Formula 1 Circuit, Hockenheim, Germany

Advantages: Overtaking
Disadvantages: Not many

...that for once on a Formula One circuit overtaking is possible!! Anyway, on to the race. Qualifying ---------- Otherwise known as the Williams show. The power of the BMW engine gave Williams a massive advantage which led to Montoya getting his first pole in F1. His team mate R. Shumacher was a close second, with Hakkinen in third and Shumacher a disappointing fourth. The Race -------- The lights went out. Seconds later Burti flew in to the ...
...down over the top of the Arrows of Bernoldi. As the dust settled the remains of Shumacher, Burti and Bernoldi's car lay stricken on the track and in the gravel. It looked as if a red flag was inevitable, but they managed to drag away the cars and control the situation with the safety car. As the safety car led the cars on to the start/finish line the extent of the debris became apparent, with shards of carbon fibre covering the whole track. Knowing ... Read review

Advantages: Good track
Disadvantages: Too quick and it breaks engines

...did not host its first formula 1 Car race until 1970. It was only after years of solitary use at Nurburgring, its main rival circuit in Germany, that it got a look in. Since then it has been a mainstay as the German premiere track, only losing the race for one year back to Nurburgring. Nurburgring is normally the home to the European Grand Prix nowadays. It is reknowned as an engine breaker due to its high speed layout out and duration at maximium ...
...to take you on a "Martin Brundle" type trip of the circuit. Floor it from the starting grid and you are up into 5th gear before you arrive at Nordkurve, the first corner. You then hurtle off into the forest reaching maximum revs and speed down one of the 2 long straights. Halfway along, you must navigate one of the Chicanes. Jim Clarke Kurve, named after the famous Scottish driving ace. Continuing away from the chicane you arrive(after another straight) ... Read review

Advantages: Exciting race
Disadvantages: Title is even closer for Schumacher now, possible last race on that layout.

...of the fastest circuits the Formula One circus has ever visited although it’s previous incarnations (Less chicanes) were faster. Two of the best places on the track for watching unfortunately don’t have any viewing facilities, namely chicane I and chicane II. Other than that all the other grandstands are all pretty well placed and you would have a good chance of seeing some action at any of them. If you take your home made Formula One ...
...need long gear ratios and low downforce to reach speeds of over 210MPH. Crikey! * The Results – Bang, Crash, Wallop * Recent races have had a low attrition rate, but not Hockenheim – engines blew, people crashed and electric’s failed. 1st – Ralf Schumacher (Williams) - Qualified 2nd 2nd – Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) – Qualified 6th 3rd – Jacques Villeneuve (BAR) – Qualified 12th 4th – Giancarlo ... Read review

Advantages: Allows overtaking; very fast
Disadvantages: Not a classic layout; no atmosphere outside stadium

...A circuit on which modern Formula One cars can overtake. No wonder Hockenheim is so little regarded in certain quarters... although its unpopularity could be regarded as being a lingering resentment at the removal of the "proper" Nürburgring in 1977. As we saw this last weekend, however, Hockenheim may not be the most technically challenging track on the calendar, being essentially made up of a couple of long wooded straights with a sprinkling of ...
...some excellent driving from the likes of Barrichello and - while it lasted - Montoya. Hockenheim does seem to have the most welcome capability of producing exciting Grands Prix, and so despite its less than awesome layout, it's a track that should definitely be retained on the Formula One calendar. ... Read review

Advantages: Really tests the cars.
Disadvantages: Not many cars finish.

When you see Grand Prix F1 cars hurtling through a forest at 220 miles per hour you know you watching a race at the Hockenheim circuit for the German Grand Prix. This circuit is very much like two contrasting races. The long straights at this circuit mean that the cars can be on full throttle for 50 seconds of each lap, so high speed and low down force is the order of the day here. But, in the grandstand area there are tight chicanes and lower speeds, ...
...is important because the drivers tend to launch the cars over the kerbs in an attempt to maintain speeds through the chicanes. It is not unusual to see the cars on three (and sometimes two) wheels as they fly off the ground due to the lack of down force. This circuit really does test the engines and it is a very rare race if you don’t see a few engines spectacularly blow up. The race crowd is always a capacity 110,000 crowd, with a very high ... Read review