On the back of an extraordinarily popular Mexican Grand Prix, which drew praise from the entire Formula 1 community for its massive turnout and fervor, Sebastian Vettel does not understand why his own country's level of interest in F1 has fallen off a cliff.
The German Grand Prix was taken off the F1 calendar this year following low attendance figures. Deeply steeped in history, the event which alternated between Hockenheim and the Nürburgring enjoyed a traditional presence on Grand Prix racing's almanac, yet its eventual return next year still appears undecided.
For Vettel, the reasons for his home race's collapse in popularity are a mystery.
"To be honest, I don't know what happened," he told Bild newspaper. "It was great but then in the last few years it was not full in Germany."
"I think there were more German flags in Mexico than in Germany. I don't know what is wrong. Maybe people are tired. Maybe tickets are too expensive in Germany. Maybe people are realistic about how much money they spend."
"It is a shame to see over the year less and less of a crowd, even though German drivers are fighting for victories."
"It is a bit of a shame – but it seems in other countries, people are a bit more passionate about racing."
Mexican Grand Prix - Driver ratings
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