Hockenheimring F1 spectator guide
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Written by @Damien_Marquez   
Tuesday, 17 July 2012 00:22

Why go?

A well organised event, excellent view from most seats, clean facilities, plenty of food, drink and merchandise stalls, a relatively easy access, friendly and efficient staff… The F1 round at Hockenheim is exactly the type of grand prix you would expect the Germans to deliver.

The atmosphere and support for teams and drivers is very balanced despite the amount of German drivers in the field, which is great stuff for the impartial follower of the sport.

The circuit itself has also become a lot more spectator friendly than in its previous incarnation. Long gone are the overtaking manoeuvres happening at the chicanes in the middle of the forest where no one would be there to witness them. TV viewers and drivers alike probably bemoan the circuit changes, however, spectators see the leading car 67 times rather than 45 times before the 2002 event.

It might lack a bit of charm, but all in all, the Hockenheimring is probably one of the best purpose-built circuits to attend a Formula 1 weekend in Europe.

View from Nordtribüne (Image: MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team)

 

Contents:

1. Location and access
2. Ticket prices
3. Which grandstand to choose
4. Tips & recommendations
5. Useful websites for your Hockenheim trip

 

1. Location and access

Hockenheim is located within 20 kilometres of Mannheim (worth a check for accommodation) and within reach from either Frankfurt or Stuggart if you are driving. To put it in perspective, it is comparable to coming to Silverstone from London or Birmingham. This also means you will need to arm yourself with patience at the end of the day to go back to the highway. Please also be aware there is a long walk (20 minutes) from the car park to most grandstands.

The train journey from Mannheim to Hockenheim takes about 20 minutes and there are buses linking the train station to the circuit. If the queue for the buses is too long, the Hockenheim train station is only a 30 minute walk from the track.

View of Nico Hulkenberg's Williams FW32 Cosworth from Südtribüne
(Image: Lorenzo Bellanca / LAT Photographic for Williams F1)

2. Ticket prices

The diagram offered by various ticket resellers (not shown here) is a little complex. We have tried to simplify the price list as much as possible. Please have a look at it in conjunction with the map below. The zone numbering (where applicable) goes clockwise.

Weekend passes for covered grandstands:
€500 / £400 / $600 - Südtribüne Oberrang
€450 / £350 / $550 - Südtribüne C-D and Haupttribüne A-D
€400 / £300 / $500 - Südtribüne E and Haupttribüne E
€350 / £275 / $450 - Südtribüne A (zones 4-5), B, F-H, Mercedes Oberrang (row 25 and above) and Nordtribüne A (zones 1-3, closer to the start/finish line)
€300 / £250 / $350 - Nordtribüne A (zones 4-6), Nordtribüne B, Nordtribüne C (zones 1-4) and Innentribüne C
€250 / £200 / $300 - Südtribüne A (zone 2), Mercedes Unterrang (rows 1-3), Nordtribüne C (zone 5), Innentribüne A (zones 6-7) and Innentribüne B
€200 / £150 / $250 - Südtribüne A (zone 1), Nordtribüne C (zone 6) and Innentribüne A (zones 1-5)

Weekend passes for non-covered grandstands:
€350 / £275 / $450 - Südtribüne C-D
€300 / £250 / $350 - Südtribüne B, E-H and Nordtribüne A (zones 1-3)
€250 / £200 / $300 - Südtribüne A (zones 3-5), Nordtribüne A (zones 4-6), B, C (zones 1-4) and Innentribüne C
€200 / £150 / $250 - Südtribüne A (zone 2), Nordtribüne C (zone 5), Innentribüne A (zones 6-7) and Innentribüne B
€150 / £120 / $200 - Südtribüne A (zone 1), Nordtribüne C (zone 6) and Innentribüne A (zones 1-5)

Sunday passes (non-covered grandstands only):
€280 / £220 / $350 - Südtribüne B, E-H and Nordtribüne A (zones 1-3)
€230 / £180 / $300 - Südtribüne A (zone 3), Nordtribüne A (zones 4-6), B, C (zones 1-4) and Innentribüne C

General Admission (weekend passes only):
€150 / £120 / $200 - Spitzkehre 1 (grandstand with unreserved seating)
€100 / £80 / $150 - Parabolika

Children tickets are available for most grandstands at about half-price.

(Picture: Hockenheim-Ring GmbH)


3. Which grandstand to choose?

All grandstands offer amazing visibility of the race track. They all have a videowall opposite, even Spitzkehre 1 in general admission.

Unlike some other grands prix, the Hockenheimring does not allow grandstand roving on Friday and you'll have the same view all weekend so choose your seat(s) wisely.

The weather can be a little unpredictable (either very sunny and hot or miserable) and a covered grandstand will ensure you make the best of your weekend; as well as the advantage of a higher vantage point with a view unobstructed by the safety fence.

The Südtribüne Oberrang, being elevated, offers the best views, providing you are equipped with binoculars. You can see the cars from the end of Parabolika, into the hairpin, then in Turns 7, and from Turn 10 to Turn 1 after the cars re-emerge from the Mercedes grandstand.

Any seat in Südtribüne B-H will do if you want to see most of the stadium section as well as the start/finish. Südtribüne C-D are probably best overall and Südtribüne H is great for the grid activities, start/finish and podium.

Spectators in Innentribüne will also see the whole stadium section, but won't be able to see the start/finish straight.

If overtaking is you main priority, then the Mercedes grandstand should sound like a good idea. From there, you'll see the action from Parabolika to Turn 9, including a good view of both the hairpin and Turn 8 where most of the moves happen.

Amateur photographers will want to be located at the slow corners. Mercedes, Innentribüne C and Südtribüne A-C being the best spots.

The other grandstands are all a bit one dimensional, although Haupttribüne, Nordtribüne A, B and C (zones 1-3) are for pitlane and Turn 1 action, with the former located opposite the podium and start/finish line.

Nordtribüne (zones 4-6) and Südtribüne A (zones 1-2) do not provide a view of the pit straight.

Südtribüne A-B in the background (Image: MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team)

4. Tips & recommendations

The facilities are in sufficient number and remain amazingly clean throughout the weekend in and around the Südtribüne and Mercedes grandstand. This is not necessarilly the case elsewhere. The Mercedes grandstand also offers unique Mercedes-Benz centred entertainment.

Although Spitzkehre 1 is considered as general admission, be aware you will not be able to take deck chairs through security.

If you must drive, consider parking close to the Mannheim train station and take the train to Hockenheim. Remember that it is a 20 minute walk between car park and grandstand. And if you don't like queueing for hours on end, take comfortable shoes to walk to and from the Hockenheim train station (30 minutes). Be also aware parking information can be a little confusing when you get to the circuit.

 

5. Useful websites for your Hockenheim trip

Tickets (in German only) and information: hockenheimring.net

Tickets (in English) www.gpt-worldwide.com/mercedesbenzticketshop/index.php?lang=en&maincat=formula1&event=germany

FanVision (portable TV units with choice of on-board cameras, BBC 5 Live or Sky commentary and statistics): fanvision.com/f1 (Watch our interview for more details.)

General information: formula1.com

 

Finally, we'd like to thank +Marko Slabak for his review of the 2010 Formel 1 Grosser Preis von Deutschland. He had a ticket for Innentribüne C.

 

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Hockenheimring F1 spectator guide