Lotus boss expects German Grand Prix return in 2016

2015 F1 season

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Lotus deputy team principal Federico Gastaldi expects the German Grand Prix to return to the calendar next year following its late disappearance from the 2015 schedule.

The German Grand Prix will not be held this year after the Nurburgring, which was originally supposed to hold the race, failed to agree terms with Bernie Ecclestone. The Hockenheimring, which shares the hosting of the race with the Nurburgring in alternate years, recently announced it will not take over hosting this year’s event.

However Gastaldi, whose team is using Mercedes engines for the first time this year, is optimistic the race won’t be gone for long.

“It’s not looking promising for this year but I’m sure we’ll be back in 2016,” he said.

“It’s of course a shame for everyone, especially all the German fans who wanted to come see Formula One, but these things happen sometimes in the commercial world.”

“For the team we know we have nineteen races. Twenty races makes for a long season so we still have a pretty full season even if one race is dropped.”

Despite criticism of the small field which contested the first race of the season in Australia, Gastaldi said the fact official race day attendance rose to 101,500 was “very impressive” and shows “Formula One is back on track”.

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Keith Collantine
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15 comments on “Lotus boss expects German Grand Prix return in 2016”

  1. Simon (@weeniebeenie)
    20th March 2015, 14:59

    I didn’t think it was even in doubt for next year, Hockenheim have the contract and should have no problem honouring it. The only issue this year was because they weren’t due to do it and all of the problems that resulted. 2017 therefore will be under question again, unless they can sort out a contract change so they host every year going forwards. Or if things change at Nurburgring obviously.

  2. Just have two races in Montreal. It’s pretty much the only track that will guarantee an exciting race, and it hasn’t been molested by Tilke yet.

    1. except..,…. It has been horribly molested by having DRS zones in the classic overtaking spots where IT DOES NOT NEED DRS!

      My god this sport this frustrating.

      1. That is true lol

  3. Hmmm…. would there be attendance problems if people could get a grandstand ticket for 50 euro? I don’t think Canada was a sell-out last year either. F1 is too expensive to go and see live for most people. I don’t go anymore- to bring the family (4 tickets) to the Montreal race and get the cheapest grandstand tickets would be over $1000 just for tickets. Do you think my kids care about F1? The next generation is being lost.

    1. I was just looking into perhaps attending the Indycar race at Barber Motorsports Park in April. General admission for race day is $40 … an additional $30 for a garage pass. Not quite F1, but still.

      1. @schooner I’m attending my first ever Indy Car race at Long Beach next month. Really excited. This is the first time a work trip to the US has matched up with a race anywhere nearby, so making the most of the opportunity. The general addmission price is comparable with the BTCC, and the pit pass is well worth the extra money.

    2. If not sold out, the 2014 Canadian grand Prix was close to it. In 2013, 119 000 attended on race day, just one thousand shy of the attendance at Silverstone on Sunday.

  4. France – the original home of the Grand Prix – has gone, with no sign of a return. We nearly lost Spa a few years ago. Now Germany. And Ecclestone is on record as saying that this could be the last year for Monza – he thinks the commercial arrangement is not good enough for CVC. On top of that, we have 3 or 4 teams in a state of permanent near-death, which means they can’t be competitive. What is going on?

    I’m trying to imagine F1 without any races in France, Germany, or Italy. It’s like trying to imagine tennis without Wimbledon or golf without Augusta.

    I sometimes wonder if Mr E is deliberately trying to ruin F1.

    1. petebaldwin (@)
      20th March 2015, 15:34

      @rsp123 – I usually go with the approach that anything Bernie says is guaranteed to be a lie and is only said to enhance his bargaining power. F1 will continue to race at Monza for years and years.

      Mr Ecclestone isn’t deliberately trying to ruin F1. He thinks of nothing other than increasing his own bank balance. Ruining F1 may be a side effect of this but he doesn’t care enough about F1 make any changes that don’t make him richer.

    2. +100!!! The problem here is: 75% of the budget goes to Bernie and the rest for F1 survival! Because when he eventually dies he’ll need it to make a comfy bed in his grave -.-

  5. petebaldwin (@)
    20th March 2015, 15:23

    Thanks for the information Captain Obvious! Hockenheim have already said that they didn’t accept this year’s race because there wasn’t enough time to sell tickets. Next year’s race was never in doubt as the problems exist around Nurburgring, not Hockenheim…..

  6. Im pretty sure the German fans that would go to Nurburgring can get their asses over to SPA if they urge for some hot F1 action. Its pretty much next door.

  7. Liam McShane (@)
    20th March 2015, 17:29

    Are the tickets for the German GP ridiculously expensive or something? The attendance at last years German GP was abysmal. If it stays that way i can see the German GP disappearing for good.

  8. I bet the attendance this year at Spa will be boosted with german fans.
    Welcome guys! Hope the best for Nurburgring in 2017 then!

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