Stefano Domenicali has claimed that the sport will “definitely” return to Germany amid talks to re-include the German Grand Prix on the Formula 1 calendar.
With the sport increasing in its popularity with each passing season, under Liberty Media’s ownership, F1 has somewhat left behind the remnants of its past.
The iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit is destined to become a rotational event going forwards, and many other classic circuits on the calendar have endangered credentials.
That said, given the global reach of the sport, the FOM and the FIA are keen to revisit its past cult classics in a bid to broaden their horizons and tap previously untapped markets.
One such possibility for F1 is a return to Germany. Historically, the German GP was an event that first featured on the calendar in 1926, thereafter featuring across various circuits and finally making the Hockenheimring its home.
Last held in 2019 – offering up a wet weather thriller that saw Max Verstappen win and Sebastian Vettel take P2 from 20th on the grid – the sport did return to Germany in 2020, for one final time, at the Nurburgring GP layout albeit under the Eifel GP moniker.
Domenicali has now hinted at a potential return for the event given the market expansion possibilities and the lucrative opportunities with Mercedes and Audi on the grid.
“With regard to the potential, I would say that we don’t have to forget that we have Audi that stepped into the business,” he said.
“We have Mercedes. We have big partners that have their home base in Germany. I think now Germany wants us to think in the medium-term if they can come back into the calendar, or even more important, being, as it was 20 years ago, one of the most important markets for Formula 1.
“I think that is the base for this discussion.”
Stefano Domenicali outlines “very, very important” detail for F1 German GP return
Since its last sojourn in Germany, F1 has rapidly expanded its calendar. Not only does the sport now feature as many as six Sprint events, it has consolidated a 24-race calendar.
With the escalating tensions in the Middle East and the subsequent cancellations of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain rounds, Domenicali was fortunate enough to find the Sepang International Circuit free to host the round initially scheduled in April at Sakhir.
That said, the Italian has warned that Germany’s return on the calendar, while definite, will not be this sudden, nor short-lived.
“Definitely, the new situation in Germany, starts to move in the direction that I see Germany potentially in the future being a very interesting market that will have a positive effect both on the media side, but also maybe on the promoter side,” he added.
“It will not be, in that case, a short-term call, but definitely will happen, and this is very, very important to remember.”
Apart from Germany, F1 is also looking to expand itself into the African continent and the Indian sub continent with a potential return for Kyalami and the Indian GP both on the cards, respectively.
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