This weekend sees the return of Formula 1 to the Nurburgring for the German Grand Prix, and the chasing pack will be hoping it is not a case of the home crowd getting what they want as the the likes of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton attempt to overcome the dominant home favourite, Sebastian Vettel.

With the Nurburgring famous for its unpredictable results and equally unpredictable weather, what better reason is there to delve into the history of the German Grand Prix at the Ring (and the equally exciting Hockenheim circuit) to bring you some of the best moments in the history of the race? So sit back and relax as Formula1fancast brings you Back in the Day: Classic German Grand Prix moments.

1968 – Stewart on top

A golden oldie for you here – and there will plenty of drivers this weekend hoping for conditions similar to those that confronted Jackie Stewart in 1968.

When the Nurburgring and rain combine to ruthless effect it usually takes something pretty special to come out on top, and as the commentator says in the video below, Stewart appeared to be guided by laser in visibility that would have been minimal at best. Graeme Hill’s excellent drive landed him second place, but the 1968 German Grand Prix belonged to Stewart.

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1982 – Nelson Piquet starts a fight

A race that is probably known for a single incident by race fans – a two minute outburst of rage so severe Nelson Piquet thought he would be strong enough to punch through the helmet of Eliseo Salzar and land a haymaker on the Chilean’s chops.

The Brazilian is taken out by the backmarker as he pursues race victory in Hockenheim, and chaos ensues. Enjoy.

Whilst the incident was one of the most comical moments in formula 1, it must also be remembered that the 1982 German Grand Prix was one of the most difficult in the sport’s history. Didier Pironi, who was leading the world championship going into the weekend, suffered a horrendous crash that left doctors debating whether to amputate the Frenchman’s legs and ultimately ended his career.

The weekend offered a stark reminder that while fans are drawn in by the drama, excitement and even sometimes the comedy, there is a real danger that lurks beneath the surface.

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2000 – Barichello wins!

Perhaps one of the most popular race victories of all time, Rubens Barrichello wept with joy as he stood atop of the podium, with Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard hoisting him atop their shoulders – a bona fide, classic moment.

What made the victory all the more remarkable was that Barrichello started in 18^th and worked his way up the field, before taking a gamble by sticking with dry tyres as the rain came to claim his first victory in eight years. With Michael Schumacher’s dominance just around the corner there wouldn’t be too many more moments like this for Barrichello.

Not enough for you? Ok, well how about a man running on the track causing the race to be halted?

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2008 – Hamilton shows his class at the Ring

2008 was to be quite the year for Lewis Hamilton. With the drama of 2007 behind him, Hamilton would go on to claim his maiden world title in dramatic fashion on the final corner in the final race, but all that seemed a million miles away after McLaren decided against bringing him into the pits after Timo Glock’s spectacular meeting with the barriers.

But Hamilton was a man on a mission that day, and when he bullied his way past title rival Felipe Massa before swatting away the Brazilian’s response, there was little Nelson Piquet Jr could do to hold on to the lead as the McLaren man stormed to victory.

A great example of the talent Hamilton has at his disposal, with plenty of thrills and spills going on elsewhere to keep you entertained.

Race highlights from from the BBC (external link)

You can  follow us on Twitter and Facebook and keep up to date with the latest news ahead of the German Grand Prix this weekend.

You can also check out the latest editions of our regular features such as Tweeting Around The Circuit as well as previousBack In The Day articles.

We also have some cracking videos for you to watch, so head over to our video section now, while you can also have a go at our new “Who is Eddie Jordan covering up today?“ game!

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