6.2 meters per second (13.8 miles per hour) from (230°)
Temperature
4 °C (39 °F)
Temperature feels like -1 °C (31 °F)
Pressure
1021 hPa (30.15 inHg ).
The sky was overcast from a height of 1067 meter (3500 feet)
Visibility
greater than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles)
It was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nurburg in the Eifel, Nicknamed ‘The Green Hell’ by Jackie Stewart, it is widely considered the toughest, most dangerous and most demanding purpose-built race track in the world. In recent years, both the Ring and the Hockenheim ring events have been losing money due to high and rising license fees charged by Bernie Ecclestone and low attendance due to high ticket prices; starting with the 2007 Formula 1 season, Hockenheim and Nurburgring will alternate for hosting of the German GP.
The Ring has been no stranger to drama and controversy. Despite the high standards, a few drivers have been paralysed or killed in freak accidents in the past.
The modern Nurburgring first hosted an F1 race in 1984 and again in 1985 but it did not return to the calendar until 1995 at the peak of Michael Schumacher’s success. At the same time, the Eifel track’s event was called the European GP as Hockenheim hosted the German Grand Prix, however in 1997 and 1998 it was renamed the Luxembourg GP to leave Jerez access to the European mantle. From 2007 the Nurburgring amd the Hockenheimring have alternated years as the host of the German GP and it’s the latter’s turn this year. The old Nurburgring-Nordschleife sends a shiver down the every Grand Prix Driver’s spine, however the newer incarnation is decidedly tame by comparison to its historic and intimidating 14 mile, 174 corner predecessor. The new, purpose-built track was completed in 1984 to meet the highest safety standards and further changes came in 2002 when the former ‘Castrol-Chicane’ at the end of the start/finish straight was replaced by a sharp right-hander to create an overtaking opportunity. Also, a slow section was inserted, on the site of the former kart track, thus extending the circuit.
ADRIAN’S View
The first corner is a tight hairpin downhill with a big grandstand just in front so you can feel the atmosphere. Turn two is nothing but spectacular, but it can be tricky at the start as everyone is trying to get ahead. Turn three is again downhill underbracing and it’s easy to lock up the front as it’s a tight hairpin. You need to be right on the inside on the exit to have a good entrance to turn five and the long straight.
Turn six is a high speed left hander with a lot of camber, which is a feature on this circuit. From seven, a second to third gear corner depending on the line you take, you must have a good exit into the Dunlop Kehre. It’s the lowest part of the circuit and a long right hander, 200 degrees or more, with high banking so you need to carry the speed through the wait a long time until you can go back on the power. At the end of the straight we get to turns 11, a fourth gear corner where you brake late but not too late as mid corner sped is important. In turn 12 you’re in a similar situation-early on the brakes and then roll in, then wait to go back on the power. We then go onto the last straight with a little kink that we take flat out before the Veedol Chicane. You can brake around the 70 meter mark as it’s uphill, but going from the 300kph to 90kph makes the g-force huge.
The Coca-Cola-Kurve is a long corner you need to carry a lot of speed through and you always try to brake later and later into it over the weekend. Then from turn 16 we go across the start finish line, taking the kerbs quite a lot on the exit to start another lap.
