It was also the first time in nine years the German GP was held at Nürburgring; previously the German GP was held on the dangerous and very long Nordschleife section of the track up until 1976, and at that race Niki Lauda had a near-fatal accident in his Ferrari that forced the Formula One circus to move to the safer, shorter and faster Hockenheimring.
Tamén foi a primeira vez en nove anos que o GP de Alemaña celebrouse en Nürburgring; previamente o GP de Alemaña disputábase no perigoso e moi longo tramo da pista de Nordschleife ata 1976, a carreira na que Niki Lauda tivo un accidente case fatal no seu Ferrari, o que obrigou ao circo da Fórmula Un a usar o máis seguro, máis curto e máis rápido circuíto de Hockenheimring.