Sachsenring
Sachsenring at a glance
- Location
- Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Saxony
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.671 km (2.281 mi)
- Turns
- 13
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1927
- Owner
- Sachsenring-Veranstaltungs-GmbH (state of Saxony affiliated)
- Capacity
- 90,000
- Address
- Sachsenring 1
- Website
- motogpsachsenring.com
Track map and layout
The modern Sachsenring, opened in 1996 after the original public-road circuit was deemed too dangerous for modern machinery, is a compact 3.671 km, 13-turn permanent circuit with significant elevation change for a German track, dropping and climbing through the hillside near Hohenstein-Ernstthal. It is best known for the Große Wendehütte, a long, high-speed left-hand loop that is the longest continuous left-hander on the MotoGP calendar and a demanding test of neck strength and tyre wear given the near-total absence of right-handers to balance it. The circuit's tight, twisting nature and limited overtaking opportunities make qualifying position unusually decisive for the German motorcycle Grand Prix.
Named corners and sections
- Große Wendehütte. A long, sweeping left-hander that makes up a significant share of the lap; one of the most physically demanding corners in MotoGP due to sustained left-side loading.
- Omega. A tight, twisting infield section named for its looping shape, testing precise line choice at lower speed.
- Queckenberg. A downhill braking zone into one of the circuit's few realistic overtaking spots.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Circuit (1996-present) | 3.67 km | 13 turns; current MotoGP and DTM layout |
| Original Sachsenring (public roads, 1927-1990) | 8.61 km | 8.618 km public-road circuit used until 1990, before a shorter permanent circuit was built for safety |
Events and race weekends
The Sachsenring has hosted the German motorcycle Grand Prix since 1998, when MotoGP moved from the Nürburgring, and remains the only German round on the MotoGP calendar. Marc Márquez has an extraordinary record at the circuit across multiple classes. DTM touring cars returned to the Sachsenring in 2023 after a long absence, and the circuit also hosts a variety of club racing, karting and driving-experience events through the year.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| German motorcycle Grand Prix | MotoGP | July | held at Sachsenring every year since 1998 |
| DTM Sachsenring | DTM | varies | returned to the calendar in 2023 |
Getting there and parking
The Sachsenring sits in Saxony near Hohenstein-Ernstthal, close to Chemnitz and roughly midway between Dresden and Leipzig, a few kilometres off the A4 autobahn linking Dresden and Nuremberg. The nearest railway station, Hohenstein-Ernstthal, is about 2-3 km from the circuit and around a 15-minute walk, with regional connections through Chemnitz to Leipzig and Dresden. International visitors sometimes fly into Prague, around two hours' drive away, as an alternative to the smaller German regional airports.
- Dresden Airport (DRS) · about 75 min drive
- Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ) · about 100 min drive
Parking
General car and campervan parking is available around the circuit for MotoGP weekend, with dedicated campervan parking (P10) right at the main entrance for quick access.
Book a hotel or campsite well in advance of the July MotoGP weekend — the region's limited accommodation sells out early, and many fans camp instead.
Hotels and camping near Sachsenring
Hotel capacity right around the Sachsenring is limited, so many MotoGP visitors base themselves in Chemnitz or Zwickau, both under 30 minutes away with a wider range of hotels, or camp trackside for the weekend. The camping culture around the Sachsenring is strong, centred on the Ankerberg hillside opposite the circuit, which turns into a large fan campsite with its own atmosphere for race weekend.
Where to look
Chemnitz and Zwickau offer the largest nearby hotel selections, both roughly 20-30 minutes from the circuit; Hohenstein-Ernstthal itself has limited but closer options.
Camping
The Ankerberg camping festival opposite the circuit is the Sachsenring's signature accommodation option for MotoGP weekend, with a big-event atmosphere alongside more conventional camping fields around the venue.
RV
Dedicated campervan and motorhome parking (P10) sits right at the main entrance for the fastest access to the circuit during MotoGP weekend.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
The Sachsenring hosts club and organiser car and motorcycle track days outside its championship race weekends, though it does not run the kind of daily public Touristenfahrten program that the Nürburgring offers; access for the public is generally through organised track-day operators and occasional open days.
Who runs days here
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MotoGP | — | Marc Márquez | Honda RC213V | — |
Spectator guide
The Sachsenring's hillside setting gives many grandstands and general-admission slopes wide views over multiple corners, particularly around the Große Wendehütte loop and the main straight. The circuit's compact footprint means even general-admission areas tend to offer a good view of the action, and the MotoGP weekend regularly draws crowds among the largest on the calendar.
Seating
Main grandstands line the start-finish straight and the outside of the Große Wendehütte; general-admission hillside areas around the circuit offer wide, informal viewing.
Best places to watch
The hillside above the Große Wendehütte gives sweeping views of the circuit's signature corner and a festival-like camping atmosphere just above it.
Weather
- July (MotoGP): typically warm, highs around 22-25°C, with occasional summer thunderstorms
History of Sachsenring
From public-road circuit to purpose-built track
The Sachsenring traces back to 1927, when local motorcycle clubs began racing on a long public-road circuit around Hohenstein-Ernstthal in Saxony. The track took its name in 1937 and became one of East Germany's premier motorsport venues after the Second World War, hosting the East German Grand Prix and drawing enormous crowds during the DDR era, when motorsport offered a rare taste of speed and spectacle in a heavily controlled society.
Reunification and a new circuit
After German reunification, faster Western racing machinery made the old public-road layout increasingly dangerous, and the circuit was rebuilt as a shorter, purpose-designed permanent track through the 1990s, reopening in 1996. This new Sachsenring retained the region's motorsport identity while meeting modern safety standards, and quickly established itself as a demanding, physically punishing test for riders thanks to its long, unbroken left-hand Große Wendehütte section.
MotoGP's home in Germany
Since 1998 the Sachsenring has been the sole German round of the motorcycle world championship, moving the German Grand Prix from the Nürburgring and becoming the only current MotoGP venue in the country. Marc Márquez has dominated the circuit across multiple categories, and MotoGP weekends there routinely draw some of the largest crowds on the calendar, aided by strong camping culture on the Ankerberg hillside opposite the track. DTM touring cars returned to the Sachsenring in 2023, adding four-wheel racing back to a circuit whose modern identity is built almost entirely around motorcycles.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Sachsenring?+
The current Grand Prix circuit is 3.671 km (2.281 miles) with 13 turns, replacing the original 8.618 km public-road circuit used until 1990.
Why is the Sachsenring known as physically demanding for riders?+
Its Große Wendehütte section is a long, continuous left-hand loop — the longest sustained left-hander on the MotoGP calendar — which loads riders' necks and left-side tyres far more than the track's few right-handers balance out.
Does Formula 1 race at the Sachsenring?+
No. The Sachsenring hosts MotoGP's German Grand Prix and DTM touring cars, but it is not on the Formula 1 calendar.
How do you get to the Sachsenring by train?+
The nearest station is Hohenstein-Ernstthal, about 2-3 km (a 15-minute walk) from the circuit, with regional connections through Chemnitz to Leipzig and Dresden.
Where do MotoGP fans camp at the Sachsenring?+
The Ankerberg hillside opposite the circuit hosts a large, festival-style campsite for MotoGP weekend, alongside dedicated campervan parking (P10) at the main entrance.
Who has the best record at the Sachsenring?+
Marc Márquez, with 13 wins across the 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP classes at the circuit.
Other tracks nearby
- Loketské Serpentiny · 68 km · motocross
- Autodrom Most · 71 km · road course
- Talkessel Teutschenthal · 96 km · motocross
- Lausitzring (DEKRA Lausitzring) · 119 km · road course & oval
- Kramolín (Automoto klub Nepomuk) · 157 km · motocross
- Motorsport Arena Oschersleben · 169 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.