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 | |
 Configuration for GP-Strecke (2002–present) | |
 Configuration for 24 Hours Circuit – Combined GP Circuit without Mercedes-Arena (2002–present) | |
| Location | Nürburg, Germany |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50°20′08″N6°56′51″E / 50.33556°N 6.94750°E /50.33556; 6.94750 |
| Capacity | 150,000 |
| FIA Grade |
|
| Major events | Current:
Former:
|
| Website | https://nuerburgring.de |
| GP-Strecke (2001–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 5.1480 km (3.1988 mi) |
| Turns | 15 |
| Race lap record | 1:28.139 ( Max Verstappen,Red Bull Racing RB16,2020,F1) |
| Sprint Circuit (2002–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 3.629 km (2.255 mi) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:19.322 ( Kimiya Sato,Lola B05/52,2014,Auto GP) |
| Oldtimer Circuit (2002–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 4.569 km (2.839 mi) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:36.325 ( Martin Stretton,Tyrrell 012,2018,F1) |
| 24 Hours Circuit – Combined GP Circuit without Mercedes-Arena (2002–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt/concrete |
| Length | 25.378 km (15.769 mi) |
| Turns | 170 |
| Race lap record | 8:08.006 ( Daniel Keilwitz,Ferrari 296 GT3,2023,GT3) |
| Nordschleife (1983–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt/concrete |
| Length | 20.832 km (12.944 mi) |
| Turns | 154 |
| Race lap record | 6:25.91 (Stefan Bellof,Porsche 956,1983,Group C) |
| GP-Strecke with F1 Chicane (1995–2001) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 4.556 km (2.831 mi) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:18.354 ( Juan Pablo Montoya,Williams FW23,2001,F1) |
| GP-Strecke without F1 Chicane (1984–2001) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 4.542 km (2.822 mi) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:21.533 ( Teo Fabi,Jaguar XJR-14,1991,C1) |
| Nordschleife (1971–1982) | |
| Surface | Asphalt/concrete |
| Length | 22.835 km (14.189 mi) |
| Turns | 160 |
| Race lap record | 7:06.4 ( Clay Regazzoni,Ferrari 312T,1975,F1) |
| Nordschleife (1967–1970) | |
| Surface | Asphalt/concrete |
| Length | 22.835 km (14.189 mi) |
| Turns | 160 |
| Race lap record | 7:40.800 ( Jacky Ickx,Brabham BT26A,1969,F1) |
| Nordschleife (1927–1966) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 22.800 km (14.167 mi) |
| Turns | 160 |
| Race lap record | 8:24.1 (Jim Clark,Lotus 33,1965,F1) |
| Südschleife (1927–1982) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 7.747 km (4.814 mi) |
| Turns | 27 |
| Race lap record | 2:38.6 (Helmut Kelleners,March 707, 1970,Group 7) |
| Gesamtstrecke (1927–1982) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 28.265 km (17.563 mi) |
| Turns | 187 |
| Race lap record | 15:06.1 ( Louis Chiron,Bugatti Type35C,1929,Grand Prix) |
TheNürburgring (German pronunciation:[ˈnyːɐ̯bʊʁkˌʁɪŋ]ⓘ) is a 150,000-person capacitymotorsports complex located in the town ofNürburg,Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It features aGrand Prix race track built in 1984, and a longNordschleife configuration,[a] built in the 1920s, around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in theEifel mountains. The north loop is 20.830 km (12.943 mi) long and contains more than 300 metres (1,000 feet) of elevation change from its lowest to highest points. Scottish racing driverJackie Stewart nicknamed the track "the Green Hell".[2]
Originally, the track featured four configurations, namely the 28.265 km-long (17.563 mi)Gesamtstrecke,[b] which in turn consisted of the then-22.835 km (14.189 mi)Nordschleife,[a] and the 7.747 km (4.814 mi)Südschleife.[c] There was also a 2.281 km (1.417 mi) warm-up loop calledZielschleife,[d] orBetonschleife,[e] around thepit area.[3] Between 1982 and 1983, the start–finish area was demolished to create a newGP-Strecke,[f] which is now used for all major and international racing events. However, the shortenedNordschleife is still in use for racing, testing and public access.[4]
Prior toWorld War II, the Nürburgring hosted 13 editions of theGerman Grand Prix from1927 to1939. InFormula One (F1), it has hosted 42Grands Prix, including the German,European,Luxembourg, and – most recently – 2020 Eifel Grand Prix;Michael Schumacher achieved the most victories at the Nürburgring, winning on five occasions between1995 and2006.[5] The1976 German Grand Prix, held on theNordschleife, was the last F1 race ever contested on a circuit of 10 or more kilometres (6.2 or more miles).[g] As of 2025[update], the venue hosts several nationalGT events, including theDeutsche Tourenwagen Masters.
In 1904, the Gordon Bennett Trophy was held on the twice-run Taunus circuit, a circuit made up of public roads starting between the towns ofWehrheim,Limburg andSaalburg, just north ofFrankfurt that was 126 km (78 mi) long. In 1907, the Taunus circuit was re-routed and shortened to 117 km (73 mi), and it was used one more time for the firstEifelrennen race, which was won by Italian racerFelice Nazzaro. In the early 1920s,ADAC Eifelrennen races were held on the twisty 33.2 km (20.6 mi)Nideggen public road circuit nearCologne andBonn. Around 1925, the construction of a dedicated race track was proposed just south of the Nideggen circuit around the ancient castle of the town ofNürburg, following the examples of Italy'sMonza and Targa Florio courses, andBerlin'sAVUS, yet with a different character. The layout of the circuit in the mountains was similar to theTarga Florio event, one of the most important motor races at that time. The original Nürburgring was to be a showcase forGerman automotive engineering and racing talent. Construction of the track, designed by theEichler Architekturbüro fromRavensburg (led by architect Gustav Eichler), began in September 1925.[citation needed]
The track was completed in the spring of 1927, and theADACEifelrennen races were continued there. The first races to take place on 18 June 1927 showed motorcycles and sidecars, and were won byToni Ulmen on an English 350ccVelocette. The cars followed a day later, andRudolf Caracciola was the winner of the over–5000cc class in a supercharged Mercedes-Benz "K". In addition, the track was opened to the public in the evenings and on weekends, as a one-way toll road.[7] The entire track consisted of 174 bends (prior to 1971 changes), and averaged 8 to 9 metres (8.7 to 9.8 yd) in width. The fastest time ever around the fullGesamtstrecke was byLouis Chiron, at an average speed of 112.31 km/h (69.79 mph) in hisBugatti.[citation needed]
In 1929 the full Nürburgring was used for the last time in major racing events, as future Grands Prix would be held only on theNordschleife. Motorcycles and minor races primarily used the shorter and saferSüdschleife. Memorable pre-war races at the circuit featured the talents of earlyRingmeister (Ringmasters) such asRudolf Caracciola,Tazio Nuvolari, andBernd Rosemeyer.[citation needed]
AfterWorld War II, racing resumed in 1947, and in 1951, theNordschleife of the Nürburgring again became the main venue for theGerman Grand Prix as part of theFormula One World Championship (with the exception of 1959, when it was held on theAVUS inBerlin). A new group ofRingmeister arose to dominate the race –Alberto Ascari,Juan Manuel Fangio,Stirling Moss,Jim Clark,John Surtees,Jackie Stewart andJacky Ickx.
On 5 August 1961, during practice for the 1961 German Grand Prix,Phil Hill became the first person to complete a lap of theNordschleife in under 9 minutes, with a lap of 8 minutes 55.2 seconds (153.4 km/h or 95.3 mph) in theFerrari 156 "Sharknose" Formula One car. Over half a century later, even the highest performing road cars still have difficulty breaking 8 minutes without a professional race driver or one very familiar with the track. Also, several rounds of theGerman motorcycle Grand Prix were held, mostly on the 7.747 km (4.814 mi)Südschleife, but theHockenheimring and theSolitudering were the main sites forGrand Prix motorcycle racing.
In 1953, the ADAC1000 km Nürburgring race was introduced, anEndurance race andSports car racing event that counted towards theWorld Sportscar Championship for decades. The24 Hours Nürburgring fortouring car racing was added in 1970.
By the late 1960s, theNordschleife and many other tracks were becoming increasingly dangerous for the latest generation of F1 cars. In 1967, achicane was added before the start/finish straight, calledHohenrain, in order to reduce speeds at the pit lane entry. This made the track 25 m (27 yd) longer. Even this change, however, was not enough to keep Stewart from nicknaming it "The Green Hell" (German:Die Grüne Hölle) following his victory in the1968 German Grand Prix amid a driving rainstorm and thick fog. In 1970, after the fatal crash ofPiers Courage atZandvoort, the F1 drivers decided at theFrench Grand Prix to boycott the Nürburgring unless major changes were made, as they had done atSpa the year before. The changes were not possible on short notice, and the German GP was moved to theHockenheimring, which had already been modified.
In accordance with the demands of the F1 drivers, theNordschleife was reconstructed by taking out some bumps, smoothing out some sudden jumps (particularly at Brünnchen), and installingArmco safety barriers. The track was made straighter, following the race line, which reduced the number of corners. TheGerman GP could be hosted at the Nürburgring again, and was for another six years from 1971 to 1976.
In 1973 the entrance into the dangerous and bumpy Kallenhard corner was made slower by adding another left-hand corner after the fast Metzgesfeld sweeping corner. Safety was improved again later on by removing the jumps on the long main straight and widening it. They also took away the bushes right next to the track at the main straight, which had made that section of the Nürburgring dangerously narrow. A second series of three more F1 races was held until 1976. However, primarily due to its length of over 22 km (14 mi), and the lack of space due to its situation on the sides of the mountains, increasing demands by the F1 drivers and the FIA's CSI commission were too expensive or impossible to meet. For instance, by the 1970s the German Grand Prix required five times the marshals and medical staff as a typical F1 race, something the German organizers were unwilling to provide. Additionally, even with the 1971 modifications it was still possible for cars to become airborne off the track. The Nürburgring was also unsuitable for the burgeoning television market; its vast expanse made it almost impossible to effectively cover a race there. As a result, early in the season it was decided thatthe 1976 race would be the last to be held on the old circuit.
Niki Lauda, the reigning world champion and only person ever to lap the full 22.835 km (14.189 mi)Nordschleife in under seven minutes (6:58.6, 1975), proposed to the other drivers that they boycott the circuit in 1976. Lauda was not only concerned about the safety arrangements and the lack of marshals around the circuit, he also did not like the prospect of running the race in another rainstorm. Usually when that happened, some parts of the circuit were wet and other parts were dry, which is what the conditions of the circuit were for that race. The other drivers voted against the idea and the race went ahead. Lauda crashed in his Ferrari coming out of the left-hand kink before Bergwerk after a new magnesium component (lighter but more fragile than aluminum used until then) on his Ferrari's rear suspension failed. He was badly burned as his car was still loaded with fuel in lap 2. Lauda was saved by the combined actions of fellow driversArturo Merzario,Guy Edwards,Brett Lunger,Emerson Fittipaldi andHarald Ertl.
The crash also showed that the track's distances were too long for regular fire engines and ambulances, even though the "ONS-Staffel" was equipped with aPorsche 911 rescue car, marked (R). The old Nürburgring never hosted another F1 race again, as the German Grand Prix was moved to theHockenheimring for 1977. TheGerman motorcycle Grand Prix was held for the last time on the old Nürburgring in 1980, also permanently moving to Hockenheim.
By its very nature, theNordschleife was impossible to make safe in its old configuration. It soon became apparent that it would have to be completely overhauled if there was any prospect of Formula One returning there - the Nürburgring's administration and race organizers were not willing to provide the enormous expense of providing the number of marshals needed for a Grand Prix - up to six times the amount that most other circuits needed. With this in mind, in 1981 work began on a 4.556 km-long (2.831 mi) new circuit, which was built on and around the old pit area.
At the same time, a bypass shortened theNordschleife to 20.832 km (12.944 mi), and with an additional small pit lane, this version was used for races in 1983, e.g. the1000km Nürburgring endurance race, while construction work was going on nearby. During qualifying for that race,Stefan Bellof set a lap of 6:11.13 for the 20.832 km (12.944 mi)Nordschleife in hisPorsche 956, or 199.8 km/h (124.1 mph) on average. This lap held the all-time record for 35 years (partially because no major racing has taken place there since 1984) until it was surpassed byTimo Bernhard in the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo, which ran the slightly longer version of the circuit in 5:19.546- averaging 233.8 km/h (145.3 mph) on 29 June 2018.
Meanwhile, more run-off areas were added at corners like Aremberg and Brünnchen, where originally there were just embankments protected by Armco barriers. The track surface was made safer in some spots where there had been bumps and jumps. Racing line markers were added to the corners all around the track as well. Also, bushes and hedges at the edges of corners were replaced with Armco and grass.
The formerSüdschleife had not been modified in 1970–1971 and was abandoned a few years later in favour of the improvedNordschleife. 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 has been hosted on the old track layout, including part of the parking area.[8]
The new track was completed in 1984 and namedGP-Strecke (German:Großer Preis-Strecke: literally, "Grand Prix Course"). It was built to meet the highest safety standards. However, it was considered in character a mere shadow of its older sibling. Some fans, who had to sit much farther away from the track, called itEifelring,Ersatzring,Grünering or similar nicknames, believing it did not deserve to be called Nürburgring. Like many circuits of the time, it offered few overtaking opportunities.
Prior to the2013 German Grand Prix bothMark Webber andLewis Hamilton said they liked the track. Webber described the layout as "an old school track" before adding, "It's a beautiful little circuit for us to still drive on so I think all the guys enjoy driving here." While Hamilton said "It's a fantastic circuit, one of the classics and it hasn't lost that feel of an old classic circuit."[9]
To celebrate its opening, an exhibition race was held on 12 May. The1984 Nürburgring Race of Champions featured an array of notable drivers driving identicalMercedes 190E 2.3–16's: the line-up wasElio de Angelis,Jack Brabham (Formula 1 World Champion 1959, 1960, 1966),Phil Hill (1961),Denis Hulme (1967),James Hunt (1976),Alan Jones (1980),Jacques Laffite,Niki Lauda (1975, 1977)*,Stirling Moss,Alain Prost*,Carlos Reutemann,Keke Rosberg (1982),Jody Scheckter (1979),Ayrton Senna*,John Surtees (1964) andJohn Watson. [Drivers marked with * won the Formula 1 World Championship subsequent to the race]. Senna won ahead of Lauda, Reutemann, Rosberg, Watson, Hulme and Jody Scheckter, being the only one to resist Lauda's performance who – having missed the qualifying – had to start from the last row and overtook all the others except Senna.[10][11] There were nine former and two future Formula 1 World Champions competing, in a field of 20 cars with 17 Formula 1 drivers including then 56 year oldHans Herrmann plus three drivers known for racing Porsche:Klaus Ludwig,Manfred Schurti andUdo Schütz.
Besides other major international events, the Nürburgring has seen the brief return ofFormula One racing, as the1984 European Grand Prix was held at the track, followed by the1985 German Grand Prix. As F1 did not stay, other events are now the highlights at the new Nürburgring, including the1000km Nürburgring,DTM, motorcycles, and newer types of events, liketruck racing,vintage car racing at theAvD "Oldtimer Grand Prix", and even the "Rock am Ring" concerts.
Following the success and first world championship ofMichael Schumacher, a second German F1 race was held at the Nürburgring between 1995 and 2006, called theEuropean Grand Prix, or in 1997 and 1998, theLuxembourg Grand Prix.
For 2002, the track was changed, by replacing the former "Castrol-chicane" at the end of the start/finish straight with a sharp right-hander (nicknamed "Haug-Hook"), in order to create an overtaking opportunity. Also, a slowOmega-shaped section was inserted, on the site of the former kart track. This extended the GP track from 4.556 to 5.148 km (2.831 to 3.199 mi), while at the same time, the Hockenheimring was shortened from 6.823 to 4.574 km (4.240 to 2.842 mi).
Both the Nürburgring and theHockenheimring events lost money due to high and rising Formula One licence fees charged byBernie Ecclestone and low attendance due to high ticket prices;[12][13][citation needed] starting with the2007 Formula One season, Hockenheim and Nürburgring alternated in hosting the German GP.
In Formula One,Ralf Schumacher collided with his teammateGiancarlo Fisichella and his brother at the start of the1997 race which was won byJacques Villeneuve. In1999, in changing conditions,Johnny Herbert managed to score the only win for the team of formerRingmeisterJackie Stewart. One of the highlights of the 2005 season wasKimi Räikkönen's spectacular exit while in the last lap ofthe race, when his suspension gave way after being rattled lap after lap by aflat-spotted tyre that was not changed due to the short-lived'one set of tyres' rule.
Prior to the 2007 European Grand Prix, theAudi S (turns 8 and 9) was renamedMichael Schumacher S afterMichael Schumacher. Schumacher had retired from Formula One the year before, but returned in 2010, and in 2011 became the second Formula One driver to drive through a turn named after them (afterAyrton Senna driving his "S for Senna" atAutódromo José Carlos Pace).
In2007, theFIA announced thatHockenheimring and Nürburgring would alternate with theGerman Grand Prix with Nürburgring hosting in2007. Due to name-licensing problems, it was held as theEuropean Grand Prix that year. In 2014, the new owners of the Nürburgring were unable to secure a deal to continue hosting the German Grand Prix in the odd-numbered years, so the 2015 and 2017 German Grands Prix were cancelled.
In July 2020, it was announced that after seven years, the race track would be an officialFormula One Grand Prix with the event taking place from 9 to 11 October 2020. This race was called theEifel Grand Prix in honour of the nearby mountain range, meaning the venue held a Grand Prix under a fourth different name having hosted races under theGerman,European andLuxembourg Grands Prix titles previously.[14] That race was won byLewis Hamilton, who equalledMichael Schumacher's record of wins.
While it is unusual for deaths to occur during sanctioned races, there are many accidents and several deaths each year during public sessions. It is common for the track to be closed several times a day for cleanup, repair, and medical intervention. While track management does not publish any official figures, several regular visitors to the track have used police reports to estimate the number of fatalities as between 3 and 12 in a full year.[15]Jeremy Clarkson noted inTop Gear in 2004 that "over the years this track has claimed over 200 lives".[16]
 | This articleis missing information about the GP-Strecke. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on thetalk page.(May 2023) |
Several touring car series still compete on theNordschleife, using either only the simple 20.830 km (12.943 mi) version with its separate small pit lane, or a combined 25.378 km-long (15.769 mi) track that uses a part of the original modern F1 track (without the Mercedes Arena section, which is often used for support pits) plus its huge pit facilities. Entry-level competition requires a regularity test (GLP) for street-legal cars. Two racing series (RCN/CHC andVLN) compete on 15 Saturdays each year, for several hours.
The annual highlight is the24 Hours Nürburgring weekend, held usually in mid-May, featuring 220 cars – from small 100 hp (75 kW) cars to 700 hp (520 kW) TurboPorsche cars or 500 hp (370 kW) factory race cars built byBMW,Opel,Audi, andMercedes-Benz, over 700 drivers (amateurs and professionals), and up to 290,000 spectators.
As of2015 theWorld Touring Car Championship holds theFIA WTCC Race of Germany at the Nordschleife as a support category to the 24 Hours.
BMW Sauber'sNick Heidfeld made history on 28 April 2007 as the first driver in over thirty years to tackle the NürburgringNordschleife track in a contemporary Formula One car.[17] Heidfeld's three laps in anF1.06 were part of festivities celebrating BMW's contribution to motorsport. About 45,000 spectators showed up for the main event, the third four-hourVLN race of the season. Conceived largely as a photo opportunity, the lap times were not as fast as the car was capable of, BMW instead needing to run the chassis at a particularly high ride height to allow for theNordschleife's abrupt gradient changes and to limit maximum speeds accordingly. Former F1 driverHans-Joachim Stuck was injured during the race when he crashed hisBMW Z4.
As part of the festivities before the 2013 24 Hours Nürburgring race,Michael Schumacher and otherMercedes-Benz drivers took part in a promotional event which saw Schumacher complete a demonstration lap of theNordschleife at the wheel of a 2011Mercedes W02.[18] As with Heidfeld's lap, and also partly due to Formula One's strict in-season testing bans, the lap left many motorsport fans underwhelmed.[19]
Since its opening in 1927, the track has been used by the public for the so-calledTouristenfahrten: anyone with a road-legal car or motorcycle, as well as tour buses, motor homes, or cars with trailers, are able to access the Nordschleife. It is open every day from mid-March through mid-November, except when racing takes place. The track is not open to the public during the winter, when construction work is ongoing or in the event of bad weather. Passing on the right is prohibited, and some sections have speed limits; the normal traffic rules (StVO in German) apply also here.
The Nürburgring is a popular attraction for many driving enthusiasts and riders from all over the world, partly because of its history and the challenge it provides. The lack of oncoming traffic and intersections sets it apart from regular roads, and the absence of a blanket speed limit is a further attraction.
Normal ticket buyers on tourist days cannot quite complete a full lap of the 20.832 km (12.944 mi)Nordschleife, which bypasses the modernGP-Strecke, as they are required to slow down and pass through a 200-metre (220 yd) "pit lane" section where toll gates are installed. On busier days, a mobile ticket barrier is installed on the main straight in order to reduce the length of queues at the fixed barriers. This is open to all ticket holders. On rare occasions, it is possible to drive both theNordschleife and the Grand Prix circuit combined.
Drivers interested in lap times often time themselves from the first bridge after the barriers to the last gantry (aka Bridge-to-Gantry or BTG time) before the exit.[20] However, the track's general conditions state that any form of racing, including speed record attempts, is forbidden.[21] The driver's insurance coverage may consequently be voided, leaving the driver fully liable for damage. Normal, non-racing, non-timed driving accidents might be covered by driver's insurance, but it is increasingly common for insurers to insert exclusion clauses that mean drivers and riders on the Nürburgring only have third-party coverage[22] or are not covered at all.[23]
Drivers who have crashed into the barriers, suffered mechanical failure or been otherwise required to be towed off track duringTouristenfahrten sessions are referred to as having joined the "Bongard Club". This nickname is derived from the name of the company which operates the large yellow recovery flatbed trucks which ferry those unfortunate drivers and their vehicles to the nearest exit.[24] Due to the high volume of traffic, there is an emphasis on quickly clearing and repairing any compromised safety measures so the track can be immediately re-opened for use.
Additionally, those found responsible for damage to the track or safety barriers are required to pay for repairs, along with the time and cost associated with personnel, equipment and track closure to address those damages, making any accident or breakdown a potentially expensive incident. Because it is technically operated as a public toll road, failing to report an accident or instance where track surfaces are affected is considered to be an instance of unlawfully leaving the scene of an accident.[25] This is all part of the rules and regulations which aim to ensure a safe experience for all visitors to the track.
On 20 February 2025, the administration of the circuit decided to forbid motorcycles during public Touristenfahrten tourist laps starting from the opening of the 2025 season.[26][27]
The entire NürburgringGesamtstrecke was open to the public from its initial opening. At several points around the circuit there wereaccess roads andtoll points from which drivers and riders could begin or end a drive. TheSüdschleife had one of these at the bottom of the uphill stretch nearMüllenbach.
For decades, automotive media outlets and manufacturers have usedlap times on the Nordschleife as a standard to measure the performance of production vehicles. A car's time on the circuit is commonly used as a benchmark for its overall performance, and cars from disparate marques or time periods may be directly compared via their lap times. Since 2019, two times have been recorded: one for the whole length of the track, and another for a traditional, slightly truncated layout. Nordschleife test cars are piloted by experienced test drivers with intricate knowledge of the circuit, and are often variants specially prepared for circuit racing, as is the case with theLexus LFA's "Nürburgring package".[28][29][30]
For sixteen weeks per year, the "industry pool" (Industrie-Pool) rents exclusive daytime use of the track for automotive development and endurance testing.[31] As of 2017[update] the industry pool consisted of approximately 30 car manufacturers, associations, and component suppliers.[31] By 2019, the track was being rented by the industry pool for 18 weeks per year.[32]
Some journalists have opined that Nordschleife testing is deleterious to a car's normal driving experience, producing cars that have sacrificed comfort and driveability in favor of better lap times.[28] FormerTop Gear hostJames May, who is known for his open dislike of testing run on the track,[33][34] has claimed that the Nürburgring prompts designers to focus on a car's grip at the expense of pleasant-feeling handling, and creates cars that are ill-suited for real-world driving conditions.[35] Others have expressed concern over the relevance of these test laps, which lack independent verification and may be conducted using cars significantly different from stock. Porsche is reported as having tried—and failed—to replicate theNissan GT-R Nismo's record-breaking lap, preparing its own GT-R test car for the task, and theLamborghini Huracán Performante's time was met with incredulity even after Lamborghini provided video documentation.[30][36]
The TV seriesTop Gear sometimes used theNordschleife for its challenges, often involvingSabine Schmitz. The first corner of theNordschleife loop was renamed as the "Sabine-Schmitz-Kurve" in Schmitz's honor after she died of cancer in 2021.[37] In addition, during series 17 (summer 2011) ofTop Gear,James May was very critical of the ride quality of cars whose development processes included testing on theNordschleife, saying that cars which were tested at Nordschleife got ruined.[citation needed][further explanation needed]
Multiple layouts of the Nürburgring have been featured in video games, such as theGran Turismo series, theForza Motorsport series, theNeed for Speed: Shift series,Project CARS 2,iRacing andAssetto Corsa.Grand Prix Legends, a historic racing simulator also included the Nürburgring on its roster of default Grand Prix tracks.
Other pastimes are hosted at the Nürburgring, such as theRock am Ring, Germany's biggest rock music festival, attracting close to 100,000 rock fans each year since 1985. Since 1978, theNordschleife is also the venue of a major running event (Nürburgring-Lauf/Run am Ring). In 2003, a major bicycling event (Rad am Ring) was added and it became the multi-sports eventRad & Run am Ring.
In 2009, new commercial areas opened, including a hotel and shopping mall. In the summer of 2009,ETF Ride Systems opened a new interactive dark ride application called "Motor Mania" at the racetrack, in collaboration with Lagotronics B.V.[38] The roller coaster "ring°racer" was scheduled to open in 2011, but was delayed significantly due to technical issues. It eventually opened on 31 October 2013 and was closed after just four days of operation on 3 November 2013.[39]
In 2012, the track was preparing to file for bankruptcy as a result of nearly $500 million in debts and the inability to secure financing.[40] On 1 August 2012, the government ofRheinland-Pfalz guaranteed $312 million to allow the track to meet its debt obligations.[41]
In 2013, the Nürburgring was for sale for US$165 million (€127.3 million).[42] The sale process was by sealed-bid auction with an expected completion date of "Late Summer". This meant there was to be a new owner in 2013, unencumbered by the debts of the previous operation, with the circuit expected to return to profitability.[43]
On 11 March 2014, it was reported that the Nürburgring was sold for 77 million euros ($106.8 million).Düsseldorf-based Capricorn Development was the buyer. The company was to take full ownership of the Nürburgring on 1 January 2015.[44] But in October 2014, Russian billionaire, the chairman ofMoscow-basedPharmstandard,Viktor Kharitonin, bought a majority stake in the Nürburgring.[45]
In May 2015, the Nürburgring was set to hold the first Grüne Hölle Rock festival as a replacement for the Rock am Ring festival,[46] but the project did not take place. Grüne Hölle Rock changed their name to Rock im Revier and the event was held in theSchalke area.[47]
 | |
| Location | Nürburg, Germany |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50°20′08″N6°56′51″E / 50.33556°N 6.94750°E /50.33556; 6.94750 |
| Website | https://nuerburgring.de |
TheNordschleife operates in a clockwise direction, and 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 section. The name of this part of the track comes from a small airfield, which in the early years was located close to the track in this area. The track features a very short straight that climbs sharply uphill for a short time, then suddenly drops slightly downhill, and this is immediately followed by two very fast right-hand kinks.Chris Irwin's career was ended following a massive accident atFlugplatz, in aFord 3L GT sports car in 1968.Manfred Winkelhock flipped hisMarchFormula Two car at the same corner in 1980. This section of the track was renovated in 2016[48] after an accident in whichJann Mardenborough'sNissan GT-R flew over the fence and killed a spectator.[49] TheFlugplatz is one of the most important parts of the Nürburgring because after the two very fast right-handers comes what is possibly the fastest part of the track: a downhill straight calledKottenborn, into a very fast curve calledSchwedenkreuz (Swedish Cross). Drivers are flat out (full-speed) for some time here.
Right beforeFlugplatz isQuiddelbacher-Höhe (peak, as in "mountain summit"), where the track crosses a bridge over theBundesstraße 257.
TheFuchsröhre is soon after the very fast downhill section succeeding theFlugplatz. After negotiating a long right-hand corner calledAremberg (which is afterSchwedenkreuz) the road goes under a bridgePostbrucke as it plunges downhill, and the road switches back left and right and finding a point of reference for the racing line is difficult. This whole sequence is flat out and then, the road climbs sharply uphill. The road then turns left and levels out at the same time; this is one of the many jumps of the Nürburgring where the car goes airborne. This leads to theAdenauer Forst (forest) turns. TheFuchsröhre is one of the fastest and most dangerous parts of the Nürburgring because of the extremely high speeds in such a tight and confined place; this part of the Nürburgring goes right through a forest and there is only about 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 ft) of grass separating the track from Armco barrier, and beyond the barriers is a wall of trees.
Perhaps the most notorious corner on the long circuit,Bergwerk has been responsible for some serious and sometimes fatal accidents.[50][51] A tight right-hand corner, coming just after a long, fast section and a left-hand kink on a small crest, was whereCarel Godin de Beaufort fatally crashed. The fast kink was also the scene ofNiki Lauda's infamous fiery accident during the1976 German Grand Prix. This left kink is often referred to as theLauda-Links (Lauda left). TheBergwerk, along with theBreidscheid/Adenauer Bridge corners before it, are one of the series of corners that make or break one's lap time around the Nürburgring because of the fast, lengthy uphill section calledKesselchen (Little Valley) that comes after theBergwerk.
Although being one of the slower corners on theNordschleife, theKarussell is perhaps its most famous and one of its most iconic- it is one of twoberm-style, banked corners on the track. Soon after the driver has negotiated the long uphill section afterBergwerk and gone through a section calledKlostertal (Monastery Valley), the driver turns right through a long hairpin, past an abandoned section calledSteilstrecke (Steep Route) and then goes up another hill towards theKarrusell. The entrance to the corner is blind, althoughJuan 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 theGran Turismo 4 andGrand Prix Legends video games. Once the driver has reached the top of the hill, the road then becomes sharply banked on one side and level on the other- this banking drops off, rather than climbing up like most bankings on circuits. The sharply banked side has a concrete surface, and there is a foot-wide tarmac surface on the bottom of the banking for cars to get extra grip through the very rough concrete banking. Cars drop into the concrete banking, and keep the car in the corner (which is 210 degrees, much like ahairpin bend) until the road levels out and the concrete surface becomes tarmac again. This corner is very hard on the driver's wrists and hands because of the prolonged bumpy cornering the driver must do while in theKarrusell. Usually, cars come out of the top of the end of the banking to hit the apex that comes right after the end of theKarrusell.
The combination of a recognisable corner, slow-moving cars, and the variation in viewing angle as cars rotate around the banking, means that this is one of the circuit's most popular locations for photographers. It is named after German pre-WWII racing driverRudolf Caracciola, who reportedly made the corner his own by hooking the inside tires into a drainage ditch to help his car "hug" the curve. As more concrete was uncovered and more competitors copied him, the trend took hold. At a later reconstruction, the corner was remade with real concrete banking, as it remains to this day.
Shortly after theKarussell is a steep section, with gradients in excess of 16%, leading to a right-hander calledHohe Acht, which is some 300 m (980 ft) higher in altitude thanBreidscheid.[52]
A favourite spectator vantage point, theBrünnchen section is composed of two right-hand corners and a very short straight. The first corner goes sharply downhill and the next, after the very short downhill straight, goes uphill slightly. This is a section of the track where on public days, accidents happen particularly at the blind uphill right-hand corner. Like almost every corner at the Nürburgring, both right-handers are blind. The short straight used to have a steep and sudden drop-off that caused cars to take off and a bridge that went over a pathway; these were taken out and smoothed over when the circuit was rebuilt in 1970 and 1971. The uphill right-hand corner is often referred to as "Youtube corner", because of the large number of videos featuring a perspective of that corner.
ThePflanzgarten, which is soon after theBrünnchen, is one of the fastest, trickiest and most difficult sections of the Nürburgring. It is full of jumps, including two huge ones, one of which is calledSprunghügel (Jump Hill). This very complex section is unique in that it is made up of two different sections; getting the entirePflanzgarten right is crucial to a good lap time around the Nürburgring. This section was the scene of BritonPeter Collins's fatal accident during the1958 German Grand Prix, and the scene of a number of career-ending accidents in Formula One in the 1970s —BritonsMike Hailwood andIan Ashley were two victims of the Pflanzgarten.
Pflanzgarten 1 is made up of a slightly banked, downhill left-hander which then suddenly switches back left, then right. Then immediately, giving the driver nearly no time to react (knowledge of this section is key) the road drops away twice: the first jump is only slight, then right after (somewhat like a staircase) the road drops away very sharply which usually causes almost all cars to go airborne at this jump; the drop is so sudden. Then, immediately after the road levels out very shortly after the jump and the car touches the ground again, the road immediately and suddenly goes right very quickly and then right again; this is what makes up the end of the firstPflanzgarten- a very fast multiple apex sequence of right-hand corners.
The road then goes slightly uphill and then through another jump; the road suddenly drops away and levels out and at the same time, the road turns through a flat-out left-hander. Then, the road drops away again very suddenly, which is the second huge jump of thePflanzgarten known as theSprunghügel. The road then goes downhill then quickly levels out, then it goes through a flat-out right-hander and this starts theStefan Bellof S (named as such because Bellof crashed a Porsche 956 there during the 1983 Nurburgring 1000 km), which was known asPflanzgarten 2 prior to 2013. TheStefan Bellof S is very tricky because the road quickly switches back left and right—a car is going so fast through here that it is like walking on a tightrope. It is very difficult to find the racing line here because the curves come up so quickly, so it is hard to find any point of reference. Then, after a jump at the end of the switchback section, it goes through a flat-out, top gear right-hander and into a short straight that leads into two very fast curves called theSchwalbenschwanz (Swallow's Tail).
The room for error on every part of the consistently high-speedPflanzgarten and theStefan Bellof S is virtually non-existent (much like the entire track itself). The road and the surface of thePflanzgarten and theStefan Bellof S moves around unpredictably; knowledge of this section is key to getting through cleanly.
TheSchwalbenschwanz is a sequence of very fast sweepers located after theStefan Bellof S. After a short straight, there is a very fast right-hand sweeper that progressively goes uphill, and this leads into a blind left-hander that is a bit slower. The apex is completely blind, and the corner then changes gradient a bit; it goes up then down, which leads into a short straight that ends at theKleines Karussell. Originally, this part had a bridge that went over a stream and was very bumpy; this bridge was taken out and replaced with aculvert (large industrial pipe) so that the road could be smoothed over.
TheKleines Karussell is similar to its bigger brother, except that it is a 90-degree corner instead of 210 degrees, and is faster and slightly less banked. Once this part of the track is dealt with, the drivers are near the end of the lap; with two more cornersGalgenkopf to negotiate before the 2.135 km (1.327 mi) longDöttinger Höhe straight.
 The NürburgringSüdschleife | |
| Location | Nürburg, Germany |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1927 |
| Closed | 1982 |
| Website | https://nuerburgring.de |
TheNürburgringSüdschleife (south loop) was amotor racingcircuit which was built in 1927 at the same time as theNordschleife.
TheSüdschleife andNordschleife layouts were joined together by theStart und Ziel (start/finish) area, and could therefore be driven as one track that was over 28.265 km (17.563 mi) long. Races were held at the combined layout only until 1931. TheSüdschleife was used for theADACEifelrennen from 1928 until 1931 and from 1958 until 1968, as well as for the Eifelpokal and other minor races.
TheSüdschleife was rarely used after theNordschleife was rebuilt and updated in 1970 and 1971, and was finally destroyed by the building of the current NürburgringGrand Prix circuit in the early 1980s. Today only small sections of the original track remain.
The shared start/finish area of the Nürburgring complex consisted of two back-to-backstraights joined together at the southern end by a tight loop. The entrance to the 7.747 km (4.814 mi)Südschleife lay on the outside edge of thishairpin and was signposted as the road toBonn. It immediately dropped sharply downhill and under a public road before winding through a heavily-wooded section.
Tight corners soon gave way to fast downhill sections with flowing bends until, at the outskirts of the nearby town ofMüllenbach, the track turned sharply right northwards and began a long climb up the hill.
At the end of this run came a right hairpin turn which led to a long left curve around the bottom of a hill. This led onto the back straight of the start/finish area. At this point it was possible to continue onto theNordschleife or take two sharp right-hand turns in order to enter the starting straight once again.
Photographs of the track in use show that trees and hedges were not cut back in many areas, being allowed to grow right up to the trackside. Although theNordschleife had very little in the way of run-off areas, theSüdschleife seems to have had none at all, which was likely to have been a factor in the choice of circuit for major events.
| km | Section |
|---|---|
| 0 | Start and finish |
| Connection south sweep | |
| 1 | |
| Bränkekopf | |
| 2 | Aschenschlag |
| Seifgen | |
| 3 | |
| Bocksberg | |
| 4 | Müllenbach |
| Rassrück | |
| 5 | |
| Scharfer Kopf | |
| 6 | |
| Gegengerade | |
| 7 | |
| Nordkehre | |
| 7,747 | Start and finish |
The route sections bore the following names, among othersBränkekopf,Aschenschlag,Seifgen,Bocksberg,Müllenbach undScharfer Kopf.
In 1938 a small section of new track (theStichstraße) was laid which allowed drivers nearing the end of theSüdschleife to bypass the start/finish straights and take a right turn which led back to the start of the downhill twists. This shortened a lap to around 5.7 km (3.5 mi). This layout was used fortourist rides and for testing.
The current Grand Prix circuit required the complete destruction of the start/finish area but at a point around 1 km (0.62 mi) into theSüdschleife, a modernpublic road now follows the route, although the bends have been eased and the vegetation does not come as close to the road as it did when the track was open.
This public road continues into the town of Müllenbach but leaves the route of the old track on the outskirts. Nothing remains of the famous corners there.
The road up the hill still exists and is sometimes used to allow access to parking areas for the Grand Prix track. The lower sections are no longer maintained.
Surviving sections, and the parking lots, are still used in competition. The Cologne-Ahrweiler Rally often uses the Südschleife in competition.[53]
As of May 2023, the fastest official race lap records at the Nürburgring Nordschleife are listed as:
The fastest official race lap records on the Südschleife are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Südschleife: 7.747 km (1927–1982) | ||||
| Group 7 | 2:38.600[94] | Helmut Kelleners | March 707 | 1970 Internationales AvD - SCM-Rundstrecken-Rennen Aachen Nürburgring |
| Group 5 | 2:43.200[95] | Jürgen Neuhaus [de] | Porsche 917 Spyder | 1971 6th International 300 km race |
| Formula Two | 2:47.000[96] | Brian Redman | Lola T100 | 1968 Eifelrennen |
| Group 4 | 3:01.800[97] | Paul Hawkins | Ford GT40 | 1968 Internationales ADAC-Eifelpokal-Rennen Nürburgring |
| 350cc | 3:06.700 | Giacomo Agostini | MV Agusta 350 3C | 1968 German motorcycle Grand Prix [it] |
| 500cc | 3:08.600 | Giacomo Agostini | MV Agusta 500 Three | 1968 German motorcycle Grand Prix [it] |
| Formula Junior | 3:12.200[98] | Kurt Ahrens Jr. | Lotus 22 | 1962 ADAC-Eifelpokal-Rennen |
| 250cc | 3:13.400 | Bill Ivy | Yamaha 250 V4 | 1968 German motorcycle Grand Prix [it] |
| 125cc | 3:22.000 | Bill Ivy | Yamaha 125 V4 | 1968 German motorcycle Grand Prix [it] |
| Group 3 | 3:28.100[99] | Jürgen Neuhaus [de] | Porsche 911 S | 1967 ADAC-Hansa-Pokal-Rennen Nürburgring |
| 50cc | 3:49.500 | Hans-Georg Anscheidt | Suzuki 50 GP | 1968 German motorcycle Grand Prix [it] |
As of September 2025, the fastest official lap records at the modern Nürburgring circuit layouts are listed as:
Lap times recorded on the NürburgringNordschleife are published by several manufacturers. They are published and discussed in print media, and online.
The lap record on the Südschleife is held byHelmut Kelleners with 2:38.6 minutes = 175.85 km/h (109.27 mph), driven with a March 707 in theCanAm run of the 3rd International AvD SCM circuit race on 18 October 1970.[233] Previous record holder wasBrian Redman, who achieved 2:47.0 minutes = 161.03 km/h (100.06 mph) in the Formula 2 race on 21 April 1968 with a Ferrari.[234]
The Nürburgring is known for its frequently changing weather. The near-fatal accident ofNiki Lauda in1976 was accompanied by poor weather conditions and also the2007 Grand Prix race saw an early deluge take several cars out through aquaplaning, withVitantonio Liuzzi making a lucky escape, hitting a retrieving truck with the rear wing first, rather than the fatal accident that befellJules Bianchiseven years later atSuzuka. In spite of this reputation, the Nürburg weather station only recorded an average of 679.3 mm (26.74 in) between 1981 and 2010.[235] Contrasting this, the relatively nearbyArdennes racetrack ofSpa-Francorchamps inWallonia, Belgium has a much rainier climate, as can be implied by data from the village hosting the track calledStavelot and the village ofMalmedy, through which the circuit passes.
Nürburg has a semi-continental climate with bothoceanic andcontinental tendencies. It does however land in the former category (KöppenCfb). Due to the Nordschleife's varied terrain and elevation, weather may be completely different on either end of the track. The elevation shift also makes thermal differences a strong possibility. The modern Grand Prix circuit also has sizeable elevation changes between the start-finish straight and the lowest point on the opposite end of the track, but the geographical distance and actual elevation gain between the two are lower. Annual sunshine is in the 1500s, which is low by European standards, but only slightly gloomier than the nearest large city ofCologne located on a plain. Contrasting that, Nürburg has cooler weather year-round due to the higher elevation of theEifel Mountains than theRhine Valley.
| Climate data for Nürburg, 485 m asl (1981–2010 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.5 (56.3) | 15.6 (60.1) | 20.7 (69.3) | 25.8 (78.4) | 30.4 (86.7) | 33.3 (91.9) | 34.9 (94.8) | 36.0 (96.8) | 30.2 (86.4) | 25.2 (77.4) | 18.8 (65.8) | 12.6 (54.7) | 36.0 (96.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.6 (36.7) | 4.3 (39.7) | 7.7 (45.9) | 12.3 (54.1) | 16.4 (61.5) | 19.7 (67.5) | 21.6 (70.9) | 21.4 (70.5) | 17.0 (62.6) | 12.5 (54.5) | 6.6 (43.9) | 2.8 (37.0) | 12.2 (54.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.3 (32.5) | 1.6 (34.9) | 4.2 (39.6) | 8.0 (46.4) | 11.9 (53.4) | 15.0 (59.0) | 16.9 (62.4) | 16.6 (61.9) | 13.0 (55.4) | 9.2 (48.6) | 4.3 (39.7) | 0.6 (33.1) | 8.6 (47.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.1 (28.2) | −1.2 (29.8) | 0.7 (33.3) | 3.6 (38.5) | 7.5 (45.5) | 10.1 (50.2) | 12.2 (54.0) | 11.9 (53.4) | 9.0 (48.2) | 5.9 (42.6) | 2.0 (35.6) | −1.6 (29.1) | 4.9 (40.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −18.6 (−1.5) | −17.4 (0.7) | −12.4 (9.7) | −6.4 (20.5) | −1.0 (30.2) | 2.1 (35.8) | 5.0 (41.0) | 3.6 (38.5) | 1.1 (34.0) | −5.3 (22.5) | −10.8 (12.6) | −18.1 (−0.6) | −18.6 (−1.5) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 48.0 (1.89) | 51.2 (2.02) | 50.6 (1.99) | 47.4 (1.87) | 60.6 (2.39) | 53.8 (2.12) | 68.9 (2.71) | 77.7 (3.06) | 57.0 (2.24) | 54.1 (2.13) | 57.5 (2.26) | 51.5 (2.03) | 678.3 (26.71) |
| Average precipitation days | 9.5 | 10.6 | 10.9 | 9.4 | 9.9 | 9.8 | 11.4 | 9.5 | 9.6 | 10.5 | 12.0 | 10.8 | 123.9 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 56.7 | 72.1 | 116.6 | 166.9 | 187.0 | 205.3 | 204.4 | 193.3 | 147.1 | 105.7 | 46.5 | 43.0 | 1,544.6 |
| Source: Météo Climat[235][236] | |||||||||||||
loose partnership called the Industry Pool, comprising 30 OEMs, nine tire manufacturers, five parts suppliers, and four associations. … rent the'Ring four days a week, 16 weeks a year (normally two weeks a month between April and October). On those days, the track belongs exclusively to pool members from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. … pool members use Top Line Development, a service that provides drivers for durability testing
Zusammen im Industrie-Pool für 18 Wochen im Jahr.
Media related toNürburgring at Wikimedia Commons
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