Hockenheim would stage F1 replacement race, if it opens door for more

Germany's Hockenheimring would be ready to step in and stage a Formula One race if tensions in the Middle East continue, but only under the condition that this would lead to a full return into the calendar.

Hockenheim managing directors Jörn Teske and Jochen Nerpel told the Formel.1 portal they were not interested in a one-off race.

"If this opportunity to host a replacement race opens the door significantly wider to a multi-year contract and a secure future in Formula 1, then that is certainly a scenario we will be giving a great deal of thought to," Teske said.

Staging a one-off replacement race would not be worth it, especially financially, as Nerpel said: "I can't imagine us just stepping in like that."

Hockenheim last hosted the German Grand Prix in 2019. The last race in the country came a year later at Nürburgring which stepped in during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Middle East hostilities led the cancellation of the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with the Bahrain race eventually held earlier this month in Malaysia. There are also question marks over the season-ending events in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, with Italy's Imola pencilled in as an alternative.

Hockenheim wants to return in principle but the hosting fee of around $20 million is a big obstacle. Nerpel said it was his "absolute wish" that F1 returns to Hockenheim, but there is nothing concrete on the matter at the moment.

Formula One chief Stefano Domenicali said in July they were in an exchange with Hockenheim organizers and that they were exploring "whether a Formula 1 race could take place there in the medium term, not in the short term".

Domenicali acknowledged that Hockenheim was investing and aims to become more attractive in future with a new theme park, but he said that "further investment is required for our platform; we are currently in discussions about this." H