The Sachsenring () is a
motorsport racing circuit
A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also us ...
located in
Hohenstein-Ernstthal
Hohenstein-Ernstthal () is a town in the Zwickau rural district, Saxony, Germany. The towns of Hohenstein and Ernstthal were united in 1898, and the town is either known by its hyphenated form, or simply called Hohenstein.
The town grew in the 15 ...
near
Chemnitz in
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...
. Among other events, it features the annual
German motorcycle Grand Prix
The German motorcycle Grand Prix, first held in 1925, is a part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship since 1952. The event is due to take place at the Sachsenring until at least 2026.
History
The first two ''Großer Preis von ...
of the
FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start of ...
world championship.
History

The first race was held on 26 May 1927 on an layout on public roads, running also through the village of
Hohenstein-Ernstthal
Hohenstein-Ernstthal () is a town in the Zwickau rural district, Saxony, Germany. The towns of Hohenstein and Ernstthal were united in 1898, and the town is either known by its hyphenated form, or simply called Hohenstein.
The town grew in the 15 ...
itself. It was dubbed "Sachsenring" in 1937.
The
East German motorcycle Grand Prix was held there from 1961 to 1972. The local
two stroke
A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of t ...
MZ bikes of
Zschopau
Zschopau (), is a town in the Erzgebirgskreis district of Saxony, Germany.
Geography
The town is located on the northwestern slopes of the Ore Mountains, on both banks of the Zschopau River, about south-east from Chemnitz. The highest point i ...
were competitive during this time. The quickest lap was achieved by 15 time World Champion
Giacomo Agostini on a
MV Agusta
MV Agusta (, full name: MV AGUSTA Motor S.p.A., original name: Meccanica Verghera Agusta or MV) is a motorcycle manufacturer founded by Count Domenico Agusta on 19 January 1945 as one of the branches of the Agusta aircraft company near Milan in ...
with a average. After West German
Dieter Braun
Dieter Braun (born 2 February 1943 in Ulm, Bavaria) is a former road racer of Grand Prix solo motorcycles from Germany. He won the 1970 FIM 125cc World Championship for Suzuki. In 1973, he rode a Yamaha TZ 250 to the 250 cc FIM world ...
won in 1971 and the East German fans sang the
West German National Anthem in celebration (as is the case in sport, the winner's National Anthem is played after the event), the event was limited to East European entrants for political reasons.

In 1990, with faster Western machinery now available, racing through the village became too dangerous with some fatalities (this can be compared with the
Isle of Man TT
The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907 Isle of Man TT, 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing ...
).

To accelerate redevelopment of eastern Germany in the new unified Germany, a short track ''berg'' corner was built in the 1990s to bring international motorsport to the eastern part of Germany. In 1996, IDM motorcycle racing and the
ADAC
ADAC, officially the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (), is Europe's largest motoring association. ADAC is the largest club (Verein) in Germany with around 21 million members. It would be more aptly described today as an individual m ...
Super Tourenwagen Cup resumed racing here. The
DTM
DTM may refer to:
Sport
* Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, a motor-racing series staged annually in Germany since 2000
* Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft, a motor-racing championship staged in Germany from 1984 to 1995
Computing
* Deterministic T ...
raced here in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
, with
Klaus Ludwig
Klaus Karl Ludwig (born 5 October 1949) is a German racing driver.
Biography
He also known as ''König Ludwig'' (" King Ludwig") for his success in touring cars and in sports car racing.
In the 1970s, Ludwig drove for Ford in the Deutsch ...
winning at age 51, but the DTM did not return after 2002, preferring international venues.
Since 1998, the
German motorcycle Grand Prix
The German motorcycle Grand Prix, first held in 1925, is a part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship since 1952. The event is due to take place at the Sachsenring until at least 2026.
History
The first two ''Großer Preis von ...
moved to the Sachsenring from
Nürburgring
The is a 150,000 person capacity motorsports complex located in the town of Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It features a Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a long "North loop" track, built in the 1920s, around the village a ...
. In recent years, the track has been made faster and longer again, with the length now being . Since 2007, the Sachsenring is part of the regular schedule of
ADAC GT Masters. In 2011 the
FIA GT1 World Championship held one of its race weekends at the Sachsenring.
Layout history
File:Hohenstein-Ernstthal Sachsenring circuit map.png, Original Circuit (1927–1990)
File:Sachsenring 2001-2002.svg, Grand Prix Circuit (2001–2002)
File:Sachsenring.svg, Grand Prix Circuit (2003–present)
Most wins
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
*German motorcycle Grand Prix was not held in 2020.
Lap records
The official race lap records at the Sachsenring are listed as:
Events
; Current
* June:
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start of ...
''
German motorcycle Grand Prix
The German motorcycle Grand Prix, first held in 1925, is a part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship since 1952. The event is due to take place at the Sachsenring until at least 2026.
History
The first two ''Großer Preis von ...
''
* July: ADAC Sachsenring Classic
* September:
FIA ETCR – eTouring Car World Cup,
ADAC GT Masters,
ADAC GT4 Germany
The ADAC GT4 Germany is a grand tourer-based auto racing series that is largely held in Germany. The races are held as part of the ADAC GT Masters, and GT4 vehicles are used. The championship took place for the first time in 2019.
History
On 27 J ...
,
ADAC TCR Germany Touring Car Championship,
Porsche Carrera Cup Germany
; Future
*
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM, German Touring Car Masters) is a grand touring car series sanctioned by ITR e.V. who have been affiliated to the DMSB- FIA since 1984. The series is based in Germany, with rounds elsewhere in Europe. The s ...
(2000–2002, 2023)
*
MotoE ''German eRace'' (2019, 2023)
; Former
*
ADAC Formula 4
ADAC Formula 4 (german: ADAC Formel 4) is a racing series regulated according to FIA Formula 4 regulations. The inaugural season was the 2015 ADAC Formula 4. It replaced the ADAC Formel Masters, held from 2008 to 2014.
History
Gerhard Berger ...
(2015–2017, 2019, 2021)
*
ADAC GT Masters (2007–2022)
*
German Formula Three Championship
The German Formula Three Championship was the national Formula Three championship of Germany, and the former West Germany, from 1950 to 2002, then as Formel 3 until 2014. In 2003, the series had merged with the French Formula Three Championship t ...
(1997–2002, 2004–2005, 2007–2014)
*
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start of ...
''
East German motorcycle Grand Prix'' (1961–1972)
*
FIA GT1 World Championship (2011)
*
Super Tourenwagen Cup (1996–1999)
*
V8Star Series (2003)
Spectators at the MotoGP since 1998
References
Bibliography
* Wolfgang Hallmann: ''Das war der Sachsenring – Geschichte und Gegenwart einer legendären Rennstrecke''; Chemnitzer Verlag, Chemnitz; 1996;
External links
Traffic safety center Sachsenring siteGerman page
Official English page for the racing circuitGerman page
Satellite View of Sachsenring from Google Maps
{{Authority control
Motorsport venues in Saxony
Grand Prix motorcycle circuits
Hohenstein-Ernstthal
Sports venues in Saxony