Amazingly, while the Talkessel circuit in Teutschenthal might be considered one of the old school circuits on the calendar, it only joined the Grand Prix scene back in the 1990s. While circuits like Beuern, Gaildorf, Bielstein and Reutlingen were regulars for a German GP, the track a couple of hours from Berlin, was just a baby.

This hard pack track has been in existence since 1966, while certain sections have been carefully adapted to meet the demands of modern motocross sport at an international level, particularly in connection with the motocross world championship races.

The current length is 1,565 meters, and the minimum width is 7 meters. There are 7 jumps as well as several uphill and downhill sections. The special flair lies in the combination of a traditional natural track and spectator stands, which are arranged partially like in a stadium, providing the audience with the best view of the racing action.

Five-time World motocross champion, Joel Smets won the first ever GP there, when he took victory in a 500 GP in 1993 and in 1996, another handy Belgian, Marniqu Bervoets won a 250cc Grand Prix. The third of the great Belgians of that era, Stefan Everts won there in 1998 and as the 1990s ended, and Infront (Youthstream) took over the tricky, technical circuit began to become one of the standard stops for a GP. In fact, it has probably run more GPs in the last 20 years than any other circuit on the calendar.

We all remember the victory by Danish rider, Brian Jorgensen at this circuit back in 2004, when with a spiritual visit from his deceased father saw the HRC man take an emotional victory ahead of Stefan Everts and Cedric Melotte, both racing for the powerful Yamaha factory team of Michele Rinaldi. Scottish rider Stephen Sword won the MX2 class on that day.

In 2006 it was Stefan Everts making his swansong season who won from Kevin Strijbos and Tanel Leok, and in the MX2 class on that day, crafty French rider Christophe Pourcel beat home Marc De Reuver and Tyla Rattray.

With the King gone, the MX1 class opened up and in 2007, David Philippaerts won from Steve Ramon and Josh Coppins, with Antonio Cairoli taking victory in the MX2 class, from Pourcel and Rattray. A year later, Josh Coppins put his name on the winners list for this track, beating Ken De Dycker and Leok in the MX1 class and in MX2 Rattray won from Cairoli and Steven Frossard.

Cairoli got his second win at Teutschenthal in 2009, but this time in the MX1 class, beating home Max Nagl and De Dycker, while in MX2 Ken Roczen sent the German fans into a frenzy with victory ahead of Frossard and Marvin Musquin.

Ken De Dycker put his factory Yamaha on top of the podium in 2010, beating Clement Desalle and Philippaerts and in MX2 Musquin took victory from Roczen and American Zach Osborne. Russian charger, Evgany Bobryshev won MX1 in 2011 from Cairoli and Desalle and in MX2 Roczen got another victory at home, from Gautier Paulin and Tommy Searle.

Cairoli got win number three in 2012, winning ahead of wildcard rider, Ken Roczen and Desalle in third and in MX2 Searle beat Osborne and Arnaud Tonus. After missing a GP in 2013 (due to the circuit having the des Nations), Teutschenthal returned in 2014, with Desalle winning from Nagl and Van Horebeek, with Jeffrey Herlings taking his first win there, beating home Tim Gajser and Jordi Tixier.

2015 and Romain Febvre took victory on way to becoming the World MXGP champion, he beat Paulin and Strijbos on the podium, with Gajser winning MX2, as he also ended up with the World title. Second was Max Anstie and third Valentin Guillod. Cairoli took win number four there in 2016, beating Gajser and Bobryshev and in MX2 Herlings took his second win at the track, beating Dylan Ferrandis and Jeremy Seewer.

Stunningly, Cairoli won his fifth German GP there in 2017, ahead of Herlings and Paulin and in MX2 Seewer won from Hunter Lawrence and Pauls Jonass. Herlings won MXGP in 2018, ahead of Gajser and Paulin and Jorge Prado took his first win there in MX2 ahead of Jonass and Calvin Vlaanderen.

In 2019, Gajser won his second, this time in the MXGP class, ahead of Tonus and Paulin, and Prado won MX2 again, ahead of Tom Vialle and Mathys Boisrame. 2020 and Covid robbed us of a German GP, but this circuit returned in 2021, with Gajser winning his third German GP, ahead of Herlings and Febvre, while in MX2, Maxime Renaux won from Vialle and Rene Hofer.

In 2022, Gajser won for a fourth time ahead of Seewer and Prado and in MX2 Thibault Benistant won from Jago Geerts and Mikkel Haarup. Prado won in 2023 from Glenn Coldenhoff and Ruben Fernandez and in MX2 Liam Everts won from Andrea Adamo and Benistant. Prado got his fourth win at Teutschenthal in 2024, beating Gajser and Herlings and in MX2 Lucas Coenen won from Kay De Wolf and Simon Langenfelder.

So, with this circuit being one of the real strongholds of the MXGP championship, it was clear that Cairoli, Gajser, Herlings and Prado all loved this place and amazingly, only Herlings remains from those previous MXGP winners, with Cairoli retired, Prado racing in USA and Gajser out injured. Although, way back in 2015, a decade ago, we did have Febvre winning and no doubt, Coenen won MX2 last year, so expect fireworks again from these two this coming weekend.

Whatever happens, this tough old circuit will supply us with some drama and as Simon Langenfelder leads the MX2 championship points and won last weekend in France, you can be sure, the grandstands that circle the old school circuit, will be packed with Langenfelder supporters.

It is more than a decade ago that a German won a GP at home, so expect some celebrations and the German national anthem, "Deutschlandlied" or "The Song of the Germans," to be ringing throughout the flower covered hills that circle this famous old circuit.