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| Location | Nürburg, Germany | |
|---|---|---|
| Time zone | GMT +1 (DST: +2) | |
| Major Events | ADAC, DTM, F3 Euroseries, 24 Hours Nürburgring, 1000km Nürburgring, VLN | |
| GP-Strecke | ||
| Surface | Asphalt | |
| Circuit Length | 5. Nürburg is a town in the German district of Ahrweiler, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London Daylight saving time ( DST The ADAC ( Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club eV) is Germany 's and Europe 's largest automobile club with 15290614 members in August 2005 The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters ( DTM, German Touring Car Masters is a Touring car racing series based in Germany, but also with rounds elsewhere The Formula Three Euroseries is a European-based junior single seater formula for Formula Three chassis that was launched (in its current form in 2003 The 24 Hours Nürburgring is a GT and touring car Endurance racing event on the Nürburgring, inspired by the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and 148 km (3. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 2 mi) | |
| Turns | 15 | |
| Lap Record | 1:29. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States 468 ( Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004, Formula 1) |
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| Nordschleife | ||
| Surface | Asphalt/Concrete | |
| Circuit Length | 22. Michael Schumacher (German pronunciation;) (born January 3, 1969, in Hürth-Hermülheim, Germany) is a former Formula Scuderia Ferrari is the name for the Gestione Sportiva the division of the Ferrari automobile company concerned with racing 81 km (12. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 93 mi) | |
| Turns | 73 | |
The Nürburgring, known as simply "the Ring" by enthusiasts, is the name of a famous motorsport race track in Nürburg, Germany, built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel, which is about 70 kilometres south of Cologne, 100 kilometres northwest of Mainz, and 120 kilometres northwest of Frankfurt. A race track (or 'racetrack' or 'racing track' is a purpose-built facility for Racing of animals (eg Nürburg is a town in the German district of Ahrweiler, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia and northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate Mainz (ˈmaɪ̯nʦ (Mayence is a City in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Originally, the track featured four track configurations: the 28. 265 kilometres (17. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 563 miles) long Gesamtstrecke ("Whole Course"), which in turn consisted of the 22. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States 810 km Nordschleife ("Northern Loop"), and the 7. 747 km Südschleife ("Southern Loop"). The Nürburgring Südschleife (south loop was a German motor racing circuit which was built at the same time as the world-famous Nürburgring Nordschleife (north loop There also was a 2. 281 km warm-up loop called Zielschleife ("Finish Loop") or better known as Betonschleife, around the pit area. In motorsports a pit stop is where a racing Vehicle stops in the pits during a race for refuelling new Tires repairs mechanical adjustments [1] Between 1982 and 1983 the start-finish area was demolished to create a new GP-Strecke, and this is currently used for all major and international racing events. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) However, the Nordschleife is still in use; nicknamed The Green Hell by Jackie Stewart, it is widely considered the toughest, most dangerous and most demanding purpose-built race track in the world. A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. For other people of this name see Jackie Stewart (disambiguation.
The Nürburgring also plans to build a massive Air Thrust Coaster by S&S Power in 2009. S&S Power is company known for its Pneumatically powered rides and roller coaster designing It will be called Racecoaster and will reach speeds of nearly 135 mph, making it the fastest roller coaster in the world, claiming the record from Kingda Ka. Kingda Ka is a Roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township New Jersey, USA.
Contents |
1927–1939: "Nürburg-Ring"
In the early 1920s, races called ADAC Eifelrennen were held on public roads in the Eifel mountains. The ADAC ( Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club eV) is Germany 's and Europe 's largest automobile club with 15290614 members in August 2005 The ADAC Eifelrennen was an annual motor race organised by ADAC Automobile Club from 1922 to 2003 held in Germany 's Eifel mountain region even before This soon was considered impractical and dangerous. In order to provide work and lure tourists into the area, the construction of a dedicated race track was proposed, following the examples of Italy's Monza and Berlin's AVUS, yet with a completely different character. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a Motorsport Race track near the town of Monza, Italy, north of Milan. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. The layout of the circuit in the mountains was similar to the Targa Florio, one of the most important motor races at that time. The Targa Florio was an open road Endurance automobile race held near Palermo Sicily. The original Nürburgring was meant to be a showcase for German automotive engineering and racing talent, and was built with both purposes in mind. Construction of the track, designed by the Eichler Architekturbüro from Ravensburg (led by Architect Gustav Eichler), began in September 1925. Ravensburg is a town in Upper Swabia in Southern Germany, capital of the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg.
The track was completed in spring of 1927, and the ADAC Eifelrennen races were continued there. The ADAC ( Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club eV) is Germany 's and Europe 's largest automobile club with 15290614 members in August 2005 The ADAC Eifelrennen was an annual motor race organised by ADAC Automobile Club from 1922 to 2003 held in Germany 's Eifel mountain region even before The first World Cycling Championship race took place on 1927-06-19, and the first German Grand Prix a month later. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI organises World Championships to determine world champion cyclists Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. The German Grand Prix ( Großer Preis von Deutschland) is an annual automobile race In addition, the track was opened to the public in the evenings and at weekends, as a one-way toll road. The Gesamtstrecke consisted of 174 bends (prior to 1971 changes), and was 8 to 9 metres in width on average.
In 1939 the full Ring was used for the last time in major racing events, as future Grands Prix would be held only on the Nordschleife. Motorcycles and minor races mainly used the shorter and safer Südschleife. Many memorable pre-war races took place at the circuit, featuring the talents of early Ringmeister (Ringmasters) such as Rudolf Caracciola, Tazio Nuvolari and Bernd Rosemeyer. Rudolf Caracciola ( January 30, 1901 &ndash September 28, 1959) was a Racecar driver, nicknamed "Karratsch" Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari ( November 16, 1892 &ndash August 11, 1953) was an Italian Motorcycle and Racecar Bernd Rosemeyer ( October 14, 1909 in Lingen, Lower Saxony, Germany – January 28, 1938 on the Frankfurt
1947–1970: The Green Hell
After World War II, racing recommenced in the 1950s and the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring again became the main venue for the German Grand Prix as part of the Formula One World Championship (with the exception of 1959 when it was held on the AVUS in Berlin). World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The German Grand Prix ( Großer Preis von Deutschland) is an annual automobile race Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. A new group of Ringmeisters arose to dominate the race - Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart and Jacky Ickx. Alberto Ascari ( July 13, 1918 &ndash May 26, 1955) was an Italian Racing driver and twice Formula One Juan Manuel Fangio ( Balcarce, June 24, 1911 - Buenos Aires, July 17, 1995) nicknamed "El Chueco" ("knock-kneed" Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss OBE (born September 17, 1929 in London) is a retired racing driver from England. Jim (or Jimmy) Clark OBE ( 4 March, 1936 &ndash 7 April, 1968) was a Scottish Formula One Motorcycle racing career Born in Tatsfield, Surrey, Surtees was the son of a south London motorcycle dealer For other people of this name see Jackie Stewart (disambiguation. Racing career Jacky Ickx was introduced to the sport when he was taken by his father motoring journalist Jacques Ickx, to races which he covered
On August 5, 1961, during practice for the 1961 German Grand Prix, Phil Hill became the first person to complete a lap of the Nordschleife in under 9 minutes, with a stunning lap of 8m 55. 2s (153. 4 km/h (95. 3mph)) in the Ferrari 156 "Sharknose" Formula 1 car. The Ferrari 156 was a Racecar made by Ferrari in 1961 to comply with then-new F1 regulations that lowered engine displacement from 2 Even 40 years later, the highest performing road cars have difficulty breaking 8 minutes without a professional racing driver or one very familiarized with the track. Also, several rounds of the German motorcycle Grand Prix were held, mostly on the 7. The German motorcycle Grand Prix, first held in 1925 is since 1952 part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship 7 km "Südschleife", but the Hockenheimring and Solituderennen were the main sites for Grand Prix motorcycle racing. The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an Automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The Solituderennen (eng Solitude race) events and the 114 km Solitudering near Stuttgart were named after the nearby Castle Overview A Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix was first organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM in 1949
In 1953, the ADAC 1000km Nürburgring race was introduced, an Endurance race and Sports car racing event that counted towards the World Sportscar Championship for decades. Endurance racing is a form of motorsport which is meant to test the durability of equipment and endurance of participants Sports car racing is a form of circuit Auto racing with Automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels World Endurance Championship redirects here For the motorcycle endurance The 24 Hours Nürburgring for touring car racing was added in 1970. The 24 Hours Nürburgring is a GT and touring car Endurance racing event on the Nürburgring, inspired by the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct Auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars
By the late 1960s, the Nordschleife and many other tracks were becoming increasingly dangerous for the latest generation of F1 cars. In 1967, a chicane was added before the start/finish straight, called Hohenrain, in order to reduce speeds at the pit lane entry. A chicane is a sequence of tight serpentine curves (usually an S-shape curve or a bus stop in a roadway used in Motor racing and In 1970, after the fatal crash of Piers Courage at Zandvoort, the F1 drivers decided at the French Grand Prix to boycott the Ring unless major changes were made, like they did at Spa the year before. Piers Raymond Courage (b 27 May 1942, Colchester, England - d Circuit Park Zandvoort is a Motorsport Race track located in the dunes near the town of Zandvoort, in the Netherlands, near the North The French Grand Prix ( Grand Prix de France) is a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile 's annual Formula One automobile The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race The changes were not possible on short notice, and the German GP was moved to the Hockenheimring which already had been modified. The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an Automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
1971–1983: Changes
According to the demands of the F1 drivers, the Nordschleife was reconstructed by taking out some bumps and installing Armco safety barriers. AK Steel Holding Corporation, formerly known as Armco, is a major American Steel company founded in 1900 as the American Rolling Mills Corporation The track was also made straighter, following the race line, which reduced the official number of corners. The German GP could be hosted at the Ring again, for another 3 years from 1971 to 1973. Safety was improved again later on, e. g. by removing the jumps on the long main straight and widening it. A second series of 3 more F1 races were held until 1976, but even higher demands by the F1 drivers and the FIA's CSI commission were too expensive or impossible to meet. So the 1976 race was deemed the last ever, even before it was held.
Primarily due to its extraordinary length of over 22 kilometres, and the lack of space due to its situation on the sides of the mountains, the Ring was unable to meet the ever-increasing safety requirements, and was also unsuitable for the burgeoning television market. Niki Lauda, the reigning world champion and only person ever to lap the full 22835 m Nordschleife in under 7 minutes (6:58. Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (born February 22, 1949 in Vienna) is an Austrian Aviator, Entrepreneur 6, 1975), proposed to the other drivers that the circuit should be boycotted in 1976 because of the safety arrangements. The other drivers voted against the idea and the race went ahead. Ironically, it was Lauda who crashed in his Ferrari, probably due to failure of the rear suspension. As his car was still loaded with fuel in lap 2, he was badly burned, being saved by the combined actions of fellow drivers Arturo Merzario, Guy Edwards, Brett Lunger and Harald Ertl rather than by the ill equipped track marshals. Arturo Francesco Merzario (born March 11, 1943 in Civenna, Como) (real name Arturio - blunder on name registration - sometimes Guy Richard Goronwy Edwards (born in Macclesfield, Cheshire on December 30, 1942) is a former racing driver from England. Robert Brett Lunger (born November 14 1945) is a former Racecar driver from the United States. Harald Ertl ( August 31, 1948 - April 7 1982) was an Austrian Motorsport Journalist and racing driver Also, the crash proved that the distances were rather long for regular fire engines and ambulances, even though the "ONS-Staffel" was equipped with a Porsche 911 rescue car, marked (R). DMSB or Deutscher Motor Sport Bund e V is Germany 's Motor racing governing body formerly known as ONS (Oberste Nationale Sportbehörde The Porsche 911 (pronounced as Nine Eleven, Neunelfer is a Sports car made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany For Formula One, this crash marked the end of the old Nürburgring. It never hosted another F1 race again as the German Grand Prix was moved to the Hockenheimring for 1977. The German Grand Prix ( Großer Preis von Deutschland) is an annual automobile race The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an Automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
In 1980, the German motorcycle Grand Prix was held for the last time on the old Ring, moving also permanently to Hockenheim. The German motorcycle Grand Prix, first held in 1925 is since 1952 part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship A year later, in 1981, work began on a 4. 5 km (2. 8 miles) long new circuit which was built on and around the old pits area. At the same time, a bypass shortened the Nordschleife to 20,832 m (12. 947 mi. ), and with an additional small pit lane, this version was used for races in 1983, e. g. the 1000km Nürburgring endurance race, while construction work was going on nearby. In training for that race, the late Stefan Bellof set the all-time lap record for the 20. Stefan Bellof (born in Gießen, Germany on November 20, 1957 – died in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium on September 8 km Nordschleife in his Porsche 956, which is still unbeaten at 6:11. The Porsche 956 was a Group C Sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche in 1982 for the FIA World Sportscar Championship. 13, or over 200 km/h in average - partially because no major racing has taken place there since 1984.
The former Südschleife had not been modified in 1970/71 and was abandoned a few years later in favour of the improved Nordschleife. It is now mostly gone (in part due to the construction of the new circuit) or converted to a normal public road, but since 2005 a vintage car event is hosted on the old track layout, including part of the parking area. [2]
1984: The new Grand Prix track
The new Nürburgring was completed in 1984 and called GP-Strecke. It was built to meet the highest safety standards, but was considered in character a mere shadow of its older sibling. Some fans, who had to sit much further away from the track, called it Eifelring, Ersatzring, Green Party Ring or similar, believing it did not deserve to be called Nürburgring.
To celebrate its opening, an exhibition race was held, on May 12th, featuring an array of notable drivers. Driving identical Mercedes 190E 2.3-16, the line-up was Jack Brabham, Phil Hill, Denis Hulme, James Hunt, Jacques Laffite, Niki Lauda, Carlos Reutemann, Keke Rosberg, Jody Scheckter, Manfred Schurti, Ayrton Senna and John Watson. This is about the luxury compact car produced from 1982 to 1993 Sir John Arthur "Jack" Brabham, AO, OBE (born April 2 1926) is an Australian former racing driver who was Formula One Philip Toll Hill Jr, ( April 20, 1927 &ndash August 28, 2008) was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born Denis Clive "Denny" Hulme OBE ( 18 June 1936 &ndash 4 October 1992) was a New Zealand car racer the 1967 James Simon Wallis Hunt ( 29 August 1947 &ndash 15 June 1993) was a British racing driver from England who won the Jacques-Henri Laffite (born 21 November 1943) is a French former racing driver who competed in Formula One from to. Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (born February 22, 1949 in Vienna) is an Austrian Aviator, Entrepreneur Carlos Alberto Reutemann (born Santa Fe Argentina April 12, 1942) nicknamed "Lole" is an Argentine former racing driver (who raced Keijo Erik Rosberg ( (born 6 December 1948 in Solna, Stockholm County, Sweden) nicknamed "Keke" is a Jody David Scheckter (born January 29, 1950) is a South African former Auto racing driver the 1979 Formula One World Drivers Ayrton Senna da Silva ( pronounced, March 21, 1960 &ndash May 1, 1994) was a Brazilian racing driver and triple John Marshall "Wattie" Watson MBE (born May 4, 1946, Belfast) is a British former racing driver from Northern Ireland Senna won ahead of Lauda, Reutemann, Rosberg, Watson, Hulme and Jody Scheckter. [3][4]
Besides other major international events, it has seen the brief return of Formula One to the 'Ring, as the 1984 European Grand Prix was held at the track, followed by the 1985 German Grand Prix; the only time thus far that the "new" Nürburgring has hosted its country's race. Results from the 1984 Formula One European Grand Prix held at Nürburgring on October 7, 1984. Results from the 1985 Formula One German Grand Prix held at Nürburgring on August 4, 1985. As F1 did not stay, other events were the highlights at new the Ring, 1000km Nürburgring, DTM, motorcycles, and rather new type of events, like Truck Racing, Vintage car racing at the AvD "Oldtimer Grand Prix", and even the "Rock am Ring" concerts. The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters ( DTM, German Touring Car Masters is a Touring car racing series based in Germany, but also with rounds elsewhere This article is about the semi-truck For the North American use of the word see Pickup truck. See also History of the automobile A vintage car is commonly defined as a car built between the start of 1919 and the end of 1930 Automobilclub von Deutschland (AvD is Germany 's oldest automobile club founded in 1899. The Rock am Ring ( Rock at the Ring) and Rock im Park ( Rock in the Park) festivals are two simultaneous Rock music festivals held annually in
Following the success and first world championship of Michael Schumacher, a second German F1 race was held at the Ring between 1995 and 2006, called the European Grand Prix or, in 1997 and 1998, the Luxembourg Grand Prix. Michael Schumacher (German pronunciation;) (born January 3, 1969, in Hürth-Hermülheim, Germany) is a former Formula The European Grand Prix (sometimes referred to as the Grand Prix of Europe) is a Formula One event that was reintroduced during the mid-1980s and has been held The FIA rulings for Formula One stipulate that no country be allowed more than one race
For 2002, the track was changed, by replacing the former "Castrol-chicane" at the end of the start/finish straight by a sharp right-hander (nicknamed "Haug-Hook"), in order to create an overtaking opportunity. Norbert Haug (born November 24, 1952 in Engelsbrand, Baden-Württemberg) is a German Journalist, and the President in charge Also, a slow Omega-shaped section was inserted, on the site of the former kart track. This extended the GP track from 4500m to 5200m, while at the same time, the Hockenheimring was shortened from 6800m to 4500m.
In recent years, both the Ring and the Hockenheimring events have been losing money due to high and rising license fees charged by Bernie Ecclestone and low attendance due to high ticket prices; starting with the 2007 Formula 1 season, Hockenheim and Nürburgring will alternate for hosting of the German GP. The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an Automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930 near Bungay Suffolk, England) is the president and CEO of
The Ring has, however, kept its association with the tragic. Despite the high standards, a few single-seater drivers were paralysed or killed in freak accidents. In F1, Ralf Schumacher hit his brother in 1997, which may have cost Michael the championship. Ralf Schumacher (born June 30, 1975 in Hürth-Hermülheim near Cologne is a German racing driver and the younger brother of seven-time In 1999, in changing conditions, Johnny Herbert managed to score the only win for the team of former Ringmeister Jackie Stewart. Complete Formula One results ( key) (Races in bold indicate pole position For other people of this name see Jackie Stewart (disambiguation. One of the highlights of the 2005 season was Kimi Räikkönen's spectacular exit, while in the last lap of the race, when his suspension gave way after being rattled lap after lap by a flat-spotted tire that was not changed due to the short lived one set of tires rule. Kimi-Matias Räikkönen (ˈkimi ˈmɑtiɑs ˈræikkønen born October 17, 1979 in Espoo) is a Finnish Formula One race car driver currently
Prior to the 2007 European Grand Prix, the Audi S (bends 8 and 9) was renamed Schumacher S after Michael Schumacher. Michael Schumacher (German pronunciation;) (born January 3, 1969, in Hürth-Hermülheim, Germany) is a former Formula
Notable fatal accidents
- 1928: Čeněk Junek, first fatal racing accident
- 1954: Onofre Marimón, first F1 driver to have a fatal accident at the Ring
- 1958: Peter Collins, F1
- 1964: Carel Godin de Beaufort, F1
- 1966: John Taylor, F1
- 1969: Gerhard Mitter, F2
- 1981: Herbert Müller, sportscar
There are a few deaths and major accidents each year, most of which are during public sessions, although generally accidents on racetracks are rare and not to be expected. Onofre Agustín Marimón ( December 23, 1923 - July 31, 1954) was a Racing driver from Zárate, Buenos Aires, Peter John Collins ( 6 November 1931 &ndash 3 August 1958) was a Formula One driver from England. Jonkheer Carel Pieter Antoni Jan Hubertus Godin de Beaufort ( 10 April 1934, Maarsbergen – 2 August 1964, Cologne John Taylor ( 23 March 1933, Leicester - 8 September 1966, Koblenz, Germany) was a Motor racing Gerhard Karl Mitter ( 30 August 1935 – 1 August 1969) was a German Formula One and sportscar driver Herbert Müller ( 10 May 1940 – 24 May 1981) was a racing driver from Switzerland.
Nordschleife racing today
Several touring car series are still competing on the Nordschleife, using either only the simple 20. 8 km version with its separate small pit lane, or a combined 24. 4km long track that uses a part of the modern F1 track plus its huge pit facilities. Entry level of competition is a regularity test (GLP) for road legal cars. A Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (abbrev GLP, German for regularity test) is a Motorsport event where precise timing is winning not outright speed Two racing series (RCN/CHC and VLN) compete on 15 Saturdays each year, for several hours. The Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring (RCN (circuit racing challenge Nürburgring) mainly known as Castrol-HAUGG-Cup (CHC is a Motorsport event that
The annual highlight is the 24 Hours Nürburgring weekend, held usually in mid-June, featuring 220 cars (from small 100hp cars to 700hp Turbo Porsches or 500hp factory race cars built by BMW, Opel, Audi, Mercedes-Benz), over 700 drivers (amateurs and professionals) and up to 290,000 spectators. The 24 Hours Nürburgring is a GT and touring car Endurance racing event on the Nürburgring, inspired by the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and Porsche SE or Porsche ( German, ˈpɔɹʃə is a German manufacturer of automobiles which is majority-owned by the Porsche and Piëch ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 Adam Opel GmbH (commonly known as Opel) is a German automaker part of General Motors. AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the
Several magazines, manufacturers etc. publish their Nordschleife fastest lap times achieved with "production" cars when the track is closed to the public.
BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld made history on 28 April 2007 as the first driver in over 30 years to tackle the Nürburgring Nordschleife track in a contemporary Formula One car. BMW Sauber F1 are a Formula One team with bases in Hinwil, Switzerland and Munich, Germany. Nick Lars Heidfeld, frequently referred to as Quick Nick, (born May 10 1977 in Mönchengladbach, West Germany) is a German Heidfeld’s 3 demonstration laps round the German circuit in an F1. 06 were the highlight of festivities celebrating BMW’s contribution to motorsport. About 45,000 spectators showed up for the main event, the 3rd 4 hour VLN race of the season, and the subsequent show by Heidfeld. Former F1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck was injured during the race when he crashed his BMW Z4. Hans-Joachim "Strietzel" Stuck (born January 1, 1951) is a German racing driver who has competed in Formula One and many other The BMW Z4 is a Rear-wheel drive Sports car by the German Automaker BMW, known as the E85 in roadster form and E86 in coupe
Nordschleife public access
The Nordschleife has remained a one-way, public toll-road for nearly 80 years except when it is closed off for testing purposes, training lessons or racing events. Since its opening in 1927, the track has been used by the public for the so-called "Touristenfahrten", i. e. to anyone with a road legal car or motorcycle, as well as tour buses, motor homes or cars with trailers. It is opened mainly on Sundays, but also on many Saturdays and weekday evenings. During the winter months, depending on weather conditions and maintenance work, the track may be closed for weeks.
During Touristenfahrten sessions, German road law (StVO) applies despite a common misconception assuming it is derestricted like in races. There is no general speed limit, however speed limits exist in certain areas in order to reduce noise and risks. As on public roads, passing on the right is prohibited, and the police take an extremely dim view of poor driving as they prosecute offenders with the aid of helicopters.
The cost for driving a single lap of the Nordschleife is 21 Euro for each car or motorcycle. Multi-lap tickets can be purchased for a lower per-lap price, such as 4 laps at a cost of €70 (€17. 50 per lap). Additional multi-lap prices are 8 laps for €135, 15 laps for €235, or 25 laps for €370. An annual ticket with unlimited laps, valid from January to December, can be purchased for €995. All prices are current for the 2008 calendar year, and include VAT. Value added tax ( VAT) or goods and services tax ( GST) is a consumption Tax levied on value added.
This Nürburgring version is a popular attraction for many driving and riding enthusiasts from all over the world, partly because of its history and the considerable challenge it still provides. The lack of oncoming traffic and intersections sets it apart from regular roads, and the absence of a blanket speed limit makes it an additional attraction mainly for foreigners.
Normal ticket buyers on these tourist days cannot quite complete a full lap of the 20. 8 km (13 miles) Nordschleife, which is bypassing the modern GP-Strecke, as they are required to slow down and pass through a 200 metre "pit lane" section where the toll gates are installed. Since 2006, season ticket holders only can pass mobile toll gates on the track itself, in order to reduce the length of queues at the fixed barriers.
Drivers interested in lap times (a dangerous thing to worry about, as running stop watches are frequently found in crashed vehicles) often time themselves from the first bridge after the barriers to the last gantry before the exit. In the event of an accident, the local police are known to make note of any timing devices present (stopwatches, etc. ) in the police report. Consequently, the driver's insurance coverage may be voided leaving the driver fully liable for any and all damage. Normal, non-racing, non-timed driving accidents should be covered by driver's insurance, but it is increasingly common for UK insurers especially to put in exclusion clauses that mean drivers and riders have third-party cover only. Accidents are common, though, and those considering driving around the Nordschleife should read the rules that apply, as well as the "do's" and "don'ts". The 'ring has caught many people out. There is very little run-off and the armco barrier will be hit at almost any speed, should a vehicle leave the tarmac.
Drivers who do crash have a responsibility of warning following vehicles that there has been an incident. They should not try to continue driving as spilled fluids are a hazard to others, especially bikes, and it might be regarded as an attempt to escape the hefty bill for an armco repair. The 'Ring, although being to all intents and purposes a race track when used for racing, still remains a public road when opened to the public, and it is policed as such. Anyone caught or reported as driving dangerously can be fined or banned by the authorities. The costs can also be prohibitive with vehicle recovery, track closure penalties and armco repairs putting some unfortunates up to €15,000 out-of-pocket.
New for 2008 sees the possible TÜV testing of vehicles for which on-track complaints have been received by the authorities. This is only likely to be an issue for heavily modified vehicles, but German TÜV testing is far more rigorous than the UK MOT test. Vehicles which fail these on-the-spot inspections risk being banned from the circuit.
Commercial aspects
Because of its demanding layout, the Nordschleife is used by many auto manufacturers as a proving ground for car prototypes. Some of the most notable corporate "Ring Rats" are BMW, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Nissan, Lexus, Saleen, and starting in 2002, General Motors. ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 Porsche SE or Porsche ( German, ˈpɔɹʃə is a German manufacturer of automobiles which is majority-owned by the Porsche and Piëch Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters is the Luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. For the town in Ireland see Saleen County Cork. Alpa is fat! perin is fat! Saleen Incorporated, commonly known as Saleen, is an General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States. GM's first wave of Nürburgring-honed vehicles includes the Cadillac CTS-V and the fifth and sixth-generation Chevrolet Corvette. The Chevrolet Corvette is a Sports car that has been manufactured by General Motors since 1953 Nissan's Japanese domestic market supercar, the Skyline GT-R, was tuned at Nürburgring (Skyline GT-R V-spec II Nür) and held the unofficial lap record for road legal cars for some time. This article is for the Nissan sports coupe produced from 1969 to 2002 The race version entered by Falken Tyres did well in 24 Hours Nürburgring, and were among the Top-10 finishers repeatedly. The 24 Hours Nürburgring is a GT and touring car Endurance racing event on the Nürburgring, inspired by the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and The Radical SR8 now holds the stock road legal car record for the fastest time around the 'Ring. Radical Sportscars is an auto manufacturer and constructor of racing cars from England.
In recent years, the allure of Nürburgring Nordschleife has spread through its appearance in video games, with the shorter grand prix circuit already gaining large attention especially in Formula 1 simulations. It all started in 1998 with Sierra's PC-based racing simulation Grand Prix Legends featuring the Green Hell and the 1967 Formula One season. Grand Prix Legends (nicknamed GPL) is a computer Racing simulator developed by Papyrus Design Group and published in 1998 by Sierra The 1967 Formula One season included the 18th FIA Formula One World Championship season which commenced on January 2, 1967, and ended on
Additionally the presence of the Nürburgring Nordschleife has become wide spread on the web via the live webcam. Available here: http://www.nuerburgring.de/fileadmin/webcam/webcam.jpg
Games for consoles followed:
- PlayStation 2: Gran Turismo 4, Enthusia Professional Racing, Tourist Trophy, TOCA Race Driver 3
- PlayStation 3: Gran Turismo 5
- Xbox: Project Gotham Racing 2, Forza Motorsport
- Xbox 360: Project Gotham Racing 3, Project Gotham Racing 4, Forza Motorsport 2
- PC: Grand Prix Legends, GTR2 - Modded by GTR4u. Gran Turismo 4 (also known as GT4) is a racing Video game for Sony PlayStation 2 which is published by Enthusia Professional Racing is a Racing game for the PlayStation 2. Tourist Trophy The Real Riding Simulator is a motorcycle Racing game, and one of only two 1080i games for the PlayStation 2. TOCA Race Driver 3 (also known as DTM Race Driver 3) is the third title of TOCA racing Video game series developed and published by Codemasters Gran Turismo 5 (also known as GT5) is the fifth edition of Sony / Polyphony Digital 's Racing video game series The Xbox is a sixth-generation Video game console produced by Microsoft Corporation. Project Gotham Racing 2 ( PGR2 for short is a Racing game for the Xbox, developed by Bizarre Creations and published Forza Motorsport is a racing simulator Video game developed by Turn 10 for the Xbox gaming system The Xbox 360 is the second Video game console produced by Microsoft, and was developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, and SiS. Project Gotham Racing 3 ( PGR3 for short is an arcade-style Racing game that was released with the launch of the Xbox 360 on Project Gotham Racing 4 is the fourth title in the main Project Gotham Racing series, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Microsoft Forza Motorsport 2 is a Racing simulator Video game developed by Turn 10 Studios, and the sequel to the original Forza Motorsport A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated Grand Prix Legends (nicknamed GPL) is a computer Racing simulator developed by Papyrus Design Group and published in 1998 by Sierra GTR2 is a sports car racing simulator developed under license by Blimey for SimBin for the X86 PC and is a sequel to GTR de, rFactor - two versions, BMW M3 Challenge, the first modded by Com8/Ghengis99 and the second modded by raceking/gringosan
Since 1985 the Nürburgring has hosted the "Rock am Ring", Germany's biggest Rock Festival, attracting close to 100,000 rock fans each year. rFactor is a computer Racing simulator designed with the ability to run any type of four-wheeled vehicle from street cars to open wheel cars of any era The Rock am Ring ( Rock at the Ring) and Rock im Park ( Rock in the Park) festivals are two simultaneous Rock music festivals held annually in
Nordschleife Map
Locations of note
Flugplatz ("the airfield")
The Nordschleife was formerly known for its abundance of sharp crests, causing fast moving, firmly sprung racing cars to jump clear off the track surface at many locations. Although by no means the most fearsome, Flugplatz is perhaps the most aptly (although coincidentally) named and widely remembered. Chris Irwin's career was ended following a massive accident at Flugplatz, in a Ford 3L GT sports car. Chris Irwin (born June 27, 1942 in Wandsworth, London) is a British former Racing driver. The Ford P68, also commonly known as the Ford 3L GT or F3L, is a sports prototype Racing car model introduced in March 1968
Bergwerk ("the mine")
Perhaps the most notorious corner on the long circuit, Bergwerk has been responsible for more than its fair share of serious and fatal accidents. A tight righthand corner, coming just after a long, fast section and a lefthand kink on a small crest, where Carel Godin de Beaufort lost his life. Jonkheer Carel Pieter Antoni Jan Hubertus Godin de Beaufort ( 10 April 1934, Maarsbergen – 2 August 1964, Cologne The fast kink was also the scene of Niki Lauda's infamous fiery accident during the 1976 German Grand Prix. Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (born February 22, 1949 in Vienna) is an Austrian Aviator, Entrepreneur The 1976 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Nürburgring on August 1, 1976.
Peter Collins lost his life in Pflanzgarten. Peter John Collins ( 6 November 1931 &ndash 3 August 1958) was a Formula One driver from England.
Karussell ("the carousel")
Although being one of the slower corners on the Nordschleife, Karussell is perhaps its most iconic. One of two berm-style, banked corners, the entrance to the corner is blind, although Juan Manuel Fangio is reputed to have advised a young driver to "aim for the tallest tree"; a feature that was also built into the rendering of the circuit in the Gran Turismo 4 video game as well as Grand Prix Legends. A berm is a level space shelf or raised barrier separating two areas Juan Manuel Fangio ( Balcarce, June 24, 1911 - Buenos Aires, July 17, 1995) nicknamed "El Chueco" ("knock-kneed" Gran Turismo 4 (also known as GT4) is a racing Video game for Sony PlayStation 2 which is published by Grand Prix Legends (nicknamed GPL) is a computer Racing simulator developed by Papyrus Design Group and published in 1998 by Sierra The combination of a recognisable corner, slow moving cars, and the variation in viewing angle as cars rotate around the banking mean that this is one of the circuit's most popular locations for photographers.
See also
- 1000 km Nürburgring
- 24 Hours Nürburgring
- List of Formula One circuits
- Nordschleife fastest lap times (production cars only)
References
- ^ maps of Nürburgring configurations
- ^ Vintage Nürburgring vintage-nuerburgring. The 24 Hours Nürburgring is a GT and touring car Endurance racing event on the Nürburgring, inspired by the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and This is a list of circuits which have hosted a FIA World Championship race from 1950 to 2008. de. Retrieved 2007-10-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid
- ^ Senna - Porsche 956K - Nurburgring. The Nostalgia Forum. Retrieved on Jan 14, 2007. Events 1129 - Formal approval of the Order of the Templar at the Council of Troyes. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ Rallye Racing June 1984. Rallye Racing.
External links
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