Formula 1: Is the writing on the wall for German Grand Prix?

The Spanish Grand Prix was added to the 2020 Formula 1 schedule earlier does this week. As a result, is the writing on the wall for the German Grand Prix?

Last year at this time, the German Grand Prix was not on the 2019 Formula 1 schedule, which made sense considering it was on the 2018 schedule and had not been on consecutive schedules since the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

The Hockenheimring and the Nurburgring had been sharing the duties of hosting the German Grand Prix, with the former doing so in the even years and the latter doing so in the odd years. But after the latter pulled out of that contract after 2013, there was no German Grand Prix in 2015 or 2017.

However, Liberty Media and the Hockenheimring agreed to a one-year contract to return to the 17-turn the 2.842-mile (4.574-kilometer) road course in Am Motodrom, Hockenheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany in the 2019 season.

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This contract was designed to give the two sides plenty of time to discuss a potential five-year contract that would bring the race back to the schedule through at least the 2024 season.

But that doesn’t look likely, nor does it look likely that the race will even return to the schedule next year.

It was originally expected that any addition to the current 21-race schedule for next season would come at the expense of one of the existing 21 races. However, the teams agreed to allow the schedule to expand to 22 races.

The Dutch Grand Prix and the Vietnamese Grand Prix were recently added to the 2020 schedule. Among the current 21 races with uncertain futures beyond the 2019 season, aside of the German Grand Prix, were the Mexican Grand Prix and the Spanish Grand Prix.

Both races, however, were confirmed earlier this month, with the latter having been confirmed earlier this week. As a result, there are now 22 races, a new all-time record as it is, on next year’s schedule, and the German Grand Prix is the only one of this year’s races that isn’t.

A 23-race schedule simply doesn’t seem at all feasible at this point, and Mercedes have confirmed that they will not offer future German Grand Prix support after doing so this year.

The German manufacturer played a key role in getting the race back on the schedule in 2019 to celebrate 125 years of their involvement in motorsport, even serving as the race’s title sponsor, but this support was a one-off.

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For the German Grand Prix, the writing is on the wall.

Yes, it returned to this year’s Formula 1 schedule after having been “confirmed” as dropped from it last year. And yes, the Mexican Grand Prix and Spanish Grand Prix were rumored to be off next year’s schedule as well before extending their respective deals.

So yes, the German Grand Prix still, in theory, could return to next year’s schedule. Stranger things have happened (although, admittedly, a 23-race schedule would sit high atop any list of ‘strange things’ in Formula 1).

But when the 2020 schedule is revealed in the near future and the Hockenheimring is not on it, don’t be the least bit surprised.

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