Circuit Großer Preis von Deutschland Nurburgring, Nurburg Germany.

Although the fearsome circuit that made the Nurburgring world famous now stands as little more than a monument to a bygone Formula 1 era, the venue in the heart of the Eifel mountains remains one of the sport's most historic destinations.

Previous winners

• 2011: Lewis Hamilton
• 2009: Mark Webber
• 2007: Fernando Alonso
• 2005: Fernando Alonso
• 2004: Michael Schumacher
• 2003: Ralf Schumacher
• 2002: Rubens Barrichello
• 2001: Michael Schumacher
• 2000: Michael Schumacher
• 1999: Johnny Herbert

Illustrious names such as Juan-Manuel Fangio, Jackie Stewart and Germany's very own Michael Schumacher claimed some of their greatest victories across the F1 track's various incarnations since the Nurburgring hosted the inaugural German Grand Prix of the World Championship era in 1951.
What proved career-defining victories for Fangio and Stewart were achieved around the original Nordschleife - the ultimate drivers' challenge which is still spoken about in hushed tones to this day.
One of two original layouts, the Nordschleife was the circuit's Northern Loop. Over 14 miles in length and twisting through 160 corners, concerns over safety were being raised even during less enlightened times.
A chicane was added in 1967 to slow speeds down on the entry to the pitlane but the German GP was moved to Hockenheim as a one-off in 1970. Further changes were made and the 'Green Hell' returned the following year but calls to do something about speeds and safety at the venue grew ever louder as the decade progressed.
Other daunting tracks in the sport were gradually being phased out, or radically changed, but it wasn't until after 1976 and Niki Lauda's horrendous near-fatal fiery crash at the circuit that the Nordschleife disappeared from F1 for good.
While the German GP returned to Hockenheim from 1977, the early 1980s saw officials at the Nurburgring give the green light to the construction of a brand new circuit to comply with modern safety standards.
By 1984 the 'new' Nurburgring was ready but the only real similarity to the old circuit was that it was built adjacent to it. In comparison, the new track ran to just 2.8 miles. After an all-star race, which featured a host of past and future World Champions, won by Ayrton Senna, opened the new circuit, the inaugural F1 event around it was in 1984 - albeit under the European GP banner.
While the Nurburgring did hold the main German GP the following year, the circuit was again cast into the F1 wilderness until the rise of the man who changed the face of motorsport in the country, one Michael Schumacher.
Having become the country's first World Champion in 1994, by 1995 Germany was given the honour of hosting two grands prix, with the Nurburgring returning, again, under the guise of the European GP.
Fittingly, Schumacher won that first race - the then Benetton driver brilliantly hunting down and passing Ferrari's Jean Alesi in the closing laps - and he would do so four more times over the next decade, although not in the two years when the race was curiously called the Luxembourg GP, despite being located fifty miles from the border!
That period also coincided with a reprofiling, and resulting extension, of the start of the lap in 2002 in a bid to create an overtaking opportunity into a wider first corner after passing around the track had become increasingly difficult aside from the long run to the chicane at the end of the lap.
Following Schumacher's first retirement in 2006, and amid an escalation in F1's race-hosting fees, Nurburgring officials realised they could no longer afford a race on an annual basis and so entered into a share agreement with Hockennehim to alternate as host of the German GP.
Under that arrangement, the Nurburgring is scheduled to return in 2013 but the onset of further financial dramas means its place on the schedule is not yet 100 per cent confirmed.