Nurburgring confirms no talks for F1 return

Germany's chances of rejoining the Formula 1 calendar remain bleak, with the head of the Nurburgring declaring that a return is not viable under the sport's current hosting model.

Despite ongoing discussions within F1 about rotating key European venues and the arrival of Audi alongside Mercedes in 2026, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff sees no clear path for a German Grand Prix.

"The mood in Germany as a business location is apparently not sufficient for a Formula 1 race at the moment," Wolff told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

In light of those comments, Kolner Express contacted Ingo Boder, managing director of the Nurburgring — the last German venue to host a Formula 1 race, back in 2020 as a one-off during the covid-disrupted season.

"Under the current model, we, as the racetrack operator, would be required to purchase Formula 1 as a racing format and cover the costs through ticket sales," Boder explained.

"That's a nearly impossible task. All other marketing rights belong to Formula 1."

He also noted that the race weekend's extended setup and dismantling periods — around two weeks — render the track unusable for other business during that time.

"For these reasons, the project is not expedient for us as a private company," he added.

Asked when the last direct contact with Formula 1 occurred, Boder admitted: "A good year ago."