Hockenheim "will stage Formula One’s German Grand Prix in July, it was announced on Thursday, as the final piece in the 2015 calendar was finally slotted into place," according to Paul Weaver of the London GUARDIAN.
The track "hosted last year’s race and, according to tradition, should be alternated with the Nürburgring."
However, F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone said, "It’s going to be at Hockenheim. We’re in the middle of doing something with them. It can’t be Nürburgring because there’s nobody there."
It looks unlikely that F1 "will return to the Nürburgring any time soon." The track "has shared the German Grand Prix with Hockenheim since 2006 but there has been a change of ownership and reports of financial difficulties" (GUARDIAN, 1/15). The BBC reported the Nürburgring "confirmed it has not got a contract for 2015." However, Managing Dir Carsten Schumacher "declined to comment further" (BBC, 1/15). REUTERS' Alan Baldwin wrote the news, "while not entirely unexpected, will be seen as a setback to the owners of a circuit that Ecclestone twice tried to buy last year."
Reports had indicated that Nürburgring executives were "hopeful of agreeing a new deal but were concerned about the costs involved." Schumacher:
"Formula One is welcome at the Nürburgring." Ecclestone said that "he had not discussed a deal" with the Nürburgring. He said,
"We wanted to buy the Nürburgring, we made an offer and somebody topped us with a few dollars and bought it. And then they couldn't pay and it went on sale again. I said I'd be interested and then they found somebody else. So I don't know what's happening" (REUTERS, 1/15).
