F1 News

German Grand Prix in doubt as they look for a new sponsor

German Grand Prix in doubt as they look for a new sponsor

15-05-2019 19:24

The future of the German Grand Prix is under threat from 2020 onwards. A new title sponsor is needed to ensure the German Grand Prix features on the 2020 F1 calendar if Mercedes don't extend their current contract. Liberty Media can extend the contract for next year but the Hockenheimring’s marketing director Jorn Teske told RaceFans a sponsor is required for the race to continue.

“There is an option which is not up to us for 2020 for one further year. But for the moment we have no decision if this will be taken or not,” he said.

“It might be a point even the decision of Mercedes to extend the title sponsorship is a crucial point for them.”

“If Liberty Media [acquires] another new partner interested in title sponsorship in Germany it might be the chance,”

Teske suspects “at least one of the traditional race tracks [will] have to leave” because of the new additions to the schedule in the future.

“Normally I would say it’s a quite similar situation to last year but it isn’t,” said Teske. “It’s similar because we’re in Barcelona and we still don’t know if we have a race next year or not.

“The difference is the expiring contracts of five race tracks. There are many, many rumors around. Probably two of the five circuits are very close to an agreement or even have signed an agreement, which should be Silverstone and Monza.”

It will be interesting to see if a new sponsor can be found and if the German Grand Prix will remain on the calendar for the future.