so here we are already in round 11 of an impressive 17 organized by FIA & liberty media, which will be the 4th grand prix of 8 & 2nd circuit of 6 that F1 werent planning on visiting. but then 2020 will always be the year that everyone's best laid plans were chucked out of the window & hastily rearranged. especially as the interesting fact is that liberty almost cancelled as many as we racing at. F1 are going to 14 circuits but cancelled 13
this weekend will be the 4th iteration of a GP at the same location. thats just modern circuit that F1 started racing at in 1984.
European GP - 1984
German GP - 1985
European GP - 1995, 1996
Luxembourg GP - 1997, 1998
European GP - 1999 - 2007
German GP - 2009, 2011 & 2013
Eifel GP - 2020
Nurburgring along with Spa & Monza are the most historical circuits in both F1 or General Motorsport. that F1 visits this season. as was built way back in 1927 with Rudolf Caracciola 1 of the greatest pre war drivers. was the 1st winner in a car at the ring in a Mercedes (what ever happened to them
) 2 years later in 1929 it was shortened by 4 miles to the 14mile Nordschleife we still know & raced on today by the public made famous by Top Gear & professionals in the 24hr race & WTCC both since 2015. although you wont be surprised to hear that F1 stopped racing at the Nordschleife, but not wholly because of 1976 horror incident with Niki Lauda as even months before with the increase of TV coverage & rise in safety. the decision was taken that 1976 would be the final race. as it was deemed unrealistic to be able to show the 14 mile circuit on TV & also have the number of Marshalls needed in case of an accident. i wont go into detail about the accident as there better places that will do it justice + a fantastic film about it in 'rush'. but it is interesting how by small margins lives can be transformed. because with the forecast being for rain. Lauda attempted to arrange a boycott of the race, other drivers voted but the "lets race" won by just 1 vote, & the cruel twist of fate is the guy that didnt want to race & encouraged a boycott was the guy that was apart of horrendous crash. fully explains why months after his miraculous recovery. he would rather lose the world championship than race at Fuji. also being at Nürburgring especially in the year of the great underdog performance in Monza with pierre gasly. it would be remis of me to not mention the feel good win of Johnny Herbert win & double podium for Stewart in 1999 . a season where he would only score points 3 times. but history only remembers the win as gasly will learn in decades to come & also it was brilliant for Minardi who held off Eddie Irvine scoring their 1st points for 4 years & penultimate until they left in 2005. (if you dont include the farce that was 6 car indy)
Anyway right to bring us up right to the present, the last visit to Nürburgring in 2013, it was Lewis Hamilton who was on pole for Mercedes (as much as things change, they stay the same) but if we get the same podium next sunday then it will have been extremely eventful race as i highly doubt Vettel, Kimi & Grosjean will be able repeat the feat & for 2020 with the race being in mid October. it will be the latest F1 will have raced in europe since 1984 season & 1997 season when they raced at Estoril & Jerez on 21st & 26th October. but unlike them sunnier climes we are expecting some worse weather. the average October temperature at Nürburgring is 9c & last weeks 24hr race was red flagged for nearly 9 hours because of rainstorm the winner would later describe as “the worst conditions I have experienced”. but it wouldn't be F1 if we expected Bad weather only for it to be bone dry.
The weekend could be very historical because Kimi Raikkonen providing he takes the start on Sunday will break Barrichello record, moving on 323 races. an absolute stalwart of F1. when he debuted in 2001 Michael Schumacher won the Race & competed against Hakkinen, Villeneuve, Alesi, Frentzen & Jos Verstappen. he always win most popular driver award & if you gave him 13th on grid, 6th in the race like his debut he would probably be delighted in his own kimi way & Lewis Hamilton could match the previously unbeatable record of Micheal Schumacher 91 wins. in almost the most perfect place, that you couldnt script any better. because would it be at a "home" race mercedes werent expecting but also at home track of the Schumacher family as circuit is only 45 miles from his birthplace & in would be sad but proud moment in the same way of the infamous press conference when Michael overtook Senna's victory tally. but then im sure this is nothing new as people felt similar when Stewart Overtook fangio, Prost Overtook Stewart & the last time Schumacher overtook Prost way back in spa 2001
also to end on some stats that i couldn't find a place for. but still worth a place
Jacques Villeneuve final F1 win in 27th sept 1997 in the Luxembourg GP at Nürburgring came 3 days before Max Verstappen was born
I hope the circuit is a happier hunting ground for Max than dad Jos in all the 7 races he competed in, never finished on the lead lap all he had was 4 DNF's, 13th, 14th & a team that folded that before they got there. to show for it
Only once at this modern Nürburgring. has driver from a country that doesn't have red in their flag won the race. that was Mika Hakkinen in 1998
this weekend will be the 4th iteration of a GP at the same location. thats just modern circuit that F1 started racing at in 1984.
European GP - 1984
German GP - 1985
European GP - 1995, 1996
Luxembourg GP - 1997, 1998
European GP - 1999 - 2007
German GP - 2009, 2011 & 2013
Eifel GP - 2020
Nurburgring along with Spa & Monza are the most historical circuits in both F1 or General Motorsport. that F1 visits this season. as was built way back in 1927 with Rudolf Caracciola 1 of the greatest pre war drivers. was the 1st winner in a car at the ring in a Mercedes (what ever happened to them
) 2 years later in 1929 it was shortened by 4 miles to the 14mile Nordschleife we still know & raced on today by the public made famous by Top Gear & professionals in the 24hr race & WTCC both since 2015. although you wont be surprised to hear that F1 stopped racing at the Nordschleife, but not wholly because of 1976 horror incident with Niki Lauda as even months before with the increase of TV coverage & rise in safety. the decision was taken that 1976 would be the final race. as it was deemed unrealistic to be able to show the 14 mile circuit on TV & also have the number of Marshalls needed in case of an accident. i wont go into detail about the accident as there better places that will do it justice + a fantastic film about it in 'rush'. but it is interesting how by small margins lives can be transformed. because with the forecast being for rain. Lauda attempted to arrange a boycott of the race, other drivers voted but the "lets race" won by just 1 vote, & the cruel twist of fate is the guy that didnt want to race & encouraged a boycott was the guy that was apart of horrendous crash. fully explains why months after his miraculous recovery. he would rather lose the world championship than race at Fuji. also being at Nürburgring especially in the year of the great underdog performance in Monza with pierre gasly. it would be remis of me to not mention the feel good win of Johnny Herbert win & double podium for Stewart in 1999 . a season where he would only score points 3 times. but history only remembers the win as gasly will learn in decades to come & also it was brilliant for Minardi who held off Eddie Irvine scoring their 1st points for 4 years & penultimate until they left in 2005. (if you dont include the farce that was 6 car indy)Anyway right to bring us up right to the present, the last visit to Nürburgring in 2013, it was Lewis Hamilton who was on pole for Mercedes (as much as things change, they stay the same) but if we get the same podium next sunday then it will have been extremely eventful race as i highly doubt Vettel, Kimi & Grosjean will be able repeat the feat & for 2020 with the race being in mid October. it will be the latest F1 will have raced in europe since 1984 season & 1997 season when they raced at Estoril & Jerez on 21st & 26th October. but unlike them sunnier climes we are expecting some worse weather. the average October temperature at Nürburgring is 9c & last weeks 24hr race was red flagged for nearly 9 hours because of rainstorm the winner would later describe as “the worst conditions I have experienced”. but it wouldn't be F1 if we expected Bad weather only for it to be bone dry.
The weekend could be very historical because Kimi Raikkonen providing he takes the start on Sunday will break Barrichello record, moving on 323 races. an absolute stalwart of F1. when he debuted in 2001 Michael Schumacher won the Race & competed against Hakkinen, Villeneuve, Alesi, Frentzen & Jos Verstappen. he always win most popular driver award & if you gave him 13th on grid, 6th in the race like his debut he would probably be delighted in his own kimi way & Lewis Hamilton could match the previously unbeatable record of Micheal Schumacher 91 wins. in almost the most perfect place, that you couldnt script any better. because would it be at a "home" race mercedes werent expecting but also at home track of the Schumacher family as circuit is only 45 miles from his birthplace & in would be sad but proud moment in the same way of the infamous press conference when Michael overtook Senna's victory tally. but then im sure this is nothing new as people felt similar when Stewart Overtook fangio, Prost Overtook Stewart & the last time Schumacher overtook Prost way back in spa 2001
also to end on some stats that i couldn't find a place for. but still worth a place
Jacques Villeneuve final F1 win in 27th sept 1997 in the Luxembourg GP at Nürburgring came 3 days before Max Verstappen was born
I hope the circuit is a happier hunting ground for Max than dad Jos in all the 7 races he competed in, never finished on the lead lap all he had was 4 DNF's, 13th, 14th & a team that folded that before they got there. to show for it
Only once at this modern Nürburgring. has driver from a country that doesn't have red in their flag won the race. that was Mika Hakkinen in 1998
