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Last season info Nürburg
The event was initially created as stopgap.
In 1983, the Formula One schedule originally
featured a race near Flushing Meadows Park
in New York. When the race was cancelled
three months before the event, track organizers
at Brands Hatch were able to create a European
Grand Prix at the track in its place. The
success of the event, fuelled by a spirited
battle for the World Championship, led to
the event returning on the schedule the
following year.
Brands Hatch was unable to host the European
Grand Prix in 1984, as it was hosting the
British Grand
Prix in even numbered years (alternating
with Silverstone)
so the European GP went to a redesigned
and shorter Nürburgring circuit in
1984. It was a far cry from the 14 mile
Nürburgring that most were used to
seeing, and was initially unpopular during
Formula One's return. Brands Hatch returned
to host the European Grand Prix in 1985,
but the race was replaced in 1986 by the
Hungarian Grand Prix.
In 1990, a wealthy Japanese businessman,
Tomonori Tsurumaki, built an extravagant
(and remote) race track called Nippon Autopolis
with the idea of hosting a Formula One race.
In 1992, plans were made to have an Asian
Grand Prix in 1993 to replace the Mexican
Grand Prix on the schedule. However, these
plans failed to materialize. Instead, Bernie
Ecclestone added a race at Donington Park
to the schedule, which brought back the
European Grand Prix moniker. The race was
the brainchild of Tom Wheatcroft, who had
been trying to bring F1 to the track since
an abortive attempt to host the British
Grand Prix in 1988. The first (and only)
race at Donington Park resulted in Ayrton
Senna's famous victory in wet/dry conditions
where he essentially lapped the field.
The European race would go to Jerez the
following season, and then returned to Nürburgring,
which was now popular again with drivers.
Because of this it hosted the race again
in 1996, but after complaints that no other
countries were to get the race, the Nürburgring
race was renamed the Luxembourg Grand Prix.
Jerez got the race back in 1997 as a replacement
for the Portuguese Grand Prix. Jerez hosted
the season finale that year, and it was
the site of the famous incident between
Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve
which saw Schumacher get disqualified from
the championship. It was also the scene
of Mika Häkkinen's first Formula One
victory.
In 1998, the European Grand Prix was dropped
from the schedule, but returned in 1999
when the race at Nürburgring re-adopted
the European Grand Prix name. The race has
remained there since.
The 1999 race was notable for the torrential
rain conditions which saw many experienced
drivers slide off the circuit, presenting
Johnny Herbert with the opportunity to take
Stewart Grand Prix's first (and only) victory
in its final season before being sold to
Ford. Herbert remains the last Englishman
to have won a Formula One grand prix.
Winner + pole + fastest lap Nürburg
Germany Europe
2005 winner: F. Alonso, Renault
Pole Position: N. Heidfeld, Williams, 1:30.081
Fastest lap: F. Alonso, Renault, 1:30.711
2005 Fernando Alonso Renault Nürburgring
2004 Michael Schumacher Ferrari Nürburgring
2003 Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW Nürburgring
2002 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Nürburgring
2001 Michael Schumacher Ferrari Nürburgring
2000 Michael Schumacher Ferrari Nürburgring
1999 Johnny Herbert Stewart-Ford Nürburgring
1997 Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes
Jerez
1996 Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Renault
Nürburgring
1995 Michael Schumacher Benetton-Renault
Nürburgring
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