© iStock7 Facts About The NürburgringIt's been seven years since we last raced at the German circuit. So here's a quick refresh about this iconic track.
Another week and another unfamiliar circuit awaits. OK, so the Nürburgring isn’t entirely new to us, but it has been a whopping seven years since Formula 1 last pitched its tents at the circuit, meaning that while we kind of remember what it looks like, any historical data from the track is pretty much useless. So what’s the ’Ring all about? Here’s a list of must know facts (sort of) about this year’s Eifel Grand Prix.
1.WelcomeToTheGreenHell(almost)
The current Nürburgring clocks in at 5.148 km, which in terms of length puts it in the lower half of F1’s current set of regularly visited circuits. Although the fearsome ‘Ring was once right at the top of that order with the circuit’s progenitors, the Nordschleife, measuring a fearsome 22.8 km in length (14.1 miles). The original circuit, which opened in 1927, featured a mind-boggling 154 corners and following an incredible 1968 drive to victory though heavy rain and dense fog was christened ‘The Green Hell’ by Jackie Stewart.
The Nordschleife was dropped by F1 following Niki Lauda’s near-fatal accident at the 1976 German Grand Prix. A new Nürburgring, also called the GP Strecke returned in 1984 and was modified to its current configuration in 2002 when the first sector was tweaked to promote overtaking into turn one.
Part Of The Nordschleife Track© Markus Volk
2.FourGrandsPrixToRuleThemAll…
The Nürburgring makes its return to the F1 schedule with the first ever Eifel Grand Prix, named after the mountain range the circuit is located in. The hosting of this new race means that the Nürburgring has hosted four different races – more than any other circuit. As well as this year’s Eifel Grand Prix, the ‘Ring (old and new) has hosted 26 German GPs (1951-’54, 1956-’58, 1961-’76, 1985, 2009 and 2013), 12 European GPs (1984, 1995-’96, 1999-2007) and two Luxembourg GPs (1997-’98).
No other circuit has hosted more than two differently named F1 races, though Imola will next month gain a third when it hosts the first Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. It has previously been the venue for 26 San Marino GPs (from 1981-2006) and one Italian Grand Prix (1980).
3.ItHasARollercoaster(SortOf)
Not many tracks can boast access to a roller coaster – Suzuka has one at its next door neighbour Mobilityland, Yas Marina has one at nearby Ferrari World on Yas Island and Sochi has one at the theme park built next to the Oympic Park, but none can boast one running alongside the pit straight. Well, to be fair, neither can the Nürburgring, but it did once, albeit very briefly.
Back in the early 2000s the circuit’s then owners were gripped by a staggering fit of hubris that saw the ’Ring forming the centrepiece of a vast €215 million motorsport-theme tourist attraction featuring hotels, apartments, a shopping mall, a 15,000 square metre theme park, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and oh yeah, the world’s quickest roller coaster.
The so-called ’Ring Racer coaster would accelerate from 0-217 km/h (135 mph) in just 2.5 seconds, making it quicker than an F1 car. It would also subject thrill seekers to 3.4g during take-off. There were a couple of small problems, however. Firstly, the whole plan went so deeply into the red that some of those responsible were eventually jailed as a result and secondly the ’Ring Racer didn’t really work.
In 2009 a series of explosions in the launch system ahead of its opening caused several injuries and a fair few shattered windows which delayed the coaster’s opening for several years. It did get up and running for a few days in 2013 but was swiftly shut again as the season was ending. In 2014 the circuit announced it would not run again. It’s still there though.
Getting A Glimpse Of The Rollercoaster© Markus Volk
4.UnsereDeutscheLieblingsrennstrecke
That roughly translates as our favourite German racetrack – just about. We’ve raced six times at the Nürburgring and across those races we’ve won there twice and scored three other podium finishes. The first win was when Mark Webber took our first German Grand Prix victory and his maiden F1 win in 2009 (a brilliant comeback from an early race penalty) and then again in 2013 when Sebastian Vettel took his first home win.
Contrast that with our other German venue, Hockenheim. We’ve raced there nine times with just one win (Max’s brilliant top step last year) and three other podiums to show for it. The Nürburgring thus edges it for us.
Max Crosses Finish Line In Germany© Vladimir Rys
The 2004 season was a watershed moment for F1, a point at which F1 cars reached a level of power that would take almost 15 years to surpass. The V10s of that era were mighty beasts putting out almost 1000hp and screaming to around 20,000rpm and they propelled the drivers of the time to lap records that in many cases still stand today.
Albert Park, Hockenheim, Monza, all feature laps records set way back in the day by the likes of Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello and the evergreen Kimi Räikkönen. The Nürburgring is one of those tracks, with the lap record of 1:29.468 having been set by Michael Schumacher on his way to his sixth win of that season. However, given the exceptional pace of the current generation of F1 cars we can expect the lap record to be in serious danger this weekend and it’s even possible the ’04 club might lose another member on Sunday.
Monza might have a royal palace next door but the Nürburgring has its own ruined castle. Standing atop the second highest hill in the Eifel (at 678 metres/2,224 feet) Nürburg Castle is believed to date from the end of the 12th Century when Ulrich von Are is said to have commissioned the building of the oldest parts of the complex.
Over the next three hundred years the castle was expanded in several stages but by the early 16th century it was already falling into disrepair. Its condition wasn’t helped by armies from southern Europe, the Netherlands, Sweden and France either plundering its meagre assets or simply knocking bits of it down.
Still, despite its ruined state the castle does fulfil a vital role in giving F1’s helicopter camera crews a focal point upon which to base establishing shots for the beginning of grand prix broadcasts. Not what he probably envisaged, but anyway, well done, Count Ulrich!
Nürburg Castle Ruin© Markus Volk
Formula 1’s past visits to the Nürburgring usually took place in early or high summer. Its three German GPs between 2009 and 2014 took place in July, while prior to that its European GPs were generally split between late May and late June. As an example of what we’re used to there, on our last visit, on July 7 2013, it was 24˚C and sunny. October is a different story, however, and for the first time since testing in Barcelona it looks like we’re going to have to dig out the team kit parka and beanie combo.
Formula 1 has only visited the Nürburgring in October on two occasions. The first was in 1984 when Alain Prost won an icy but dry European Grand Prix. It took almost a decade for the sport to forget just how cold and miserable it can get in the Eifel mountains but forget we did and in 1995 the sport went back on a chilly, wet Sunday on which winner Michael Schumacher devoted a good portion of his winning speech to the fortitude of fans who’d stuck through the whole weekend in dreadful conditions.
The forecast for this year’s October visit to the Nürburgring? Currently we’re looking at a wet and cold start to the weekend but by Sunday it’s set to at least by dry and a balmy 11˚C under cloudy skies. We can’t wait!
On Track At The Nürburgring© Getty Images
