The fast Hockenheim circuit had been modified from the year before, with the fast Senna chicane being made slower. The Ferraris qualified first and second, with Gerhard Berger in pole position and Jean Alesi lining up alongside. The race was notable for its high rate of attrition, with 11 retirements on the opening lap. Within ten seconds of the start Alessandro Zanardi and Andrea de Cesaris tangled towards the back of the pack, taking out both Michele Alboreto and Pierluigi Martini before even reaching the first corner. Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard then tangled going into the first corner, the Finn sliding in front of a group of cars into the wall on the outside of the circuit while the Scot continued to the pits to replace his front wing. Mark Blundell braked hard to avoid the McLaren only to be hit from behind by Eddie Irvine, while Rubens Barrichello had nowhere to go but the gravel. In the melee behind this incident, Johnny Herbert and Martin Brundle tangled, the Lotus spinning to a halt while the second McLaren continued. Heinz-Harald Frentzen was also pushed into the gravel and managed to continue, but stopped towards the end of the lap with broken suspension and a punctured tyre. Damon Hill also damaged his suspension in a first-lap contact with Ukyo Katayama and, as a result, circulated outside the points for the remainder of the race. This result would have significant consequences for Hill at the end of the season. In a race where the 12th and 14th placed Ligiers finished on the podium, and the remaining points going to customer Ford HB engined teams on a circuit where power was a distinct advantage; the bestFord HB time in qualifying some 3.235 off pole position, it is clear that any points finish for Hill could have led to a very different result in the Drivers World Championship. Meanwhile Jean Alesi had gotten away unscathed, having qualified second, only for his Ferrari to stop with electrical problems on the run to the first chicane. It was a bad weekend for the Benetton team. After the first lap mayhem, Schumacher went on to take on the leading Ferrari of Gerhard Berger but fell away with engine problems very quickly. Benetton driver Jos Verstappen also came into the pits; while refuelling, some fuel was accidentally sprayed onto the hot bodywork of the car, and a few seconds later the fuel ignited and Verstappen's car was engulfed in a ball of flames. The Dutchman escaped the incident with burns around his eyes, as he had his visor up during the pit stop. No other crew members or any persons were injured severely or killed. As well as Ferrari winning its first and only race of the 1994 Formula One season, the race was especially good for Ligier with Olivier Panis finishing second and Éric Bernard coming home third.
Gerhard Berger
Jean Alesi
Damon Hill
Michael Schumacher
Ukyo Katayama
Mika Häkkinen
Rubens Barrichello
Gianni Morbidelli
Jos Verstappen
Olivier Beretta
David Brabham