The Green Hell – One Of The Longest (And Most Challenging) Track In The World
Did you know that Germany’s legendary Nürburgring is widely considered to be home to one of the longest and most technically demanding track in the world?
Set in the picturesque Eifel mountains, Nurburgring largely revolves around two tracks today: a relatively modern Grand Prix race track, and the much older and longer Nordschleife track, also known as the “North Loop” which was originally 22 km long but has been shorten to 20.8 km.
While the shorter and safer Grand Prix track - which was actually built to attract Formula 1 back to Nurburgring following safety concerns – plays host to the more prestigious races, it’s Nordschleife legendary status that strikes fear into the hearts of those who dare challenge it.
Originally built in the 1920s, Nordschleife is a track that’s well-known for its steep inclines, winding bends, quick directional changes, blinding corners and crests, and quick downhills that are certainly not for the faint of heart. So much so that Formula 1 legend, Jackie Stewart, once famously nicknamed the track “The Green Hell”.
Nordschleife is usually open to the public on weekends and weekday evenings, as the track is often booked by auto makers and media - Nordschleife is the favourite proving ground for most manufacturers who want to see how their cars fare on the legendary track that Nordschleife is.
Today, Nordschleife still play host to several touring car series, but the annual 24 Hours Nurburgring event definitely takes the spotlight - featuring over 200 cars that include iconic cars from household names such as Porsche, BMW, Opel, Audi, Mercedes Benz and more; over 700 drivers and up to 290,000 spectators.