Hockenheim – Germany has only an outside chance of
hosting a Formula One race at Hockenheim next season, the future
chief executive told dpa on Saturday.
The motorsport series is looking to add races in Vietnam and
Zandvoort in the Netherlands next year with Germany, Spain and Mexico
looking vulnerable with 21 grands prix expected.
"Under normal circumstances, if both Zandvoort and Vietnam are ready
on time, then our chance is minimal," Jorn Teske said.
If the new races are delayed, Hoffenheim could step in but with mixed
emotions.
"That is certainly not our preferred solution, we do not want to be a
stop gap," Teske said. "In our view, the goal must be to get a
medium-term solution."
Hoffenheim cannot afford the fees charged by Formula One's new
operators Liberty Media.
"We will not sign a contract if we have to take a risk," Teske added.
Teske takes over with Jochen Nerpel at the end of August when
long-time Hockenheim boss Georg Seiler retires.
Hoffenheim, which may be holding its last F1 race this Sunday, used
to rotate the annual hosting of the German Grand Prix with the
Nuerburgring but financial difficulties meant the latter dropped out
in 2015.