Nürburgring Nordschleife...texts

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http://www.sudschleife.8200rpm.com/

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The Nürburgring, situated in Nürburg, Germany. It was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel region, which is about 25 miles south of Bonn, the old capital of West Germany.

Originally, the track featured four track configurations: the 28.265 kilometres (17.563 miles) long Gesamtstrecke ("Whole Course"), which in turn consisted of the 22.810 km (14.173 mi) Nordschleife ("Northern Loop"), and the 7.747 km (4.814 mi) Südschleife ("Southern Loop"). There also was a 2.281 km (1.417 mi) warm-up loop called Zielschleife ("Finish Loop") or better known as Betonschleife, around the pit area.[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. 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.

HISTORY

1927-1937
On Saturday, 18 June 1927, the region around Adenau, Nürburg and Hohe Acht appeared as in its Sunday best. Visitors from all over the Reich and the rest of Europe are expected. The Nürburg-Ring - the word was then still written with a hyphen - is to be opened. The speakers remind the auditorium of the beginning of construction in 1925, during which at times up to 3,000 workers were building the "first mountain, racing and test circuit". After the inauguration motor sports take over, first motorcycle races and then car races one day later. First famous winner: Rudolf Caracciola in a Mercedes S. In its first year of existence, three more sports highlights are held at the racetrack, which make the economic importance of the facility ever clearer: the Motorcycle Grand Prix, the German Grand Prix for Racing Cars promoted by the Automile Club of Germany (AvD) and the Cycling World Championship. Among the races which made history there is the German Grand Prix 1928, known for "the incredible heat that reigned in that year". The winner was Christian Werner for Mercedes. The Czech Bugatti driver Vincenz Junek dies in an accident in the "Bergwerk" section of the track. The world economic crisis and unemployment in Germany have a negative impact on the Nürburgring as well. Momentum is regained with the beginning of the "era of the Silver Arrows" of Mercedes and Auto Union in 1934. The ADAC Eifel Races and the Grand Prix ever increasing records in the number of spectators. Bernd Rosemeyer driving an Auto Union wins both the Eifel Race and the Grand Prix in 1936. The fair-haired man from the Emsland wins the Eifel Race in 1937 and the Grand Prix is won by the star of the Mercedes team, Caracciola.

1938-1947
Hermann Lang sets a lap record on the 22.81-km Nordschleife in his 12-cylinder (3-litre engine) Mercedes at 9:52.2 minutes (138.5 km/h) during the 1939 Eifel race, a record that stood until 1956. Rudolf Caracciola wins the German Grand Prix again. This was to be the last Grand Prix on the Nürburgring for a long time, not to speak of a victory of a German driver. All motor sports activities come to a standstill with the outbreak of WW II. The Sporthotel Tribüne is converted into an erstwhile home for people evacuated from the bombed-out cities, later it is used as a hospital. In the last months of the war, the circuit is severely damaged by the advancing allied tanks. Shortly after the end of the war reconstruction is begun. A race is already held on 17 August 1947, the "Eifel Pokal Rennen". The visitors receive a free ticket for wine, bread and sausages when they pay the entry fee of 5 Reichsmark.

1948-1957
No motor sports in 1948. Construction machines rule on the Nordschleife. The track is repaired so that races can be held again. The Land Rheinland-Pfalz allows a credit of 270,000 DM for the reconstruction. Normality sets in again on 22 May 1949 with the Eifel Pokal race. On 7 August 1949 the "Grand Prix of the Nürburgring" for motorcycles, racing and sports cars takes place. In 1950, the first year of the Formula 1 World Championship, the "Ring" enters the international racing scene again. Although the Grand Prix on 20 August is not a World Championship race, as it is only for Formula 2, but the elite of the European racing drivers is there. The Italian Alberto Ascari wins the race in a Ferrari. In 1951, the ADAC 1000-kilometers race for sports and GT cars becomes part of the calender of events. The European Grand Prix on 1 August 1954 is a highlight in the history of the Nürburgring. More than 400,000 visitors are estimated to have attended. They witness the German premiere of the Mercedes Silver Arrows and the victory of Mercedes driver Juan Manuel Fangio. In the following years, Fangio dominates the races on the circuit in the Eifel. In 1955, a year without Formula 1, he wins the Eifel race for sports cars in a Mercedes 300 SLR. In 1956, he wins the German GP in a Ferrari and in 1957 he again wins the Grand Prix on the Nürburgring in a technically inferior Maserati in the best race within his long career. The Nürburgring was again the venue for motorcycle world championship races in 1955, however, with considerably less spectators. The 1957 Motorcycle GP was a definite improvement: nearly twice the number of spectators than two years before. In summary, the decade is determined by the reconstruction of the racetrack and by the comeback of both the Nürburgring and the German cars and drivers.

1958-1967
The Grand Prix in 1958 is won by the Englishman Tony Brooks in a Vanvall. The special feature of this car: it has disc brakes. The race is clouded by the fatal accident involving the Englishman Peter Collins, whose Ferrari leaves the track at the "Pflanzgarten" and crashes.
Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips, Germany's new racing idol, comes fourth in a Ferrari. In 1958, the first instructional course for sports drivers is held by Scuderia Hanseat. It becomes the blueprint for all driver courses and is still held twice a year. No Grand Prix is held at the Eifel circuit in 1959. However, the 1000-km Race is well visited and offers exceptional motor sports. Stirling Moss / Jack Fairman for Aston Martin win. In 1960, we have the premiere of the ADAC 6-hours race, later known as the „Grand Prix for Touring cars“. Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips is the main attraction; in 1961, he draws nearly 100,000 spectators to the German Grand Prix. The man from the Rheinland causes quite a stir in the media. He comes second in his Ferrari behind Stirling Moss in a Lotus-Climax, who on that day appears to be unbeatable. The 1963 Grand Prix is fought out in heavy rain, Graham Hill (England) in a BRM winning the race. In 1964, John Surtees in a Ferrari wins the Formula 1 World Championship race in the Eifel. The race attracting the most spectators, however, is the 1000-km Race for Sports Cars and Prototypes. Only just under 50,000 spectators attend the Eifel race in 1965, at the same being a race of the Motorcycle World Championship. Giacomo Agostini (Italy) wins in the 350-cc race, Mike Hailwood (England) in 500 cc, both ride MV Agusta. The Formula 1 GP race on 1 August is won by Jim Clark in a Lotus. The 1966 winner of the GP is Jack Brabham (Australia) in his Brabham-Repco. For the first time since 1927, a Cycling World Championship is held at the Nürburgring. Rudi Altig becomes World Champion of the Professionals. 1967 marks the 40th birthday of the Nürburgring and is a good year. The important races are visited by increasing numbers of spectators. The ADAC 1000-km race brings Porsche's first overall victory. The victorious drivers are Jeo Buzetta (USA) and Udo Schütz (Selters). The 1967 Formula 1 GP is won by Dennis Hulme (New Zealand) in a Brabham.

1968-1977
The beginning of the fifth decade of the "most beautiful and difficult racetrack in the world" is marked by searing heat and the ADAC Eifel race in 1968 on the Südschleife, the World Championship Motorcycle Race, experiences an oddity: the 500-cc race has to be cancelled in the 19th of the 26 laps due to a forest fire. The leader at that point, Giacomo Agostini, is pronounced winner. In comparison, the Formula 1 GP on 4 August of the same year: fog and rain make it nearly impossible to drive. The Scotsman Jackie Stewart in his Matra-Ford handles the situation best and wins. 1969 certainly is a good year. High numbers of spectators at all important events. The climax is the German GP, which ends in the victory of the Belgian Jacky Ickx for Brabham witnessed by 120,000 paying spectators. At that point, nobody anticipates that the Nordschleife as Grand Prix racetrack could be questionned. In 1970 however, after a series of serious accidents in GPs, the drivers, whose spokesman is the Austrian Jochen Rindt, born in Mainz, declare the Nordschleife "too dangerous" and demand extensive remodelling. The Grand Prix is held in Hockenheim and on the same day a Formula 2 race is held on the Nürburgring, which is won by the Swiss Xavier Perrot, with Hannelore Werner from Hermülheim coming second.
The „Ring“ is remodelled, eqipped with curbs, safety fencing and crash barriers, thereby becoming safer but also faster. The safety measures cost 17 million DM, further millions of DM are spent in the following three years. 1971: another Grand Prix, 130,000 spectators, winner Jackie Stewart (Tyrrell-Ford). Everything seems to be as it should. But 1974 holds another shock in store. Now the top motorcycle riders boycott the Nordschleife during the world championship race at the end of April. Shortly afterwards the Formula 1 drivers present enormous demands for remodelling. Clay Regazzoni (Switzerland), a fan of the Nürburgring, wins the 1974 GP in a Ferrari and sets a lap record a year later at 7:06.4 minutes (192.8 km/h). This record will be an "eternal" record. The end of the Nordschleife as a GP track is brought about on 1 August 1976. Niki Lauda is seriously injured. The licence for Formula 1 racing for the Nürburgring is not renewed in 1977. The last Grand Prix winner in the "Green Hell" is James Hunt (England) for McLaren-Ford. On 3 October 1977, the members of the Supervisory Board of Nürburgring GmbH decide to have a new, shorter racetrack built and ask the shareholders (Federal Republic of Germany, Land Rheinland-Pfalz and Kreis Ahrweiler) to provide the necessary money.

1978-1993
A period of plans and political skirmishes regarding money starts. Motor sports events continue to be held, but without Formula 1. At the Motorcycle GP, promoted by the ADAC Nordrhein on 20 August 1978, more than 100,000 spectators experience how Kenny Roberts wins the world championships in the 500 cc class. In October the premiere of the "Nürburgring Run" with more than 5000 participants takes place. Plans and negotiations continue. Promised financing is frozen, the remodelling is jeopardized again and again. In 1980, fans of the Nürburgring peacefully demonstrate. The current president of the ADAC, Otto Flimm, leads the movement "Save the Nürburgring". Finally the Federal Republic of Germany pulls out of Nürburgring GmbH and pays 40 million DM. As the remaining shareholders honor their pledges and the ADAC contributes a substantial amount via the association "Ja zum Nürburgring" (Yes to the Nürburgring), the President of Rheinland-Pfalz, Dr. Bernhard Vogel, officially declares the beginning of the works on 30 November 1981. The inauguration of the 4.542-km-long racetrack takes place on 12 May 1984 with an extensive programme of entertainment and motor sports. The first race is won by a Brazilian, until then barely known in Germany, Ayrton Senna. The European Grand Prix held on 7 October is won by the Frenchman Alain Prost in a McLaren. In 1985, again a Formula 1 German GP is held on the "Ring". Michele Alboreto wins in a Ferrari. The magnificent premiere of the open-air spectacle "Rock am Ring" takes place. The Formula 1 moves from the Nürburgring to the Hockenheim Ring. The Truck Grand Prix of the ADAC Mittelrhein is introduced in 1986 and becomes one of the staple events of the Nürburgring. Although the Formula 1 races were lost, the 60th birthday of the circuit was celebrated in 1987 with a positive outlook on the future.
On 4 March 1988 the foundation stone of the new hotel next to the Grand Prix track is laid. The opening of the "MICHELIN Press Center" follows in April.

1994-1999
A phase of reorientation begins at the Nürburgring. The focus is no longer primarily on motor sports. The racing course becomes a beacon for tourism and economic development in the region. In 1994, the "Tourist Informations Zentrale" (Tourist Information Center) is opened. It is known as the TIZ. The TIZ is reference point for all visitors of the Nürburgring. Whether you need accomodation, want to buy tickets for the many events, seek information with regard to hiking routes, etc., here you will find help.
Formula 1 racing returns to the Nürburgring in 1995, after a 10-year absence. In only 5 months the MERCEDES grandstand at the CASTROL-S is raised. The to date most modern stand in the world can hold 3,300 spectators and has two VIP areas. The remodelling of the "VEEDOL Chicane" and eight new gravel beds improve the security of the Grand Prix track. On 1 October 1995 Michael Schumacher in a Benetton-Renault was the first German to win a Formula 1 World Championship race at the Nürburgring. Jacques Villeneuve was the winner of the European Grand Prix in 1996.
As concerns "environmental protection", Nürburgring GmbH is again at the forefront: already in 1996, when the EG Eco Audit Regulation 1836/93 had not yet been extended to apply to service enterprises such as the Nürburgring GmbH, an environmental management system was established. The Nürburgring is certified according to the EG Eco Audit regulation.
In April 1998, the access to the Nordschleife at the exit of the village "Nürburg" is opened. For about 5 million DM, a modern setup with an automatic barrier system, control facility, restaurant and parking facility for the users of the Nordschleife was built. At the beginning of the racing season the new BILSTEIN grandstand T4 was inaugurated, which had been remodelled for 10 million DM. The stand can now hold 10,000 people and has thus doubled its former capacity. At the same time, the first permanent video screen (opposite the T4) at a racetrack is installed, with an approx. size of 60 sqm.

Thus, about 14,000 spectators on the Mercedes and Bilstein stands can view the action on the racetrack both directly and via TV.
Again the Nürburgring takes the pole position. In May, the "Erlebniswelt am Nürburgring" is opened, with a great number of celebrities attending. In four buildings with a total area of more than 10,000 sqm, the all-year recreation park offers everything around "Cars, Action and Attractions" for the motor sports fan. The investment was about 50 million DM. Thus, the Nürburgring widens its spectrum considerably in the area of leisure and tourism. On 27 September 1998 the spectators of the sold-out "Grand Prix of Luxemburg" expect a victory by Michael Schumacher. The winner is Mika Häkkinnen in the McLaren-Mercedes "Silver Arrow".
The FIM decorates the Nürburgring with the "Environment Award 1999". Johnny Herbert wins one of the most exciting and spectacular races of Grand Prix history, the "European Grand Prix ". The Nürburgring signs a 6-year contract (until 2004) to hold Formula 1 races. Due to the high rate of utilization of the Driving Security Center, the "auto, motor und sport Driving Security Center II", with an investment of about 10 million DM, takes up operation. A new sewage plant (costs: about 7 million DM) is inaugurated. Another step toward the future with regard to talent promotion is made with the foundation of the "Motorsport Academy Nürburgring" in October.
End of the 1999 season: Beginning of construction of the new pit building. In only a few months, one of the most modern pit buildings in the world is raised, with an investment of about 30 million DM. The pitlane is widened by 3 meters, the size of the pits themselves more than doubled and now can be directly accessed by trucks. At the same time the pits are constructed such that they are multifunctional, e.g. can be used for exhibitions, etc.. In the first two sections, 27 new VIP pavilions in sizes between 110 sqm and 180 sqm, as well as two Super-VIP lounges (each approx. 300 sqm) at the end of the new pit building.

2000
The Nürburgring GmbH participates with 26% in the Zakspeed Nürburgring Rennfahrerschule Zakspeed Nürburgring Racing Driver School). The TV channel Premiere World converts the Erlebniswelt am Nürburging a TV studio and broadcasts 17 live editions of Formula 1 events directly from the Ring. On the occasion of the Millennium Race of the Formula 1 -the Warsteiner Europeaqn GP- at the Nürburgring on 21 May 2000 the Nürburgring presents itself in all its new splendor. In front of sold-out stands, Michael Schumacher wins a race that can hardly be beat for excitement.
The Nürburgring GmbH joins the ADAC Promotion Association, which, for example, holds the Eifel Race and The Touring Car GP.
The Fahrsicherheitszentrum am Nürburgring (Driving Security Center at the Nürburgring) becomes a smash with regard to exports. The foundation of Test & Training International in Summer 2000 by the Nürburgring GmbH and competent partners aims at establishing further Driving Security Centers abroad.
The partner meeting of the Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring (VLN) admits the Nürburgring GmbH as its eleventh member. The Deutsche Langstreckenpokal (German Long-Distance Trophy) helps to secure the continuing existence of the respected Nürburgring Nordschleife as a racing course.
At the end of the season the third section of construction is begun: The "old" Start and Finish building -and the the still existing parts of the "old boxes building"- are demolished on 25 October 2000. The Conti Tower is taken down on 30 October 2000. By the European GP 2001 a further three Super-VIP lounges and a modern Start and Finish building are created. The new Media Center with its 1650 sqm and up-to-date technical facilities provides room for jopurnalists and photographers.

2001
The acid test for the new boxes building is in the European GP – Formula 1 – from 22 – 24 June. Under blue summer skies and in front of sold-out stands Michael Schumacher repeats his victory of the year before.
Racing and environmental protection are in tune at the Nürburgring. The3 facts speak for themselves: no other racing course in the world is certified according to EG Eco Audit regulation (EMAS II). The Nürburgring is certified again in Spring 2001.
Following the slogan "Nürburgring –: The future continues", remodelling of the GP course begins in September 2001 and a new section is added – "the Mercedes Arena". This will increase the attractivity of the course and also theconvenience for the spectators (detailed info in the flyer Data and Facts). The beginning of construction is initiated on 17 September 2001 by Dr. Walter Kafitz (CEO Nürburgring GmbH) in the presence of Klaus Ludwig, Ernst Eggers (President of the Aufsichtsrat), Dr. Jürgen Pföhler (Landrat Kreis Ahrweiler) and Otto Flimm (President of the ADAC Mittelrhein).

2002
In its 75th birthday year the Nürburgring GmbH starts a Diamond Jubilee Season, in which one highlight chase the next. The first event is the presentation of the present given by Mercedes-Benz: The replica of the Silver Arrow is unveiled at the press conference on the occasion of the 75th birthday and since then is a major attraction in the Erlebniswelt. Partners, friends and personalities from politics and industrymeet for the birthday party in March. The book written for the jubilee by Michael Behrndt and Jörg-Thomas Födisch "75 Jahre Nürburgring – eine Rennstrecke im Rückspiegel" is introduced in April and traces the 75-year history of the racing course in the Eifel and tells the breathtaking story of the most beautiful, most difficult and most fascinating racing course in the world.
The Eifel Race opens the season at the Nürburgring as was the case 75 years before.
Sunshine all the way for the European GP. The past melds with the spectacular present: In the run-up to the Allianz Formula 1 Grand Prix, a bronze statue of the racing driver Juan Manuel Fangio is unveiled in front of the Erlebniswelt.

The Mercedes drivers Kimi Räikkönen and David Coulthard complete a lap through the Mercedes Arena in the winning car from 1927. In the presence of high-caliber politicians, the new section of the course is opened - and makes for even more drama and excitement. This becomes evident in the Formula 1 attended by about 350,000 spectators. The winner of the Allianz Grand Prix of Europe 2002: Rubens Barrichello before Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Räikkönen. The great number of events held at the Nürburgring lead to a total of 2 million spectators annually.
In the Jubilee Year, the artist Beate Leisten presents themes from the Nürburgring in acrylic paints in an exhibition at the "Ring". Creativity is also the key word at the art competition for school children. The five-timesFormula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher signs about 50 pictures painted by the participants of the competition. The signed pictures are then auctioned during the Ferrari Racing Days and the proceeds donated to help the victims of the floods in East Germany. This is one of the initiatives for good causes brought to fruition in the Jubilee Year. Also, – for the benefit of nature –, As were the nature preserves "Nürburg" and "Hohe Acht", th 27-hectare "Quiddelbacher Höhe" und "Nürburgring"is dedicated protection of the environment.
On 27 September, the day the foundation stone was laid in 1925, the Nürburgring GmbH pays homage to the creator of the Nürburgring Landrat Dr. Otto Creutz with the unveiling of a plaque. A look to the future: the plans for the BikeWorld are taking shape: A Competence and Service Center for Motorcycles is to be created in the industrial park at the Nürburgring.

2003
A new challenge for Michael Schumacher and Co, cosmetic treatment for the legendary Nordschleife: the Nürburgring GmbH uses the winter months to undertake extensive maintenance tasks at the Nordschleife and fine-tunes the Grand Prix course, with a view to the safety of the drivers. About 17,000 sqm of the Nordschleife are covered with new asphalt. In the meantime two parts of the Grand Prix course, which is now 5,148 m long. The new design of the NGK chicane does not allow dangerous cutting of corners over the kerbs and thus makes the drivers brake harder.

In 2003, another environmental project starts rolling: the Nürburgring GmbH sets in cooperation with the Allianz Environment Trust the parameters for the renaturaization of the area Krebsbachaue and Rosbachaue. For nearly 30,000 €, the area in direct vicinity to the Nürburgring will be remodelled, so that animals and plants can enjoy optimum conditions there.
On the occasion of its 75th birthday the Nürburgring has its own offical song: "King of the Ring", which was recorded by bandleader Helmut Zerlett, well known from the Harald Schmidt-Show, together with Reamonn singer Ray Garvey. The lyrics deal with the "allmighty Ring", with power, speed and feelings – all the things that characterize the Nürburgring as the most beautiful and most difficult racing course in the world.

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Overtaking at the Nord

On the contrary to the popular believe there aren’t many places to do it over the 20+ km lap of the Nord.

The best and the only true overtaking zone of the Nord is the "power hill" area around the toll straight (Castel to the right into Tiergarten) where typical draft overtaking can be done easily if there are the hp to go along with it (the track is much wider here too).
So yes, be prepared to do 16 km behind that slightly slower driver waiting for the power hill…

In general overtaking is all about getting (wining) a better line than your adversary and not bumping him out of the way (more on this later at the end of the post*).

Other overtaking points that require more skill and little bit of luck are some of the hard braking areas around the track.

* Aremberg (km 3) – It is easier to do it from the inside line (be careful with understeer, don’t hit the other car on the outside), but can be done from an outside line (harder and be careful with understeer/ oversteer and hitting the inside car).

* Bergwerk (km 9) – Taking the Inside line while breaking into this right hander (again be careful with too much understeer hitting the outside line car).

* Karussell (km 12) – With a good exit from the previews turn (hard breaking from a very quick area) it is possible to win the inside line (the quickest) to the karussell (just be careful not to hit outside car when entering the concrete banking).

* Tiergarten (km 19) – With a mother of a long hard breaking is possible (and hard) to win the inside line to the final chicane into the pit area (very dangerous nevertheless as the understeer can be mortal for both cars).


A better tactic and perhaps easier (and safer) than disputing breaking points along the narrow Nord is to wait… along the 16 to 17 km leading into the power hill, the adversary is likely to do small line mistakes somewhere. Stay close (not too close) and capitalize on them while he exits his “wrong” and slower turn exit, typical places for this to happen are:

* Adenaurer Forst (km 5) – Power exiting and overtaking after this S.

* Wehrseifen (km 7) –The front racer understeers into the tight downhill S and the behind racer capitalizes taking the inside line.

* Ex – Mühle (km 8) – Usually the mistake here is oversteering, so capitalize on that and again carefully power exit from an outside line (inside line works too if the front racer is understeering).

* Brünnchen (km 14) – After the famous (infamous) right turn (specially with rain) the usual mistake of the front racer is too much entry speed and the corresponding understeer, power through the small valley on the inside line.


All the above overtaking situations are possible and some require more “help” from the front racer than others. Of course all the above doesn’t take into account giving laps situations or when the front racer permits the overtaking. Speaking of this, as most of you know it isn’t well seen in endurance racing aggressive line defenses unless the final of the event is thereabouts. The reason is simple, the all idea of defending a line for 2.5 hrs is kind of a mute point, so avoid extremely defensive slow inside lines and parking the car in the middle of the track (opt for a line when going into a turn, don’t use the “middle” line).

Regarding overtaking (last but not least), here stay some common public server overtaking mistakes.

On the Nord there are 2 very fast one line sections:

* Flugplatz area (km 1-3) – Speeds up to 300km (GTP)

* Kesselchen area (km 9 -11) – Speeds up to 280km (GTP)


These zones are absolute "one liners".

Just because the 2nd racer (the one behind) is in the slipstream and is much faster this doesn’t give him the right to force an overtaking. Even if the 2nd racer goes side by side it is very dangerous for both as these zones require crossing lines to be made at high speed.

Other "one liner" areas but done at average speeds (3rd, 4th gear) are:

* Km 6 to 7, km 12 to 14 (big one) and km 15 to 16.


"Danger" areas

Ok, the track is "hard" as I typed earlier, but in truce is not as "mortal" as other known tracks. A good example of this is Le Mans 77, a less forgiving circuit.

Unless someone falls asleep, the only true "mortal" (kills the engine) areas are the long hard breaking into the final S before the pits (Tiergarten) and the breaking into Wehrseifen (km 7) as there is a barrier on the outside of the track.

All other common exiting areas (Aremberg (km 3), Metzgesfeld (km 6), Ex – Mühle (km 8), Bergwerk (km 9), the all Karussell area (km 12), Hohe Acht (Km 13), Brünnchen (km 14), Pflanzgarten (km 15), Schwalbenschwanz (km 16) and Galgenkpf (Km 17)) will give you a lost spliter/wing and maybe a lost wheel, but the car will move along "limping" to the pits (once it took me 16 minutes on 3 wheels to undo a mistake in the Aremberg area).

*Finely and speaking of bumping and accidents; remember, each touch on another car is on average about 1 to 3 km/h less when arriving at one of the 3 high speed areas for both cars. So those small bumps and touches that somewhat are acceptable in Mini or STCC/WTCC sprint races are far from welcome here.

Just as an example, on a recent race at a public server I was bumped from behind 3 times at a few breaking points (heavily but no suspension or wing damage), the car was doing 10 to 15 km speed less up-hill top speed.

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Few of us are going to the 'Ring as a road trip on the 16th-18th of May, here is all info needed for those that are coming. If you would like to join then please leave a message here or contact me.

General Rules For Driving The Nürburgring:

General:

The Nürburgring is made available for tourist drives on days when it is not being used for racing or testing. For these days, the following rules are to be obeyed. These are:

1 - Driving:

1) Driving on the Nürburgring is only permitted using vehicles which comply with the law and which have a minimum speed of 40 km/h.
2) Every driver must own a valid drivers license and a valid ticket/permit issued by Nürbrurgring GmbH.

2 - Use of the Nürburgring:

1) Joining and leaving the Nürburging is only allowed at the official entrances and exits.
2) The Nürburgring is a one-way road and marked as such. It is driven clockwise.
3) Vehicles must drive on the right, in particular when overtaken, on crests, in bends or in case of breakdown.
4) On the whole Nürburgring, including the grass next to the track, stopping is strictly forbidden. It is also forbidden to drive the wrong way on the track.
5) Vehicles which have to be recovered from the track must also be recovered in the correct direction.
6) The use of snow-chains and spiked tires is prohibited.

3 - Velocity

1) Regulations regarding speed, as defined under Art. 3, Sect. 1 of the German Highway Code, must be adhered to. [essentially says that you must be in full control of your vehicle whatever speed you're travelling at, a most sensible approach to traffic law ]
2) Racing is prohibited. This includes attempting to set speed records with individual vehicles.
3) The directions of safety cars and marshalls are to be followed. In particular, the signal for "no overtaking". [I guess this means yellow flags]
4) The speed limits in the start/finish-area have to obeyed by all visitors to the Nürburgring.
5) The places marked as "construction site" have to be driven slowly. The indicated speedlimits have to be followed. [Presumably a reference to coned-off areas where armco repair, etc, is being undertaken. Also, when the T13 diversion is in place, there is usually a speed limit for that section.]

4 - Liability and damage:

1) Nurburgring GmbH shall have no liability whatsoever.
2) Accidents as well as any damage to the track, the verges, the fences, the crash barriers or any other Nürburgring property must be reported to the staff of the Nürburgring GmbH. The cost of repairing any damage and of any track closure must be paid by the person responsible. The cost per hour can be viewed on request.

5 - Other:

1) Driving on the Steilstrecke and the sliproads ["rescue roads"] is prohibited.
2) Filling up with fuel and oil is only allowed at the official fuelling points. The engine must be turned off when refueling, as well as when stationary at the start/finish.
3) The instructions of the staff of the Nürburgring must be followed.
4) Photo-, film-, and video-recordings are only allowed to be commercially distributed with written permission of the Nürburgring GmbH. [Since this, a complete ban on photography and video filming on the track has been introduced, and in 2004 offenders will be banned - Ben]

6 - Penalties

For breaking any of these rules, the offender is charged DM100 (one hundred Deutchmarks - about €50). Nürburgring GmbH has the right to ban the offender from using the track.

The first safety rule is don't stop unless you need to. The less chaos at the scene, the lower the chances of a follow-on crash. There are only two reasons to stop: to warn following traffic when a crash-scene isn't visible on approach, or to administer first-aid when someone is in urgent need.

If you need to stop, please do so with great care. Make sure you are past the accident and on the grass - never stop on the track itself unless totally unavoidable.

The first person to arrive should warn other traffic. Walk carefully back down the grass, making sure you are well clear of the track in case you cause another accident as people swerve to avoid you. Once in position, get behind the armco. Wave to traffic to slow it down (carrying a yellow flag or jacket is a good idea). Make sure you are well back from the accident, however: waving too vigorously too close to the crash could make matters worse by distracting drivers just when they need to be looking ahead.

The second person should call for help. The phone number of the office at the Start / Finish point is +49-2691-302215. (You'll need a mobile - the trackside huts are locked during public sessions.)

Accidents at the Ring are frequent, so the chances are that any regular visitor is going to either witness one or come across one that's just happened.

The big danger with a crash on the Ring, given all the high-speed blind bends and crests, is that either the crashed vehicle itself or someone who has stopped to help will then be hit by someone else

Most of the marshals speak little or no English, so some useful German phrases follow. All spelt as they sound, not as they are written, and you can click the links to hear them spoken:

Accident = Unfarl

Ambulance = Krankenvargen

Seriously hurt = Schver verletzt

Helicopter will be understood in English

Not hurt = Nicked verletzt

The third person to arrive goes to the aid of the casualty IF you can do so safely. If in doubt, get behind the armco and wait until the safety car arrives. Please don't risk being hit yourself.

Laptiming:
My advice here can be summarised in one word: don't. I say this for three reasons ...

First, and most importantly, it puts pressure on people to push harder than may be wise, especially if they have a 'goal' in mind. In particular, when you face a situation where you have to decide between sitting behind someone for a bend or two and pushing past them, thoughts of seconds ticking away are bound to play some part in that decision.

In the worst-case, you may kill someone by trying to shave off a few seconds. Both marshalls and police report that a disproportionate number of serious crashes have a running stop-watch on the dash or handlebars.

Second, it's pointless and meaningless. There are no trophies for tourist laps, and the variations in traffic will always be greater than any variations in your driving performance.

Third, if you do have a serious crash while timing a lap, the police report will include details of any stop-watches, dash-timers, etc, they find. Your insurer will then invoke the 'time-trial' exclusion that is standard in every road policy, and you will find yourself personally liable for the GT3 you hit or the biker you injured.

Tourist days are about having fun, not setting lap records. There are many other ways to judge your progress at the track. If you want to go for laptimes, you don't have to pretend to be a race driver in a Touristfahren session, you can be a real one in one of the race series' available.


I recommend that you either put these numbers in your phone or print them out and keep them with you.

People Details Phone number
Nurburgring office First place to report accidents +49 2691 302215
Emergency services (Office will usually do this) 112
Adenau Hospital Gets most non-critical cases +49 2691 3030
Koblenz Kemperhof Gets most critical cases +49 261 499 2211
Koblenz Military Hospital Gets most head injuries +49 261 281 3069
Adenau Police Deals with investigations +49 2691 19250
Breakers yard Where crashed vehicles go to +49 2692 1866


5 rules (bikes):
Imagine three cartoons. On the first there is a rider leaning about ten degrees from vertical. In his thought-bubble you see him leaning like Mick Doohan, right on the limit. This rider, when he comes to a corner that is sharper than he initially thought, or needs to tighten his line, thinks I'm over as far as it's possible to lean and to lean any further would be impossible. So he straightens up and brakes in the corner, causing him to run wide and off the road / track. This is the most common scenario when riders run out of bends.

The next scenario is his brother. This time the cartoon shows the rider leaning as far as it's possible to lean and yet in his thought-bubble you see him leaning about ten degrees from vertical. In this case the rider's self-evaluation is that he has plenty of lean angle left, and when he comes to a corner that is sharper than he initially thought, or needs to tighten his line, he leans further -- but as he is already at his limit, he just levers the wheels off the ground and once again crashes out of the corner.

You then see a third character whose lean angle is about twenty degrees and his thought-bubble is about twenty degrees. When this rider comes to a corner that is sharper than he initially thought, or he needs to tighten his line, he knows exactly how much bank angle he has left, and just leans the bike over sufficiently to make the corner.

Obviously with the three diagrams portrayed this is very straightforward and obvious, however, to describe it in text is rather cumbersome. I hope you get the gist. The important point to put across is: Know your own limits and your safety margin and ride within them.

2. Ride relaxed
Sometimes easier said than done. Carry out relaxation exercises prior to setting off. Dynamically tension the major muscle groups, by holding first your fists tightly clenched for about ten seconds then relax; then doing the same, in sequence, with your shoulders, (raising them as if to close your ears) then clenching your buttocks tightly, then tightening your legs against the bike, then lifting your toes as if to touch your knees, and finally by tightening your face muscles tightly by screwing up your face; all for about ten seconds and then release.

Writing this down now it sounds absurd, but I suggest you try it out for yourself while sitting on the bike. I actually was introduced to this in 1986 and applied it to the start line when racing. I found it really worked for me. The few minutes spent lining up for the start of a race are about the most nerve racking of the whole race IMHO. When actually riding on any track, you cannot react to your best if you are tense. All this may sound trite but for me it works.

3. Separate line of view from bike
This refers to the need to separate the vision from the longitudinal axis of the machine. If you look at any GP / Superbike riders as they corner you will see their vision is towards the exit of the corner. Effectively, this results in the rider bringing the machine back in line with his vision as the corner straightens out. It also means that with his vision being to the exit of the bend, if the bike momentarily loses grip or gets out of hand, he is still mentally aiming towards the exit of the bend and therefore likely to continue in that direction.

All too often when a novice rider gets in too deep into a corner through misjudging the bend on the approach and entering at too great a speed, or if he momentarily loses grip in the corner, his vision comes down, he goes rigid, and the bike then tends to go in the direction he is looking, which is often towards the kitty litter or the armco. Separating your vision from the axis of your machine means you are less likely to freeze your concentration on the "enemy" (the outside of the corner, kitty litter, Armco, lamp post or brick wall etc) and therefore less likely to hit it. Keeping your vision to the exit of the bend tends to ensure that you eventually end up going that way.

It's like the house-brick lying in the road scenario: if you look at it, you are almost certain to hit it; if you look to one side of it, you will probably miss it.

4. Right rest at the right time
The body is like a battery. If it's just a little run down then a small re-charge will bring it back up to full capacity. If however it gets really run down it takes ages to become fully charged again.

When people think "Oh, I'll just have one more lap" all they really think about is the next four or five miles, they tend to forget just how long, exhausting and tiring the Ring is. Then, just as you are getting tired and your concentration is going (about two-thirds of the way round), you come to the most demanding part of the track (after Karrussel) so any tiredness here becomes a real problem.

If you are thinking "Just one more lap" that's the time to rest. The right kind of rest also plays a part. No cigarettes or coffee, plenty of mineral water but only light food, and plenty of stretching.

5. Mental training
This is the exercise shown in other publications such as the Keith Code book Twist of the Wrist (known as TIT or 'thinking it through'), where the rider memorises a certain track or piece of road, and goes through the mental process of riding along that track / road in a time similar to that which he rides it normally.

On a track like Brands this is not too difficult, but if you imagine doing it at the Ring, this takes tremendous circuit knowledge to get anywhere near your normal lap time. Normally the time is less than you actually take due to the fact that your knowledge of that track / road is not sufficient to accurately assess every feature / corner accurately.

One very often sees GP / Superbike riders doing this when the interviewers come along wanting to speak to them on the startline

Make sure your car or bike is in tip-top condition before your trip to the Ring. Check all hoses and caps, and if you drive a diesel car, never top it off right to the brim. In between laps, get into the habit of checking under your car for dripping fluids.

Second, if you have any suspicion that your vehicle may have developed a fluid leak on the way round, pull over onto the grass immediately and check.

Third, if it is leaking, run back down the grass, get behind the armco and flag cars to slow down (it is worth keeping a hi-vis vest in the car to use as a flag). Doing this can literally be the difference between life and death for someone coming round the bend onto your fluids.

Even if you don't care about other people, if you drive on with leaking fluids, you will be legally and financially responsible for every crash that occurs as a result. That means you pay for their cars, bikes, injuries, armco bills, the works. You will also pay for the cost of cleaning the fluids from the track, and the costs of closing the track to do it.

Finally, don't imagine that you can drive on with a fluid leak and get away with it. There are marshalls dotted around the track noting registration numbers so that offenders will be pulled at the exits, and there are photographers at every bend to provide the evidence.

In a car, there are no rules beyond the normal road ones, but you can find some advice below.



Wearing a crash-helmet is not compulsory in a car, but is strongly recommended.

An Australian study concluded that 15% of those killed in car crashes would have survived had they been wearing a helmet. While it may not be very practical on the M25, there's no reason at all not to do it on the Ring.

I know of at least one crash where the driver was wearing a helmet and the passenger wasn't. The driver survived, the passenger died. Maybe that was coincidence, but I wouldn't bet my life on it.

In a car with a rollcage, a helmet is a must. Even when wearing a full harness, your head can easily hit the bar across the top of the door. Having done that while wearing a helmet, I would not like to think of what the outcome might have been had I not been wearing one.

There is also one very practical reason to take a helmet: many Ringers will not take passengers unless they wear a helmet.

First-aid kits are of limited use unless you have the skills to go with them, so I strongly recommend that everyone take at least emergency aid training (which takes just a few hours) and ideally a full first-aid course. If you go to the Ring regularly, it is a question of when rather than if you will need to apply those skills.

Safety-belt cutter
Being trapped in a burning car is one of the ultimate car-crash nightmates. A safety-belt cutter is a cheap thing that can save your life. Make sure it is secured somewhere you can reach it while wearing a seat-belt or harness.

A portable fire-extinguisher designed for car use can also save a life - and on a more mundane level can also save your car. We helped someone save their Golf by lending them a fire-extinguisher after we spotted flames coming from under the car on Dottinger-Hohe.

If you have a Dedicated Ring Toy (DRT), the chances are that you spend a fair amount of time at the Ring and thus are more likely to have a crash at some point. The following safety mods are the key ones I would recommend ...

Roll-cage. Modern passenger cells are very strong, but there is only so much force they can withstand. In a high-speed rollover, the roof can be crushed. I've seen it several times in Ring crashes. A rollcage is probably the single most important safety mofification you can make to a track car. As above, if you fit a cage, you must wear a helmet at all times - so this os probably not a practical mod for a road car unless you can fit a removeable cage.

Race seats and harnesses. Two mods that go hand-in-hand. A race seat will hold you more securely in place when experiencing sideways G-forces, but more importantly has the slots to enable you to fit a 6-point harness. Properly fitted and tightened, this will hold you tightly in your seat even if the car rolls.

This qualification is important: a harness is only effective if you pull it almost uncomfortably tight. It is also important to ensure that the fastening point of a harness is roughly at shoulder height, and that the webbing run-outs are as short as possible, as they will stretch under load.

A 6-point harness is much safer than a 4-point one. With a 4-point, the harness can ride up your body in a crash, and all the forward forces can go onto your abdomen, crushing your vital organs. A 6-point holds the harness down.

A harness with folding road seats and mounting points at floor level is positively dangerous: in a rollover, the seat is likely to break, putting all of the force through your now-unprotected back. A broken back is the likely result. If you have road seats, stick to seat-belts, perhaps supplemented with a CG-Lock to help keep them tight.

Plumbed-in extinguisher. A portable extinguisher has very limited capacity, and relies on you being able to reach and activate it after a crash. A plumbed-in system will automatically direct jets of foam to both the cabin and the engine by simply twisting a handle.