Formula One boss 'not desperate' for return of German Grand Prix

Formula One is "ready and open" for talks about a return of a German Grand Prix but its CEO Stefano Domenicali is sceptical that this will happen in the near future.

Domenicali told Motorsport-Magazin that there is plenty interest from other countries.

"The good thing is that we are not desperate because we have so many enquiries from all over the world. And if the German market does not consider the return of Formula One to Germany a priority, we have to accept that and look ahead," Domenicali said.

He added: "I see a few signs of a silver lining on the horizon. Hopefully, this will develop further in the coming months.

"We are interested in returning to Germany with the right organiser and the right offer."

The last German Grand Prix was 2019 in Hockenheim and the last race in Germany 2020 at Nürburgring, which stepped in during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hockenheim have new owners who aim to upgrade the course and its infrastructure. German officials have difficulties coming up with the high fees needed to hold a race, but Domenicali said that another important factor these days are hospitality tickets, for which the German tracks don't have the necessary infrastructure.

"It's not really just a question of money. It's the fact that the current infrastructure in Germany requires a lot of investment if it is to be brought up to today's standards," he said.

Domenicali said that Germany remains an important market due to constructors like Mercedes and new team Audi but conceded that interest in the country has dropped over the years since the heydays of Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.

"We have seen a change in recent decades: from one of the most popular sports to something that is no longer considered by many interest groups," Domenicali said.