Former Mercedes chief Norbert Haug says that Formula 1 is a “tragedy” in Germany and that motorsport fans should be “ashamed” of the situation.
Haug was a prominent figure in bringing Mercedes to the F1 grid with McLaren in the mid-1990s as the vice president of Mercedes-Benz.
F1 had a large following in Germany at the time, largely owing to Michael Schumacher’s presence and his run of success that saw him become the most successful driver of all time prior to Lewis Hamilton’s rise.
Despite other German world champions such as Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg enjoying periods of triumph in F1, interest never returned to that of the Schumacher era.
The German Grand Prix, once a prominent fixture on the yearly schedule, is now absent despite the recent success of the Mercedes team.
Speaking to RND, Haug has criticised German fans for failing to retain a passion for the sport.
“In Germany, Formula 1 has turned into a tragedy that every motorsport enthusiast can only be ashamed of,” Haug said.
“Between 1994 and 2016, there were German world champions like an assembly line, seven titles from Michael Schumacher, four in a row from Sebastian Vettel, and finally the last one to date from Nico Rosberg in 2016.
“Mercedes, with its partner teams McLaren and Brawn GP with Mika Hakkinen, Lewis Hamilton, and Jenson Button, won four Drivers’ World Championships between 1998 and 2009, the Mercedes factory team was Constructors’ World Champion eight times in a row from 2014 to 2021, winning six World titles with Hamilton and one with Rosberg.
“For a dozen years, in the late 1990s and 2000s, there were two Formula 1 races a year in Germany, in front of full ranks and over 100,000 spectators. On RTL, 12 million people watched, instead of three million today.”
Next year, Nico Hulkenberg will be the only German driver on the F1 grid after securing a return with Haas.
“In 2010, there were still seven German Formula 1 drivers in one season,” Haug added.
“Today, Nico Hulkenberg still has one in what is, at best, a second-rate team, and Mick Schumacher is a promising substitute driver – but at least in the right team. There hasn’t been a German Grand Prix for a long time.
“A zealous green auto objector could not have developed a less ambitious and less successful German Formula 1 strategy.
“This specifically excludes the Mercedes works team, which – correctly – operates out of England and has two great English drivers.”
