Nürburgring

The Nürburgring (alternative spelling: Nuerburgring), known as simply "the Ring" by enthusiasts, is the name of a famous road racing circuit for autos or motorcycles in Germany, of which there are several configurations.

Only the shorter, modern 1980s version called GP-Strecke is nowadays used by major and international racing events. However, the older, much longer version of the Ring called the Nordschleife (North Circuit), built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains, is still in use; nicknamed The Green Hell by Jackie Stewart, it is widely considered the toughest and most demanding purpose-built race track in the world.


1927–1939: "Nürburg-Ring"
In the early 1920s, races called ADAC Eifelrennen were held on public roads in the Eifel mountains. 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. The layout of the circuit in the mountains was similar to the Targa Florio, one of the most important motorraces at that time. 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.

There was then a single 28.265 km (17.5 mile) circuit of, on average, 8 to 9 metres in width and a total of 174 bends (back then, for full Ring, prior to 1971 changes), which could be split into two sections: the Südschleife (Southern loop) of 7.747 km (4.8 miles) and the Nordschleife (Northern loop) of 22.810 km (14 miles), with both sections sharing two straights (one of which was the start-finish straight). Also, a short 2.292 km (1.4 miles) track around the pits could be used in practice and for minor events.

The track was completed in spring of 1927, and the ADAC Eifelrennen races were continued there. The first World Cycling Championship race took place on 1927-06-19, and the first German Grand Prix a month later. In addition, the track was opened to the public in the evenings and on weekends, as a one-way toll road.

In 1929 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.

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). A new group of Ringmeisters arose to dominate the race - Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart and Jacky Ickx.

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. The 24 Hours Nürburgring for touring car racing was added in 1970.

By the late 1960s, the Nordschelife 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 pitlane entry. 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. The changes were not possible on short notice, and the German GP was moved to the Hockenheimring which already had been modified.

1971–1983: Changes
According to the demands of the F1, the Nordschleife was reconstructed by taking out some bumps and installing safety barriers (armco). 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, too. 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 20 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 deemed unsuitable for the burgeoning television market. Niki Lauda, the reigning world champion and only person ever to lap the full Nordschleife in under 7 minutes, 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. Also, the crashed 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. 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 since 1977.

In 1980, the last German Grand Prix motorcycle racing event was held on the old Ring. 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 20.8km. With an additional small pit lane, this version could be used for races in 1983, e.g. the 1000km Nürburgring endurance race, while construction was going on nearby. In training for that race, the late Stefan Bellof set the all-time lap record for the Nordscheife in his Porsche 956, which is still unbeaten at 6:11.13, or over 200 km/h in average.

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 or converted to a normal public road, but not yet forgotten by all, as a fan website exists and a vintage car event was held in 2005.


1984: The new Grand Prix track
Detailed Nürburgring map complete with new F1 sectionThe 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, which had to sit much further away from the track, called it Eifelring or similar, believing it didn't deserve to be called Nürburgring.

Besides other major international events, it has seen the brief return of Formula One to the Ring, as a one-off 1984 German Grand Prix and an additional 1985 European Grand Prix. 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.

Following the success and first world championship of Michael Schumacher, a second German F1 race is held at the Ring since 1995, called European Grand Prix or Luxembourg Grand Prix. In recent years, both the Ring and the Hockenheimring event is losing money due to high and rising license fees charged by Bernie Ecclestone and low attendance due to high ticket prices, both tracks consider sharing a single race between them in future years.

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. In 1999, in changing conditions, Johnny Herbert managed to score the only win for the team of former Ringmeister Jackie Stewart. 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 tyre that was not changed.

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. Two racing series (CHC and VLN) compete on 15 Saturdays each year, for several hours.

The annual highlight is the 24 Hours Nürburgring weekend, held usually in mid-June, featuring 220 cars (from small 100hp cars to 700hp Turbo Porsche or 500hp factory race cars of BMW, Opel, Audi), over 700 drivers (amateurs and professionals) and up to 220 000 spectators.

Nordschleife Public Access
The Nordschleife has remained a one-way public toll-road for nearly 80 years. At a slightly reduced length of 20.8 km (13 miles), bypassing the modern GP-Strecke, the Nordschleife is frequently closed off for testing purposes, training lessons or racing events. In the evenings and on Sundays, it is opened for the so-called "Touristenfahrten", i. e. to anyone with a road legal car or motorcycle, as well as tour buses, motorhomes or cars with trailers. 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 general speed limit, like on parts of the German Autobahn network, is an additional attraction mainly for foreigners. Accidents are common, though, and those considering driving around the Nordschleife should familiarize [1] themselves beforehand with rules that apply, as well as the "do's" and "dont's".