The construction of the Nürburgring
in the German Eifel mountains started in 1925 as an unemployment
relief project. The circuit opened in 1925 and had three different
loops. The 7,747km (4,8 mile) long
Südschleife
(South loop), the 2,238km (1,39 mile) long Start und Ziel Schleife
(Start/finish Loop) and the famous 20,810km (14,17 mile) long
Nordschleife (North loop). There was also a part of the Nordschleife
designed especially for test driving, the so called
Steilstrecke.
The period 1930 1934 was a difficult
one for the Nürburgring. The economic crisis kept the car
constructors, the sponsors and the public away. This changed after a
new race class was introduced where the German cars Mercedes and
Auto Union where very successful. This episode ended when the Second
World War broke out in 1939.
After the war the first race was held
in 1947 at the Südschleife. From 1951 to 1976 the German Grand Prix
was held 22 times at the Nürburgring. In the seventies Jacky Stewart
gave the Nürburgring the nickname "Green Hell" as an expression of
the dangerous and intimidating character of the track trough the
woods of the Eifel mountains.
After Nikki Lauda's grave accident in
1976, the circuit was found to dangerous and the German Grand Prix
was moved to
Hockenheim. It was clear that the Nürburgring could only
survive if a new safe circuit was build. The works at the new Grand
Prix circuit started on November the 30th 1981. To build this new
circuit they levelled down the whole Start un Ziel Schleife and a
part of the Südschleife.
The famous Nordschleife survived the modernisation. The new circuit
was opened in 1984 with a Mercedes touring car race all driven by
Formula 1 drivers. The race was won by a young Ayrton Senna!
In 1985 the German Grand Prix was
back at the Nürburgring but not for long. A year later the race was
handed back to
Hockenheim. The Nürburgring had to wait till 1996 for the
next Formula 1 race when Germany was given a second Grand Prix under
the flag of the European Grand Prix. Until 2006 this was an annual
event (In 1997 and 1998 under the name Luxemburg Grand Prix). In
2007
Hockenheim and the Nürburgring agree to alternate the
German Grand Prix to reduce the costs. In the odd years the
Nürburgring may organise the Formula 1 Grand Prix, strange enough
the 2007 race was held under the name European Grand Prix! Since
2009 the race at the Nürburgring is just like the one at
Hockenheim called German Grand Prix.
Breidscheid bridge with the exit and entrance to make it
possible to interrupt your ride halfway the Nordchleife. Some locals
use it to go shopping in Adenau.
A part of the
Südschleife
is now the public road from Nürburg to Müllenbah. The Nordschleife
is only used for touring car racing and so called "touristenfahrten"
(Tourist Rides). Almost every day you can drive with your own car or
motorcycle at the ring! During these "Tourist Rides", the circuit
has the statue of a public toll road. Of course you may drive at
only one direction and there's no speed limit!
The Fuchsröhre. Click on the picture to read everything about
these demanding combination of corners at the Nordschleife!
The old Südschleife, the forgotten part of the Nürburgring! Click at
the picture to read more about this part of the original
Nürburgring.
The Steilstrecke, designed for test driving. Click at the picture to
discover more about this curious part of the Nordschleife!
