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Event Information:
The
German Grand Prix (Großer Preis von
Deutschland) is an annual automobile
race. Because Germany was banned
from taking part in international
events after World War II, the
German GP only became part of the
Formula One World Championship in
1951. It was designated the European
Grand Prix four times between 1954
and 1974, when this title was an
honorary designation given each year
to one grand prix race in Europe. It
has been organized by AvD
(Automobile Club of Germany) since
1926.
The
Nürburgring is a motorsport complex
around the village of Nürburg,
Germany. It features a modern Grand
Prix race track built in 1984, and a
much longer old North loop track
which was built in the 1920s around
the village and medieval castle of
Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It
is located about 70 km (43 mi) south
of Cologne, and 120 km (75 mi)
northwest of Frankfurt. The old
track was nicknamed The Green Hell
by Jackie Stewart and is widely
considered the toughest, most
dangerous, and most demanding
purpose-built racing circuit in the
world.
One of
the original purposes of the
Nordschleife was as a test track for
auto manufacturers, and its
demanding layout had been
traditionally used as a proving
ground. Weekdays are often booked
for socalled Industriefahrten for
auto makers and the media. With the
advent of the internet, awareness of
the Nordschleife has risen in
Germany and abroad, also in print
media. In 1999, Porsche reported
that their new 996 GT3 had lapped
the Ring in under 8 minutes, and in
subsequent years, manufacturers from
overseas also showed up to test
cars. Some high performance models
are promoted with videotaped laps
published on the web, and the
claimed lap times are generating
discussions. Few of these supercars
are actually entered in racing where
the claims could be backed up.
The
Nordschleife was formerly known for
its abundance of sharp crests,
causing fast moving, firmly sprung
racing cars to jump clear off the
track surface at many locations.
Although by no means the most
fearsome, Flugplatz is perhaps the
most aptly (although coincidentally)
named and widely remembered. The
name of this part of the track comes
from a small airfield, which was
located in the early years close to
the track in this area. Chris
Irwin's career was ended following a
massive accident at Flugplatz, in a
Ford 3L GT sports car in 1968.
Manfred Winkelhock flipped his March
F2 car at the same corner in 1980.
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