HOCKENHEIM RACE TRACK
The Fast Track Hockenheimring
In
past years, Germany had two formula one Grand Prix races, but now and
beyond the world’s premier racing series will only have a single
event in Germany, alternating between the country’s two most famous
race tracks, Nurburgring and Hockenheim. For 2008, the German GP Formula
1 race will be held at Hockenheim, known for its fast speeds. Where the
legendary Nurburgring is located in the remote hills of Rhineland-Palatine
south of Cologne, the Hockenheimring, is just 30 minutes
south of Mannheim and 10 minutes from Speyer, just off the A6 outside
the town with
the same name in Baden-Württemberg.
Hockenheim can be easily reached on a quick side trip through central
west Germany, whether planning to catch the German Grand Prix Formula
F1 race cars on the big weekend in July, or just a visit to one of the
racing world's premier tracks.
Get
German Grand Prix Tickets
Hockenheimring
hosts a variety of other race events and motorsports activities through
out the year. The Jim Clark Revival. Named after the racing great world
champion who was killed at Hockenheim in a F2 crash in 1968, is held
at the end of April. One of the largest classic legacy racing events
in Europe for vintage speed machines, which in 2007 featured 650 classic
race cars on the high speed modern track, (see Monaco
Historics).
Where F1 GP event tickets can go for 71€ to over 300 euro for
a grandstand seat, tickets for the classic cars are about 15€.
A Drift Challenge Tuner Grand Prix is held in late May, Europe's and
Motorcycle Championships in mid-September, followed at the end of September
by Ferrari
Racing Days when the famed red machines own the track. Other race events
like Porsche Club Racing are also held on selected weekends and Europe's
biggest drag races at the Hockenheim Drag Strip.
Though
for some high speed fun, one needn’t sit in a stand and
watch others speed around the circuit. The Hockenheim race track offers
a number of activities for the speed addicted car enthusiast. A ride
as a passenger in a Race Taxi will take you around the high speed circuit’s
corners at the razors edge with a professional driver at the wheel. Though
the fare in this very special taxi is not cheap. Prices range from 178 € for
a race tuned Porsche RSR to 228 € for a ride in a full-on Group
C Sports Race Car. Check with the track for availability as the race taxi “Renntaxi” may
not operate during some race event weekends. A specially modified two
seater open wheel Formula Race car is also available for a ride from
Erich Hitschfel Racing School based at the track. If 3-5 laps around
the track just isn’t enough to satisfy a need for speed, the
racing school offers a range of competition race driving courses and
race days.
If a smaller version of the race track is your speed, or you have racing
mad kids in tow on a family vacation looking for an entertainment thrill,
the Hockenheimring has an outdoor go kart track available for kart
rental and racing located next to the paddock. The karting track is
laid out
in similar configuration to the big track and is open from 12 noon
to 9 pm, except when its raining.
Hockenheim Motor Sports Museum
The museum at the race track offers
a racing enthusiast experience rain or shine. Located next to the kart
track behind the south
grandstand
just off the A6 motorway, the museum features a collection of formula
one, sports racing cars and racing motorcycles. The Museum Theater
shows a movie depicting the development and history of the track and
a race
simulator game offers the chance to experience the thrill of a Formula
One race without the multi-million dollar budget. The museum is open
every day from March to December, including Sundays and bank holidays.
In January and February it’s only open on weekends. Admission to
the museum is €6 for adults and €3 for children. The
Hockenheim Race Track even has its own hotel virtually incorporated
into the grand stand on the front straight with a view of the track
from its restaurant, the Hotel
Motodrom. © Bargain
Travel Europe
Find
best hotel and vacation deals in
the Rhineland
on TripAdvisor
Web
Info
Hockenheimring
These articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel Europe and WLPV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission.
See Also:
STUTTGART
MUSEUMS
MERCEDES-BENZ MUSEUM STUTTGART
SINSHEIM AUTO & TECHNIK MUSEUM
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS RACETRACK MUSEUM
