Hockenhiem circuit - dire

Andrewf20

I havent watched the German grand prix for the last few years for a variety of reasons, but today I sat thru a few laps of it. I couldnt get over how they have absolutely destroyed the track with this new layout. I would give a kidney to see the old straights back in action. It was a spectacular track in the old days imho. I read a great quote about the old layout. "It may not be the most demanding racing circuit, but at least it was different".

I mourn badly.

Do others feel the same way?

BostonB

The old track was more interesting. Why did they change it anyway?

Andrewf20

This is what Wiki had to say:

"In the early 2000s, F1 officials demanded the 6.8 km (4.2 mi) track be shortened and threatened to discontinue racing there."

Heres whats left at the far end of where the old track used to be:
http://www.schuerkamp.de/zope/hoover/racing/2006_jim_clark_revival/images/131_waldgerade.jpg
http://theracingline.net/racingcircuits/racingcircuits/archives/Hockenheim/

BrianD3

I think the reason for the change was so that more spectators could see more of the race. As regards safety, with the old track I always felt that there was the potential for a horrendous crash particularly on the approach to the 1st chicane on lap 1 and even more so in the wet. Even watching on TV i'd feel a kind of nervous excitement. Nobody wants to see a driver killed or injured but at the same time potential danger is part of the sport's appeal.

After lap 1 though I often found the races on the old track boring in terms of actual racing. It was often a case of seeing whose engine would blow up first. Having said that the German GP was one that I would look forward to along with Monaco, Spa, Monza, and Suzuka, also Mexico and Austria (old track) when they were still on the calender.

IanCurtis

Brundle says in his book that the old layout was uninteresting and downright dangerous and I tend to agree with him.

The new layout is better, but it's a shame they couldn't keep the forest atmosphere it had before.

It's definitely a lot more fun to drive on PS2/PC etc. than the old one was

Ghost Train

The old track was something special, old fashioned long circuit

Do think the new track is better for racing action though, plenty of overtaking during Sundays race, a few different lines drivers can take with run off areas in the right spots, most of what they got rid of on the old circuit were just straights and chicanes

Would have liked to see the circuit be a bit longer as feels one or two corners too short, but then thats probably better than being longer with uninteresting corners (bit like indianapolis)

kodmuffin

i was at the race last weekend and noticed in the less powerful races cares found it harder to overtake-i remember in the gp 2 brunno senna was stuck behind someone for a long time without a proper chance of overtaking......but the rain came and spiced things up in that race!

if a few more overtaked like hamilton at the weekend it wouldve spiced things up abit!
great weekend though!