As befits the land that produced the Schumacher brothers, Germany is pround to own two of the most challenging F1 race tracks in the world, making it a true Mecca for all motor racing fans.

Since 2008 the German round of the F1 championship is now alternating every year between the Nürburgring and Hockenheimring.

Nürburgring
22nd to the 24th July 2011
The Nürburgring consists of two parts, or loops, by far the longest of which is the northern one (the Nordschleife), laid out between 1925 and 1927. This 14-mile stretch of track, which runs through the forests of the High Eifel, and through many hills and bends, used to be seen as one of the toughest tests for Formula One drivers in the world. British driver Jackie Stewart, a former world champion, described it as ''the green hell''.

In 1976 Niki Lauda suffered severe burns in a nearly fatal accident which led to the withdrawal of the licence to stage Formula One events from Nürburgring on safety grounds.

The track underwent huge redevelopment to create a new circuit on the southern loop, the Südschleife, a run of just under three miles with considerably fewer bends and hills.

In the mid 1980s the track was twice used to host the European Grand Prix but its comeback as a Formula One venue was only really sealed in the mid-1990s with the success of Michael Schuamcher, from nearby Kerpen. In 1997 and 1998 Nürburgring was the venue for the Luxembourg Grand Prix; since then, the annual race there has been labelled the European Grand Prix.

The new track may not be as challenging as the old circuit, but it is still possible to take a trip down memory lane - literally. For just a few Euros one can take a car on to the old track and try out what was one of the most feared and respected circuits in the history of motor sport.

Tickets for the Formula 1 European Grand Prix and other motor sport events taking place at the Nürburgring near Koblenz and Mayen are available from:

Nürburg Ring GmbH
53520 Nürburg/Eifel
www.nuerburgring.de

F1-Ticket-Hotline
Open from 9.00 - 17.00
0049 2691 923060
Fax 0049 2691 923066Reservations are only accepted in writing. Due to the very high volume of administration the organizer is not able to send confirmation until after 5 weeks after receipt of your order.

The Nürburg Tourist Information Service
Tel: 0049 2691 302610
Fax: 0049 2691 302650

Nürburg Ring Information
Tel: 0049 2691 3020
Fax: 0049 2691 302155
On days when there are no races taking place it is possible to take your own car or motorcycle on to the racing curcuit, for details and information on other events call the above number.

How to get there
Nürburg is located in the heart of the Eifel mountains 50Km towards the west of Koblenz. From Koblenz you would get to Nürburg using the B258 national road or the motorway A48 exit Ulmen. If you are coming from the north you would use the motorway A1 or A61 exit Nürburg. The nearest railway station is Ahrbrück, 1h45 min by train from Cologne (change in Remagen), ther are trains at least once an hour. Ahrbrück is 13Km north of  the racing circuit, we suggest the final transfer by taxi or local bus.

Hockenheim Ring
Dates for 2012 are not yet confirmed.

The Hockenheim circuit was built in 1939 as a high-speed test track for Mercedes-Benz, which needed a test venue ahead of the Tripoli Grand Prix. The original track was almost five miles long and consisted of two long curved straights with a long corner at either end.

When war broke out the construction was halted and in the post-war Germany the Nürburgring became the venue for Formula One, with Hockenheim hosting a few smaller events.

A plan to build a motorway through the circuit resulted in the race track receiving a large amount of compensation, which was used to build a new track. The now new famous Hockenheim circuit cuts through a forest before looping back into a wonderful stadium section with large grandstands.

After Nürburgring lost its licence to host Formula One races in 1976, Hockenheim became the home of the German Grand Prix. The extraordinary successes of the Schumacher brothers have turned the Hockenheim race into one of the most electrifying of the season.

Tickets for the German Grand Prix and other motor sport events taking place at the Hockenheim Ring near Mannheim and Heidelberg are available from:

Hockenheim-Ring GmbH
Postfach 1106
68754 Hockenheim
Germany

Tel: 00 49 6205 950 -0 (or -222)
Fax: 00 49 6205 950 -299
Internet: http://www.hockenheimring.de/
E-mail: [email protected]

Reservations are only accepted in writing.

Motor Car Museum Hockenheim Ring
Opening hours: 10.00-17.00
Entrance fees:
Adults € 6 / € 5 (on racing days)
Children € 3
Groups (10+) reduction of  € 1 per person

How to get there:
Hockenheim is a small town in the southern part of central Germany, some 60 miles away from the international Frankfurt am Main airport. The A5 road link is the most convenient to use when coming from Frankfurt.
Stuttgart Echterdingen airport is 75 miles to the north west, while the Konrad Adenauer airport at Köln/Bonn and Düsseldorf Rhein Ruhr airport are a little more remote, but linked by the A61.