heritage. It needs cash.
The problem is that the calendar is already maxed at 24 races. Stefano Domenicali admits there’s a “long waiting list of countries” – some with kings and prime ministers lobbying personally for a slot. That’s the level of politics Germany is competing with.
Hockenheim has floated the idea of returning on rotation – one race every two years. The Nürburgring is less likely, given its remote location and limited commercial pull. There’s also the wildcard option of a German street race in Berlin or Munich, though that feels unlikely given local opposition to mega-events taking over cities.
Domenicali’s words may sound encouraging, but let’s be honest: Formula 1 doesn’t hand out charity slots. Money talks. Governments that pay get races. Nations that hesitate get left behind.
So what now? The good news is that Germany still has leverage. F1 would love to market Audi’s entry with a home race. Mercedes, too, is invested in making sure its dominance isn’t celebrated only abroad. Fans are still hungry – the packed grandstands for DTM, Formula E, and WEC races prove that.
Caterham’s ghost seeks an F1 return
The bad news is that Germany has lost momentum. The longer it stays away, the harder it becomes to justify a comeback. Sponsors drift. Fans find new allegiances. Liberty fills the calendar with other partners.
If Germany wants back in, it needs to do what Singapore did in 2008: treat F1 as a national project. That means government funds, corporate sponsors, tourism boards, and promoters all pulling in the same direction. Anything less, and Germany will be left watching from the sidelines whilst the middle east with little motorsport heritage now has four Grand Prix.
The German GP should be on the calendar. Few tracks match the drama of Hockenheim or the history of the Nürburgring. Few countries have given as much to the sport. But Formula 1 under Liberty Media is brutally simple: heritage and passion don’t pay the bills.
If Germany wants to return, it needs to pay to play. Otherwise, F1 racing in Schumacher’s homeland will remain a nostalgic memory, while the sport marches forward into Las Vegas lights and Riyadh riches.
Alpine decide. Colapinto finished
Franco Colapinto’s Formula 1 dream is sliding towards collapse. What began with high hopes and strong backing at Alpine has unraveled into one of the season’s most underwhelming stories, with the Argentine rookie now facing an almost certain exit from the grid after Abu Dhabi.
According to Auto Motor und Sport, the decision has effectively been made: Colapinto’s time as Alpine’s race driver will end this year, no matter what. It’s a blunt assessment that matches what many within the paddock have suspected for months—that Alpine, despite its initial show of confidence, has lost faith in a driver who has failed to deliver.
Colapinto’s promotion was seen as bold but calculated. The Enstone team needed fresh energy after years of inconsistency, and Flavio Briatore, returning as an advisor, pushed hard for Colapinto as a symbol of Alpine’s new chapter. With sponsorship ties in Argentina and support from Renault’s regional arm, the deal made business sense as well…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
