Online Encyclopedia
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring is a motor racing circuit situated near the town of Hockenheim in Germany. Amongst other motor racing events, it holds the annual Formula One German Grand Prix.
The circuit used to be quite large, with a very long, fast section going through forests followed by a more tight and twisty "stadium" section (so called because of all the grandstands situated there). This made setting racing cars up difficult, as a choice had to be made - whether to run low downforce to optimise speed through the straights and compromise grip in the stadium section, or vice-versa.
For the 2002 German Grand Prix, however, the circuit had been redesigned by Hermann Tilke. The stadium section remained intact. However, the circuit was dramatically shortened, with the long, sweeping forest section chopped off in favour of more tight corners. As always happens when a circuit is redesigned, this has led to grumbles that the track is not as good as it used to be.