In-Depth: The 1951 & 1952 Luxembourg Grand Prix

The year 1997 was one of the most interesting, controversial and exciting in the history of Formula 1: in addition to 4 different teams achieving victories throughout the year (Williams, Ferrari, McLaren and Benetton), the battle between Michel Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve polarized the dispute for the category title until the final race of the season – and the dramatic end, with the disqualification of the German in the last race of the year (which gave the title to the Canadian Villeneuve) was the climax of another memorable season in the history of Formula 1.

Amid all these exceptional and spectacular factors that surrounded the 97’ championship, one of them can certainly be highlighted: the promotion of the Luxembourg Grand Prix, on the mythical Nürburgring circuit. Carried out only due to a very specific combination of factors, which include the will of the track promoters and representatives of Formula One Management (FOM) and F.I.A. in keeping one of the most profitable races on the calendar, but without having the right to use the German GP banner (which for 97 belonged to Hockenheim), the Luxembourg GP became one of the exceptional cases in the history of F1: from a country that hosted a GP of the category outside its territorial borders.