Word association test: 24-hour race? Le Mans.
Yup, that's the response most would give. But, while Le Mans may attract the kudos and the big bucks, if it's a true driver's challenge you're looking for, you need to head a few hundred kilometers northeast to Germany and the Nürburgring.
Formula One fans will be familiar with the twists and turns of the Grand Prix circuit. Pah! 'Tis but a kart track in comparison with the 20.832 km of the Nordschleife. The original Grand Prix circuit was modified in 1971 following a drivers' boycott because it was just downright dangerous. And in 1977, as the ever-increasing speed of Formula One cars called once more for a safety review, the decision was taken to tag on the brand new, 4.556km, purpose-built-for-modern-GPs stretch, known as the Südschleife, a task eventually completed in 1984.
Yup, that's the response most would give. But, while Le Mans may attract the kudos and the big bucks, if it's a true driver's challenge you're looking for, you need to head a few hundred kilometers northeast to Germany and the Nürburgring.
Formula One fans will be familiar with the twists and turns of the Grand Prix circuit. Pah! 'Tis but a kart track in comparison with the 20.832 km of the Nordschleife. The original Grand Prix circuit was modified in 1971 following a drivers' boycott because it was just downright dangerous. And in 1977, as the ever-increasing speed of Formula One cars called once more for a safety review, the decision was taken to tag on the brand new, 4.556km, purpose-built-for-modern-GPs stretch, known as the Südschleife, a task eventually completed in 1984.
But, while the
Südschleife may be the sensible option for Grand Prix racing, it is the
tortuous bends, twists and drops of the Nordschleife that remain "King
of the Roads" in GT racing. The tranquil rolling hills and forests
through which it wends its menacing way have given rise to the nickname
"Green Hell." Since it first began in 1970, the 24 hours of the
Nürburgring has grown steadily in popularity with motorsport fans. This
year, organizers claim that 194,000 spectators joined in the weekend's
festivities at the end of May, mostly grouped in makeshift campsites
dotted around various strategic points of the track. While manufacturers
too enjoy the special atmosphere at the Nordschleife, the fact that the
race is not part of a series means that works support can be a bit
sporadic.
BMW is by far the
most successful brand in the race's 33-year history, having claimed 16
outright victories from a total of 31 races run. While not all of these
were achieved by works teams, the vast majority enjoyed some form of
support from Munich.
This year marked the company's first return to the 24 hours with a works team since 1998, when it made history with the race's first-ever diesel-powered winner. While both of this year's M3s suffered a catalog of disasters starting with the loss of gearbox oil in the first lap, and culminating in several fender benders, team spirit and commitment remained high.
This year marked the company's first return to the 24 hours with a works team since 1998, when it made history with the race's first-ever diesel-powered winner. While both of this year's M3s suffered a catalog of disasters starting with the loss of gearbox oil in the first lap, and culminating in several fender benders, team spirit and commitment remained high.
BMW Motorsport chief
Mario Theissen jetted in fresh from Saturday's qualifying for the Monaco
Grand Prix to add weight to the company's commitment and, according to
the F1 team, arrived back in Monaco on the Sunday, shortly before the
start of the Grand Prix, sleepless but fully pumped up with enthusiasm
for the less glitzy, but distinctly more real-life Nürburgring
experience.
And it's this sort
of personal adrenalin that keeps the manufacturers coming back. The
teams love it, the drivers love it and, according to one BMW source, "If
you already have a suitable car, the 24 hours of the Nürburgring is
simply the icing on the cake."
The two BMW M3s were left over from the 2001 American Le Mans
Series. "They were just standing around in the garage," said BMW's
spokeswoman, Heike Bartsch, "and it would have been a shame not to."
Nicole Wesselmann warns against slow moving cars ahead at Flugplatz.
In that respect, competing in the 24 hours of the Nürburgring is a budgetary minnow in comparison with Le Mans.
The DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) was the source for Audi, which called on the services of its winning TTs run by Abt-Sportsline, while Opel used the same source for its entry, a pair of Astra V8s. One of the Astras brought Opel its first outright victory at the Nürburgring 24h, while the Audi gave it a damned good run for its money, coming in a close second
A big part of manufacturers' commitment and enthusiasm, however, is
not just down to the demanding circuit and the team spirit of an
endurance race. They enjoy massive support from the fan base, which
comes out in no half measures to support a works team.
The DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) was the source for Audi, which called on the services of its winning TTs run by Abt-Sportsline, while Opel used the same source for its entry, a pair of Astra V8s. One of the Astras brought Opel its first outright victory at the Nürburgring 24h, while the Audi gave it a damned good run for its money, coming in a close second
Where Formula 1,
and to a certain extent Le Mans, have developed an elitist air, the
Nürburgring is very much a "people's race." Fans are free to wander
around the pits before and even during the race. Drivers are readily
available to chat and sign autographs and, while the pit atmosphere at
any race event is hardly something to be described as relaxed, there is
nevertheless something homely about the way things tick at the
Nürburgring that just keep them coming back for more. While dominated,
of course, by German brands and drivers, the 24 hours has always been
able to attract international attention. Some 20 nationalities were
represented among the over 800 drivers participating in 2003.
And the driver mix is indeed eclectic. The world's most experienced racers rub shoulders (and frequently fenders) with hopeful amateurs, who need only a racing license and a ride to enter. For the frontrunners, one of the biggest challenges on the track is traffic: 210 cars started the race this year, 155 of which made it through the full 24 hours. Only 23 of those were within 20 laps of the winning car. Whichever way you do the math, that's a whole lot of overtaking. The winning car lapped the last one to cross the line a total of 122 times! Veteran German racer Hans-Joachim Stuck, who has competed in 50 24h races worldwide-winning twice at the Nürburgring-puts emphasis on this aspect: "It's essential that you know the course inside out," he said. "If you're still looking for the ideal line on the Nordschleife during the 24-hour race, you're a danger to yourself and to others."
Peter Obendorfer has competed in the 24 hours some 10 times and was outright winner in 1984 driving a BMW 635CSi, and he rates the Nordschleife above all others in terms of the challenge it represents to the driver and the car alike.
"It's simply not possible to compare the Nordschleife with another racetrack," he said. "The only ones that come close in terms of challenge are Spa- Francorchamps in Belgium, or Bathurst in Australia."
"But really, the Nordschleife is unique."
American Boris Said was driving with the BMW team this year, and the veteran of 24 hour races at Daytona, Le Mans and Spa emerged agog from his pre-race tour of the track: "You can't explain the craziness of driving around yesterday in the concours," he said. "You have to experience it and see it. The closest I can compare it to is if you take the craziest NASCAR race, put the fans on the track and spread them out over 15 miles."
But experiencing the Norldschleife isn't restricted only to top-flight drivers or those with sufficient of the folding stuff to enter a racing machine. On those days when races aren't being run and car companies aren't conducting tests, you're free to take a turn yourself (own risk, of course) in whatever form of transport you care to bring with you. One circuit of the Nordschleife sets you back the princely sum of 12 Euro. But beware, the "Green Hell" is not without its victims. Every year there are still a handful of individuals for whom a spin on the Nordschleife is their last-so let that be a warning to you.
And the driver mix is indeed eclectic. The world's most experienced racers rub shoulders (and frequently fenders) with hopeful amateurs, who need only a racing license and a ride to enter. For the frontrunners, one of the biggest challenges on the track is traffic: 210 cars started the race this year, 155 of which made it through the full 24 hours. Only 23 of those were within 20 laps of the winning car. Whichever way you do the math, that's a whole lot of overtaking. The winning car lapped the last one to cross the line a total of 122 times! Veteran German racer Hans-Joachim Stuck, who has competed in 50 24h races worldwide-winning twice at the Nürburgring-puts emphasis on this aspect: "It's essential that you know the course inside out," he said. "If you're still looking for the ideal line on the Nordschleife during the 24-hour race, you're a danger to yourself and to others."
Peter Obendorfer has competed in the 24 hours some 10 times and was outright winner in 1984 driving a BMW 635CSi, and he rates the Nordschleife above all others in terms of the challenge it represents to the driver and the car alike.
"It's simply not possible to compare the Nordschleife with another racetrack," he said. "The only ones that come close in terms of challenge are Spa- Francorchamps in Belgium, or Bathurst in Australia."
"But really, the Nordschleife is unique."
American Boris Said was driving with the BMW team this year, and the veteran of 24 hour races at Daytona, Le Mans and Spa emerged agog from his pre-race tour of the track: "You can't explain the craziness of driving around yesterday in the concours," he said. "You have to experience it and see it. The closest I can compare it to is if you take the craziest NASCAR race, put the fans on the track and spread them out over 15 miles."
But experiencing the Norldschleife isn't restricted only to top-flight drivers or those with sufficient of the folding stuff to enter a racing machine. On those days when races aren't being run and car companies aren't conducting tests, you're free to take a turn yourself (own risk, of course) in whatever form of transport you care to bring with you. One circuit of the Nordschleife sets you back the princely sum of 12 Euro. But beware, the "Green Hell" is not without its victims. Every year there are still a handful of individuals for whom a spin on the Nordschleife is their last-so let that be a warning to you.
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