Hockenheim’s best chance of staying on the F1 calendar is if the projects in Vietnam or Zandvoort falter.
FIA president Jean Todt said at the scene of probably the last German GP for now that the country "should have a grand prix".
"It is probably the country with the greatest knowledge of building and producing cars," he told DPA news agency at Hockenheim.
"I strongly believe that Germany should have a grand prix," Todt added.
Hockenheim, though, simply cannot afford the race fee being demanded by Liberty Media. "We can do little about that," the FIA president said.
Hockenheim official Jorn Teske said on Saturday: "Under normal circumstances, if both Zandvoort and Vietnam are ready on time, then our chance for next year is minimal.
"But even having a race in that way is certainly not our preferred solution. The goal must be to achieve a medium-term solution," he added.