F1 CEO revives talks over potential German GP return at Hockenheim

The German Grand Prix has been absent from the Formula 1 calendar since 2021. The Eifel Grand Prix was held at the Nürburgring during the COVID-19 pandemic as a one-off event, with Lewis Hamilton taking victory, while the last race at Hockenheim took place in 2019 and was won by Max Verstappen.

Speaking to GPblog among others, Domenicali said Formula 1 has re-established contact with Hockenheim as part of long-term discussions over the potential return of the German Grand Prix. He also highlighted the recent RTL agreement and the expectation of multiple bidders for the next German media rights tender, describing them as positive indicators of the sport's growing popularity in one of its most important European markets.

Stefano Domenicali confirmed to GPblog, among others, that Formula 1 is still planning to conclude the season with the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. At the same time, he acknowledged that the situation in the Middle East remains uncertain, meaning the championship cannot completely rule out the possibility of changes to the calendar before the final two rounds.

As a result, Formula 1 is keeping contingency plans in place. Domenicali explained that, should Qatar and Abu Dhabi become unavailable, the season would instead conclude in Europe, with several circuits being evaluated as possible replacements.

Imola is one of the venues under consideration, although no final decision has been taken and no host has been selected. He also noted that concerns over weather conditions at that time of year should not automatically rule out a European race, pointing to historical temperature data that compares favourably with conditions Formula 1 has already raced in elsewhere on the calendar.