This year, Germany will not have its national race, despite the near-total domination of Mercedes. The reason is that the Nurburgring was not able to gather the necessary sum to pay Bernie Ecclestone’s FOM. As for Hockenheim, the other German circuit, it preferred to throw in the towel because it believed it did not have enough time to attract enough fans to its stands, which have been traditionally sparsely filled since the end of the Schumacher era.<\/p>\n
In order to maximize the chances of success for the 2016 edition, Hockenheim has just launched ticket sales, almost a year to the day before the Grand Prix takes place. Georg Seiler, the circuit’s general manager, stated: “We are delighted to host a new Formula 1 race in Germany after a one-year break. The prospects for German fans in particular look very good at the moment: Sebastian Vettel, who will be driving a Ferrari on his home turf for the first time, will be competing against Nico Rosberg and his Mercedes. It’s a scenario that excites many fans. We look forward to welcoming F1 and its fans to Hockenheim and expect a full Motodrom next July.”<\/p>\n
To address the lack of fans in previous seasons, the organizers have also decided to review their pricing strategy and have clearly taken inspiration from what makes Silverstone successful. They have decided to offer a three-day ticket for 99 euros, while children under 6 years old can attend for free and those between 7 and 16 years old for 50 euros.<\/p>\n
We will see next year if this new commercial policy bears fruit.<\/p>\n