The Nürburgring tends to divide motoring enthusiasts. Some people think it’s useful and others think it’s pointless and rather annoying. I’m one of the first set; I think the Nürburgring provides a use. Some people also think it’s too dangerous and plagued with death… others find it thrilling and interesting.
Nürburgring is a race complex in Germany with a couple different tracks. Not only is it used for racing, but it’s used to help develop cars (this is where the division of enthusiasts happens). Originally, it was completed in 1927 and had 174 bends. It was long and dangerous and after only two years, the full track was no longer used. Grand Prix races would have to be held on the Nordschleife circuit (Northern Loop), while motorcycle races were held on the Südschleife circuit (Southern Loop), which was shorter and safer. On the weekends, the Nürburgring is essentially a toll road that nearly anyone can use. However, on the weekdays it’s used by manufacturers to develop automobiles. It’s common for the track to be closed frequently (up to several times a day) for cleaning, repairs, and for medical emergency intervention. The Nürburgring management refuses to publish official figures of the death toll. However, people have used police reports to tally an estimation on the number of deaths. On the motoring show Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson said, "Over the years this track has claimed over 200 lives," referring to the Nürburgring. While deaths during professional races are uncommon, the current toll of drivers gone is 69, three race officials, five test drivers, and one spectator. As far as the Nürburgring management is concerned, the track has a death toll of 78, but this figure does not include all of the deaths from civilian drivers. Some estimations have claimed anywhere from three to a dozen people die yearly. For the purposes of this post, we’ll focus on the Nordschleife circuit. It was originally 14.2 miles long until Formula One boycotted the track for being too dangerous in the early 1980s. They straightened out some corners. They flattened bumps and other areas where automobiles were prone to jumping. They also installed more safety barriers to avoid impacts with trees. But the death toll continues. The problem with the Nürburgring is its size and the terrain. The terrain changes throughout the circuit. The weather can vary. It can be raining on one end and dry on the other, leaving drivers with specialized tires on their automobiles in a disastrous situation. This is exactly what happened in 1976 in the famous Formula One race with Niki Lauda and James Hunt. (Featured in Ron Howard’s film Rush). Lauda suggested the race not take place and the track boycotted, but the vote was against him and the race went ahead. The track marshals were not equipped to save him when he crashed and his car caught on fire. His competitors left their cars to pull him out to safety. He was badly burned and nearly died from smoke exposure. The length of the track made it too difficult for fire engines and ambulances to respond in a timely manner. The old Nordschleife never held another Formula One race again. The Nordschleife was shortened from 14.2 to 12.944 miles long and reopened in the early 80s Some car manufactures develop their cars to drive the Nürburgring at a certain lap time. This gains the company credibility and publicity. However, these cars end up being regular road cars that normal people buy and it tends to make for an uncomfortable car—this is why some people don’t like the Nürburgring and its use for developing cars. Most people who buy these cars will never drive them around a track, let alone the infamous Nürburgring. To get around the circuit fast, the car needs to have a stiffer suspension; this creates an uncomfortable ride for normal drivers on normal roads. However, I quite enjoy the standard the track creates for car companies. It helps put a car’s capabilities into perspective because of how challenging the circuit is. Although the Nürburgring has been modified for safety, it’s still dangerous and one of the only circuits left that still has the flare of an older racetrack from back when motorsport was like the untamed Wild West. I think that’s why so many people admire it… It’s a challenge, it's deadly, it has history, and it’s deeply rooted in motoring culture. Currently, the fastest lap time has been set by a Chinese company called NIO using an electric supercar (called the EP9). A British company called Radical Sportscars holds the second-fastest lap time, and it’s a company with only around 140 employees. Leave it to the Germans and their world-renowned engineering to create something vast, complex, and regarded as one of the best racetracks in the world, even after ninty years.
Reference:
Lehbrink, Harmut. 90 Years of Nürburgring: The History of the Famous Nordschleife. Delius Klasing Verlag GMbH. 2016. Print.
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AuthorLiberty White Archives
November 2017
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