Name change possible for German Grand Prix

F1 Fanatic round-up

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In the round-up: Bernie Ecclestone says the German Grand Prix could run under a different name this year to keep the race on the calendar.

McLaren MP4-28 launch

The second car launch of the year is today. McLaren will be revealing the MP4-28 from 11am UK time so look out for lots of coverage from the launch on the site later today.

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German GP in doubt amid wrangle (BBC)

Bernie Ecclestone: “We’ve said to them we don’t have to call it the German Grand Prix this year, we can call it the Grand Prix of Europe.”

Grosjean: I used psychologist (Sky)

“It’s not a secret that I started work with a psychologist in September last year and it went very well during the winter. I had a lot of discussion with Genii, the owner, to try to help them understand and take the right decision. And when they called me to say, ‘Okay we go again for one more year’ I was more than happy.”

Don’t get drunk on stardom, Hamilton warned by Sir Jackie (The Sun)

Jackie Stewart: “You just have to be damn careful you don’t get carried away with your own importance, your own celebrity, or your own schedule outside of being in the cockpit. It can be quite intoxicating.”

Glock disappointed by F1’s embrace of pay drivers (Crash)

“The top teams get a lot of money from Bernie Ecclestone, starving the small teams a little bit. Last year, we showed that we can make a step forward, and found more than 1.5 seconds, but, in order to make the big step, you need double the budget.”

A visit worth its weight in gold (Ferrari)

“The thing that struck me the most when I went into the department where the new car was being built, was the smell, the same I used to smell when I went to the Chip Ganassi team headquarters in America. There too the car was red, but it definitely wasn’t a Ferrari!”

TopGear.com builds a 2013 F1 tyre! (Top Gear)

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery: “I spoke with Michael [Schumacher] about it many times, but it depends on what your philosophy is of how Formula One should be. You could go for the maximum performance envelope – tyres, engines, aero all set to max – which the sport did, but that only ended up with processional racing. The fans left in their droves. We were asked to do something different.”

Analysis: 2013 F1 Rules and Trends (ScarbsF1)

“With far reaching regulation changes coming onto the sport in 2014, the 2013 season is likely to be a year of consolidation, as few changes have been are written into this year’s rule book. So teams will be expected to optimise their designs from last year, correcting mistakes and adopting some of the better ideas of their rivals.”

F1’s invisible men: The keys to 2014 (Autosport, subscription required)

“There are even rumours of Red Bull running its top secret simulator ‘live’ as a third car in practice sessions, although this is denied by the team. Most remarkable is the fact that, with a few days to go before the opening pre-season tests, many race drivers have already driven their 2013 mounts in the virtual world!”

London to Paris Bike Ride 2013 (Action Medical Research for Children)

Rob Sinfield of Grand Prix Diary has assembled a seriously impressive collection of F1 prizes – donate to his charity bike ride for your chance to win.

Sky announces Italian team; extends contract in Germany (F1 Broadcasting)

“Carlo Vanzini will commentate on the action alongside Marc Gene, as the two previously did from 2007 to 2009. Jacques Villeneuve, Fabiano Vandone and Sarah Winkhaus will also form part of the presentation team.”

Video: Tommy Byrne’s McLaren test (Motorsport Musings)

“Despite making their car go faster than it had ever gone before, McLaren never showed any interest in acquiring Byrne’s services and he was later portrayed in the press as being an arrogant and cocksure wannabe.”

Australian Grand Prix Albert Park F1 Circuit – Timelapse Video (YouTube)

Tweets

Comment of the day

@Supernicebob on Ferrari’s choice of name for its new car:

I hope one day there’s a series of errors and Ferrari launch the F=RAND()*999
@Supernicebob

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On this day in F1

On this day last year Adrian Sutil received a suspended 18-month jail sentence.

A court ruled he had inflicted grievous bodily harm on Eric Lux, CEO of Lotus owners Genii Capital, in a nightclub in Shanghai in 2011.

There have been rumours Sutil could return to Force India this year. The team are due to launch their 2013 contender tomorrow but are yet to confirm their driver line-up.

Images © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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75 comments on “Name change possible for German Grand Prix”

  1. Bernie wants to call the German GP the GP why can’t we just have a European GP. If we can’t get the 20th race sorted and falls apart. I know it suppose to be an alternation but you could get the Nurburging or Hockenheim which one is left over after the negotiations between the circuits and Bernie and you can rename that GP to the German GP

    1. I meant to put the GP of Europe straight after the German GP

      1. This is about money, if the track can’t get Bernie to reduce the fee so they can stage the race without making a loss they don’t want to be undercut by another track getting a sweetheart deal from Bernie, it’s their only negotiating tool.

    2. @william – It depends on what Valencia is doing.

      In 1997 and 1998, there were two races in Germany; one at Hockenheim, and the other at the Nurburgring. The race at the Nurburgring was known as the “Luxembourg Grand Prix”, because Hockenheim held the German Grand Prix, and Jerez held the European Grand Prix. The name was chosen because the Nurburgring is actually pretty close to the German border. After Jerez had their contract terminated in 1997, the plan was for the Nurburgring to assume the title of European Grand Prix, but the organisers in Jerez refused to give it up, and so the race at the Nurburgring was run as the Luxembourg Grand Prix once again.

      Since Hockenheim is in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany’s southern-most state (along with Bavaria), Bernie might be willing to do something similar if the names “German Grand Prix” and “European Grand Prix” are not available. Perhaps the “Swiss Grand Prix”, which was last held at Dijon-Prenois – in France – in 1982. Or the “Liechtenstein Grand Prix”, because it sounds funny.

      1. @prisoner-monkeys
        Valencia doesn’t have a track any more. I think it has been demolished or being turn into a public road. I agree with you it sounds funny with the names of those GPs

        1. @william – The circuit still exists. It’s just fallen into a state of disrepair – perhaps because the organisers in Valencia believe their will be sharing the Spanish Grand Prix with Barcelona (in much the same way that Hockenheim and the Nurburgring alternate) starting this year, but the organisers in Barcelona have let it be known that they do not want to share. The event is in contractual limbo, and the organisers probably don’t see much point to maintaining the circuit until such time as the sitaution is sorted out.

          1. @prisoner-monkeys
            Circuit de Catalunya organisers don’t want to alternate with Valencia as they seem keen to extend their contract beyond 2016. Valencia only produced 1 classic race which was 2012 and Catalunya produces some great racing all the time without a doubt about that. We will know more in the future to see if Valencia seem keen they want to hold on to the race?

          2. Valencia only produced 1 classic race which was 2012 and Catalunya produces some great racing all the time without a doubt about that.

            At the 1999 Spanish Grand Prix – in Barcelona – there was just one recorded overtake. So I wouldn’t be so generous as to say it “produced great racing all the time”.

  2. OmarR-Pepper (@)
    31st January 2013, 0:37

    I guess the name is very important for some contract reasons, but if Bernie can keep it in any way, he may give it the name of Bernie GP. It finally doesn’t matter to me!

  3. “The Nurburgring is where the race should take place, and the AvD say unless they can do it then it can’t take place,”

    Let me see if I am understanding this right. What AvD are essentially saying is that they want to be the exclusive hosts to the German GP? I don’t get why they are making a fuss saying they want to ‘do it’ given that this year is their turn anyway? As much as I love to hate on Bernie, this issue doesn’t seem to be his doing on the face of it.

    1. @nick-uk

      Let me see if I am understanding this right. What AvD are essentially saying is that they want to be the exclusive hosts to the German GP?

      I think you’ll find that they are unwilling to give up the title of “German Grand Prix”, because if they do, they might not get it back. Although they appear to be in no position to host the race this year, their event-sharing arragement with Hockenehim means that the race will come back to them in 2015, and they could well be in a better position then. But they’re probably afraid that if they relinquish the title of “German Grand Prix” now, then Bernie might do a deal with Hockenheim (or some other circuit) to host the race annually, in which case the Nurburgring would lose all claim to the race name. And although the race has been run as the European Grand Prix and the Luxembourg Grand Prix in the past, holding the German Grand Prix would always be preferable since the circuit is n Germany.

    2. The AvD (Automobilclub von Deutschland) is the organizer of races at Hockenheim, while the ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club) organizes races at the Nürburgring. The AvD held rights to the German Grand Prix name and in 2007 refused to allow the ADAC to use it for their GP at the Ring, forcing them to call it the Grand Prix of Europe instead. So for the first time since 1960 there was no German Grand Prix in 2007.

      1. I think you might have those two the wrong way around. This is taken from the article Keith linked to above:

        The AvD (Automobilclub von Deutschland) who own the Nurburgring are adamant the race, which is scheduled for 7 July, cannot be transferred to Hockenheim, owned by ADAC.

        It makes no sense if the AvD and ADAC each own one circuit and organise races at the other.

      2. Its the other way around Ogurka, the ADAC runs the Hockenheim GP, and the AvD is doing the Nurburgring.
        I understand that the plan is for the ADAC to organise the race at the Nurburgring this year, but that will only work as the German GP if the AvD agrees (as they have the naming rights to the German GP at the Nurburgring). Otherwise its clear that the rivalry between these two is the reason for the unclarity about the name, but it seems that is now all but settled after the regional government got involved at top level.

        1. Ahh, so because the Nurburgring owners are having financial trouble, there is a chance that Hockenheim owners could back and arrange a race, but AT the Nurburgring? This is an issue because Avd have rights to host it there as the German GP, not ADAC? If ADAC were to host a race there as German GP then two organisers would have the same right, Avd want to prevent this. Thus, they are trying to call it the Eurpoean GP.

          The confusion I am having over this is on par with the whole Lotus name saga haha.

          1. I see you got what it is all about right there!

  4. Does anyone except the lawyers actually care what’s it called? I understand that there are legal points, but for anyone else, the name is irrelevant. I couldn’t care less if Montreal was called Egyptian GP.

    1. @brace
      Legal matters are important. Would you care if your house was in someone elses name, even if you could still live in it?

  5. Give it a break Mr. Jackie Stewart!! What are you on about? You are stating the obvious AGAIN!!

    1. Exactly. Stewart would know from 1st hand experience!

  6. “You just have to be damn careful you don’t get carried away with your own importance, your own celebrity, or your own schedule outside of being in the cockpit. It can be quite intoxicating.”

    @Jackie Stewart
    That comment should have been made a couple of years ago.

    1. Its funny @maksutov, while I can see where Stewart is coming from, when I start thinking about it, its completely wrong.
      – warning philosophy alert

      Yes, sure, to be a fast driver winning races its best to be focussed only on that, and nothing else. But doesn’t that take away from a driver as a human being, make him a driving robot in a way? Its that what led Kimi to walk out on F1, and realizing there can be a different approach is what led him back, probably stronger than ever, but surely a lot more happy as a person.
      In the same sense, Hamilton doing things off track might mean bit of a dip in his driving career, but if he is happier for it, isn’t that something to have huge respect for (doing things that cost you, but make you a better person – at least in your own view)?

      As a fan of the sport it might be a shame to see someone not use his full potential on track all the time, but it does make him a more rounded off and interesting person. And as with Button, in time it might bring him even more and more durable success in his life.

      1. I agree with you, as long as it is balanced. I think Hamilton seems to be doing that better now.

        But Jackie Stewart has a tendency to point things out late. Perhaps it would’ve been useful for Hamilton to hear that a few years back, but I don’t think it applies as much now. Hamilton has proven something significant about his character with his move to another team and I think he has changed (slightly more mature) certainly in the last year.

  7. Taki Inoue high and nutty as usual. Lol love his tweets.

    1. Hey at least he can laugh at himself.

  8. The offical race name is “Großer Preis von Deutschland”, so couldn’t they just change it up to “Deutschland Großer Preis”??? Basically just reversing the name.

    Also shouldn’t this be something the tracks have no control over? The FIA or FOM (whoever is ultimately in charge of this part of things) really is behind the times IMHO on this matter. A series ran the way F1 is ran (with a universal naming style for races) should be the one to own & set the name of the race however they want.

    See we don’t have these problems in

    1. BTW That last part should be “See we don’t have these problems in NASCAR”. I hit post a little early haha

    2. @fisha695

      The offical race name is “Großer Preis von Deutschland”, so couldn’t they just change it up to “Deutschland Großer Preis”??? Basically just reversing the name.

      I don’t think that’s an option. When the Nurburgring signed the contract to host the German Grand Prix every other year, they would have gotten the rights to the name “German Grand Prix” and every other variant thereof to prevent someone else from starting up a rival event and using a similar-sounding name to profit off it.

      Besides, “Großer Preis von Deutschland” quite literally means “Grand Prix of Germany” – which means that “Deutschland Großer Preis” is “German(y) Grand Prix”.

      1. How do you insert the ‘beta’ for the ss?

        1. I copy/pasted it. But you can can also hold the Alt button on your keyboard and press 225 on the number-pad (numbers on side not across the top) at the same time to get it.

  9. Do GP’s have to be named after the country/continent they are on? If not, why not “The Bavarian GP” or something along those lines?

    1. If not, why not “The Bavarian GP”

      Because Hockenheim isn’t in Bavaria.

      1. Yes but it is near Bavaria and it is a name easily identifiable with Germany still. Kind of how the Luxembourg GP wasn’t in Luxembourg. Or San Marino wasn’t in San Marino. The Baden-Wurttemberg Grand Prix doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as well ;)

    2. Not sure the Rheinland-Pfalz Grand Prix is really all that nice, if so I would rather see something like the Eiffel Grand Prix (pointing to the Eiffel mountains the Nurburgring is in) which has a nice ring to it

    3. I don’t know why no one thought about the name simple as “Hockenheim Grand Prix”.
      We all were the circut is.

      1. We all know where the circut is.*

    4. hahaha If you name the race in Hockenheim “the Bavarian GP” you’ll start a war in Germany. Many Germans kinda dislike the Bavarians. People in the south of Germany are very proud of their own heritage and you might get punched in the face if you call a Badenese a Bavarian or a Bavarian a Swabian or so on. =)

  10. Taki Inoue is at it again….

  11. @prisoner-monkeys
    I think you are right when there is only one 1 overtake it didn’t produce great racing but when there is so many overtakes it is a boring race but I think when there are SC it will be interesting to see who has got the best line after the restart or who has got the speed to overtake and when they are all bunched up next to each other it will be a great race but when they are spread out it will be a boring race

  12. Nurburging to host 2013 German Formula One GP

    1. @william – Got a source for that?

        1. @william – I think I’ll prefer to wait until someone is named and quoted as saying it’s back on, rather than some anonymous government source.

          1. @prisoner-monkeys
            Lets wait and see to see what Bernie has to say about the German GP, Grand Prix of Europe or European GP which will take place in either Hockenheim or Nurburging

          2. I just had a look at the original source gptoday points at (German Allgemeine Zeitung) @prisoner-monkeys, and when they quote the regional Prime Minister, I am willing to believe this is genuine:

            Ministerpräsidentin Malu Dreyer und Innenminister Roger Lewentz (beide SPD) freuen sich über den Durchbruch: “Das ist eine gute Nachricht für die Region”, ließen sie noch am späten Mittwochabend verlauten.

            in rough translation:

            Prime minister Malu Dreyer and interior Minister Roger Lewenzt (both of the SPD party) are happy about the breakthrough: “This is a positive message for the region”, they said late on Wednesday evening

    2. Eurosport reported that the race is confirmed at the Nurburgring and it includes a statement from Bernie

      1. @bakano
        I told @prisoner-monkeys as I knew about it about 3hrs ago as I saw it on gptoday.com

  13. I’m actually glad to see that Ferrari at times names their cars something more original and unique then the stirringly name “F1 2012”. I’ve always felt that F1 cars names have been utterly predictable and completely boring. I can pretty much predict every teams car name for the next 10 years. I can just imagine what Red Bull is thinking: “What should we name our car this years guys? Well, this is our ninth car we’ve made, and we’re the ones who make it so…..how about…the Red Bull 9? We’ll call it the RB9 for short? Hey that’s a great idea!”

    I look forward to the ‘McLaren MP4/97’ when I’m ninety. Because they won’t change the naming!

    1. @skitty4lb Well, they did change it once before.

    2. I don’t mind naming the car, but to “name the car” something special, and come up with a number that you need long to explain, shows sometimes the brandname is strong enough not to make sense.

      If one wants to name the car, why not use a name instead of numbers. Or use something that makes sense (like pointing to the engine configuration still did make sense) Its the same for the McLaren MP4/12C, that also does not sit well as a name. Ferrari California, for example/compariso,n is a name that does make some sense.

      Love the COTD, good one @Supernicebob

      1. I agree that since they come out with a new car every year, it would be nigh impossible to name it something unique every time, which is why I congratulation Ferrari in mixing things up every few years. But why not McLaren name their car the MP4/28-60 for their anniversary? Ferrari did it a few years back…(or was that the Italian independence anniversary?) Orteams name it after a person in honorarium? They have other options.

        McLaren did tag a B onto the MP4/5 one year…;)

    1. @william – What’s “GG”?

    2. Sorry about what I put when “GG” I was only working it to see if I was logged in so Keith can you please delete my comment on about GG

    3. I did have to refresh the page about 3-4 times before I could log in today (and yesterday), did you have something like that @william? (i logged in, but then the screen just displayed the pages as if not logged in again)

      1. @bascb
        I certainly did as I had the same problem as you I kept on putting my username and password to log in but it just wouldn’t work

        1. Still having it, as a matter of fact, this comment is from Hohum but apparently I may be APSASAPSA for this comment if it actually gets published.

          1. in the end it got up as posted by you @hohum

          2. It is kinda weird when some ones name comes up down the bottom when you haven’t logged in but then when you go and type you want to test it out and then when you hit it it comes up

  14. A fantastic video celebrating McLaren’s fiftieth year:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7JteIEW4OI

    1. The video has been removed by the user :-\
      Do you remember the title of the video @prisoner-monkeys? I made a search on Google with “video celebrating McLaren’s fiftieth year” but couldn’t find anything. The birthday is actually on September, so it seems a bit soon for the official video. Was it from McLaren?

  15. Chris (@tophercheese21)
    31st January 2013, 7:36

    The time lapse video is awesome!

  16. Need a name for German GP if it cant be called the German GP? How about the Santander Grand Prix, Sponsored by Santander? #theyretakingover— Ben Haddleton (@bmgh85) January 31, 2013

  17. Something I just thought of (skimmed the comments & didn’t see it mentioned either)… In 2007 the roles were sort of reversed as far as naming goes, Hockenheim had the rights to the “German GP” name and would not let the ‘Ring use it, this is like payback.

    Don’t worry by this Summer Bernie will announce that one of his buddies is going to build a purpose built track in the Berlin area (which actually with the current German design style & Solar/Wind/Eco/Green/Futuristic way of thinking/doing things there today could actually be pretty cool looking) and it will have like a 500 year paid-in-advance guaranteed contract. l0l

  18. That Ferrari article about Zanardi visiting Maranello gave me a nice thought: What if Ferrari built him a hand operated F1 car?
    I would even be supportive of him doing 1000s of miles of testing or even allow them an exceptional 3rd car like that :-)

  19. which the sport did, but that only ended up with processional racing. The fans left in their droves.

    I don’t mind processional racing. If I want to see close racing I could watch one of at least a dozen spec series. F1 is all about being the best and fastest everything. Drivers, cars, tyres circuits etc. But I guess I’m not a fan then…
    And besides in every other sport I can think of it is always the same teams or players winning. You never hear anyone complaining about that.

    1. Not real fans I reckon, those that left were no doubt hoping for something like an early Indianapolis 500 with lots of crashes and fireballs. Perhaps we should blame the frenzied action of video games for this as well.

  20. Is it bad that my first thought on seeing that Grosjean used a psychologist was “aw, bless!”

  21. Another great article from ScarbsF1. This part had me go WOW on Adrian Newey

    Unbeknown to us at the time, there was a solution developed by Red Bull. This set up blew the exhaust into the rear brake duct area; the exhaust was then ducted down to the diffusers edge to seal the diffuser as in 2011. This approach was banned before the season started and lead Red Bull to rethink its EBD development.

    The things they come up with.

    1. @bascb, great article indeed! One thing I learned was that the weight distribution was fixed, why, were they afraid Porsche might gain an advantage by hanging the engine out the back? Surely it wasn’t meant to be a cost saving rule, not when you look at how the teams are having to develop components especially to fit in the rear of the car, if it was to keep the drivers from sitting dangerously close to the front then that should and has been regulated. It seems to me that the more restrictive the rules the more expensive it becomes to design a winning car.

      1. I think its mostly to cut back on areas that teams can choose to go completely different paths (making it harder for anyone to upset the current power balance by suddenly coming up with a something completely new that works, and others not being able to follow suit fast enough – which would also cost a lot, therefor its under the “saving cost” banner, I guess)

        1. Maybe so, but it appears to be having the opposite effect like so many cost/cutting rules.

  22. What a totally bonkers argument…

    “We’ve said to them we don’t have to call it the German Grand Prix this year, we can call it the Grand Prix of Europe,” said Ecclestone. “We’re doing our best to get it sorted.”

    Of course, if it came to that then the media would make sure that they constantly reminded us of this temporary name change and why it’s happened, which only goes to further show how idiotic the people at the Nurburgring are. It won’t do them any favours. It’ll be a Grand Prix, in Germany and hence, the German Grand Prix. Fools.

  23. mclaren bring their 2012 car to their new car launch by mistake!

  24. I want to be there and watch the race.

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