Ultimate test of car and driver in store as 25.278-kilometre lap awaits
Top Gear presenter and Queen of the Ring Sabine Schmitz returns to WTCC
WTCC MAC3 team time trial to provide added drama and excitement
The FIA World Touring Car Championship will go from the shortest track in Marrakech to the longest of them all when the legendary NĂźrburgring Nordschleife hosts WTCC Race of Germany for the second time next week (26-28 May).
Itâs also the biggest challenge of them all with 64 heart-stopping turns lying in wait over the 25.278-kilometre lap, a combination of the grand prix circuit and the famous Nordschleife loop, which opened for business back in 1927.
Named the Green Hell by Sir Jackie Stewart due to its demanding and unforgiving layout, the NĂźrburgring Nordschleife offers the ultimate test for car and driver.
JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez, who leads this seasonâs WTCC standings in his quest for a third consecutive title, became the first driver since Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass in 1983 to win a world championship race on the NĂźrburgring Nordschleife after claiming victory in the opening counter last May.
The CitroĂŤn-driving Argentine then came within 0.173s of beating team-mate Yvan Muller to victory in the closing race following a thrilling slipstream battle for glory as he charged through from P10 on the grid.
âIt was the most amazing race of the year,â said the 33-year-old. âEverything is special about this track, itâs 25 kilometres, itâs called the Green Hell, itâs different from anything you have experienced before. Last year was my first time and I really enjoyed it and to be able to win was something else. Itâs something amazing to be flat out on this track. You have jumps, high-speed corners, a long straight, a long lap, itâs amazing.â
The Queen of the Ring returns
While LĂłpez mastered the demanding Nordschleife in style last year, no driver can count on more experience of the track than local star Sabine Schmitz, who made history in 2015 when she became the first female to score a WTCC point in the championshipâs current era. Schmitz, now a presenter on the hugely popular BBC Top Gear television show, will be returning for a one-off outing in the same ALL-INKL.COM MĂźnnich Motorsport Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1.
However, with her filming commitments keeping her away from Testing and Free Practice 1, Schmitz will be playing catch-up as she reacclimatises to her front-wheel-drive World Touring Car from the Porsche GT car she normally races.
âWe have a very necessary studio shot to do for Top Gear I canât miss. I must be crazy to measure myself against these guys without the same amount of time to practice. But they want me in the team so Iâm back, no problem, although I will have a better chance if it rains so my hope is more water, more success!â
Double the touring car fun in store
A double treat is in store for touring car fans at the NĂźrburgring Nordschleife. In addition to the WTCC, the FIA European Touring Car Cup will provide plenty of bumper-to-bumper action, albeit with a twist. Rather than having their own races, the ETCC drivers will follow their WTCC counterparts over the 25.278-kilometre layout during two three-lap contests. Itâs the first time the two championships, promoted by Eurosport Events, have joined forces and the spectacle will be eagerly anticipated with several WTCC drivers of the future in action.
More WTCC MAC3 magic for the Nordschleife
The Tour de France-inspired Manufacturers Against the Clock (WTCC MAC3) team time trial takes take centre stage following Qualifying on Friday afternoon and offers more drama and excitement. CitroĂŤn, Honda and LADA (Volvo-Polestar will participate when it enters a third car in 2017) nominate three drivers to take part in reverse championship order in three-minute intervals. As soon as a teamâs three cars, which can be refuelled and fitted with new tyres prior to the start, leave the grid side by side, the clock starts and then stops once the last car completes one flying lap of the track. Failure to get all three cars over the line â or if the second or third car doesnât finish within a maximum of 15 seconds after the first car â means no points. After CitroĂŤn won the inaugural WTCC MAC3 contest in France by 0.030s, the spectacle was raised even further when it tied on time with Honda in Slovakia, meaning both makes picked up 10 points towards their WTCC Manufacturersâ championship totals. Honda took a narrow win in Hungary after CitroĂŤn was penalised following a track limits infringement by Mehdi Bennani as the ethos of team competition came to the fore. With Norbert Michelisz making contact with a wall in Morocco, CitroĂŤn won ahead of LADA. WTCC MAC3 is timed by TAG Heuer and encapsulates the essence of the companyâs #dontcrackunderpressure campaign with some of the best touring car drivers in the world vying to go as fast as possible but never cracking under pressure by putting in a faultless performance to deliver a winning team result.
TAG Heuer Best Lap Trophy up for grabs
The driver setting the fastest lap of all during both races will win the TAG Heuer Best Lap Trophy and receive a TAG Heuer watch. TAG Heuer is the WTCCâs Official Timing Partner and an Official Series Sponsor.
World will be watching (thanks to 32 trackside cameras)
The WTCCâs first visit to the NĂźrburgring Nordschleife captivated television audiences in 188 countries worldwide with a cumulative audience of 37,397 million watching the action. Produced in partnership with _wige, the coverage is made possible through the use of 68 TV signals including 32 trackside cameras, 24 onboard cameras and two helicopter-mounted Cineflex cameras, one of which was flown by a crew who working on the Tour de France each year.
NEW FOR 2016
Hello Opening Race and Main Race!: Gone are Race 1 and Race 2 for 2016, in their place come Opening Race and Main Race with the reverse-grid now used for the first clash of the weekend and the grid for the second event based on the results of Qualifying.
WTCC Premium TV: Bringing the WTCCâs video content to fans through mobile apps (iOS and Android) and online, WTCC TV Premium TV is a high-quality, interactive subscription service costing âŹ14.95 for a weekend or âŹ99.95 for a season. Included in the package is the world feed plus a choice of 10 on-board cameras, no geo-blocking, video on demand, plus stats and facts.
WTCC Fan Village: There will be fast-paced entertainment on and off the track in the WTCC this season with the WTCC Fan Village featuring displays, meet the driver sessions, music, merchandising and a WTCC Hall of Fame. Entry is free.
New partnerships: TAG Heuer and OSCARO are welcomed as Official Series Partners. JVCKENWOODâs renewed commitment will bring team radio to TV, Polestar will provide the Official Safety Car, the Volvo V60 Polestar, while a new alliance with the Goodwood Festival of Speed will bring WTCC âart carsâ to the annual motorsport extravaganza in June. DHL, the WTCCâs Official Logistics Partner, will present the DHL Pole Position Award at every event. The new TAG Heuer Best Lap award goes to the driver setting the weekendâs fastest race lap of all.
WHOâS ON TRACK IN 2016
CitroĂŤn: World champion JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez and Yvan Muller remain in factory C-ElysĂŠe WTCCs. Privateer squad SĂŠbastien Loeb Racing expands to a three-car effort with Tom Chilton and GrĂŠgoire Demoustier joining Mehdi Bennani.
Honda: Independent champion Norbert Michelisz gets his big factory break, while Rob Huff joins from LADA. Tiago Monteiro stays put but thereâs no drive for Gabriele TarquiniâŚ
LADA: Gabriele Tarquini continues in the WTCC at LADA after leaving Honda. Hugo Valente is handed a dream works ride after impressing as a privateer. Nicky Catsburg gets a full season.
Polestar: Volvoâs performance brand begins its long-term WTCC campaign with two S60 Polestar TC1s for Scandinavian Touring Car aces Thed BjĂśrk and Fredrik Ekblom.
WTCC Trophy: Bennani, Chilton and Demoustier aside, Tom Coronel is back for WTCC season 12 in his privateer Chevrolet. John Filippi turned 21 in February and gets Yvan Muller as a driver coach. John Bryan-Meisner crosses over from single-seater racing, while Sabine Schmitz deputises for RenĂŠ MĂźnnich, who is busy with his World Rallycross Championship duties, which heâs combining with his WTCC campaign. Zengo Motorsport will enter two Hondas for Hungarian teenagers Ferenc Ficza and DĂĄniel Nagy.
FORM GUIDE
JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez was the form man at the NĂźrburgring Nordschleife last season, claiming a win from the DHL pole position before coming within a whisker of making it a victory double. However, his CitroĂŤn team left the last round in Morocco winless as Honda dominated with a Qualifying top-three lockout and a 1-2-3 in the Main Race. Tom Coronel, the Opening Race winner in Morocco, has extensive Nordschleife experience and wonât carry any compensation weight in his privateer Chevrolet under the championship regulations. Thed BjĂśrk and Fredrik Ekblomâs Volvo S60 Polestar TC1s will also run at the minimum base weight in Germany, while LADA took two fastest laps in Morocco with Hugo Valente claiming the prestigious TAG Heuer Best Lap Trophy.
FACTS AND STATS
Race wins in 2016: LĂłpez 3; Huff 2; Bennani, Coronel and Monteiro 1
Pole positions in 2016: LĂłpez 2; Huff and Muller 1
Fastest laps in 2016: LĂłpez 3; Huff 2; Muller, Tarquini and Valente 1
Laps led in 2016: LĂłpez 39; Huff 38; Bennani 22; Catsburg 7; Valente 6; Monteiro 3
All-time race wins (top 5): Y Muller 47, Huff 29, LĂłpez 24, Menu 23, Tarquini 20
All-time pole positions (top 5): Y Muller 29, Tarquini 17, LĂłpez 16, Menu 15, Huff 12
All-time fastest laps (top 5): Y Muller 38, Huff 26, LĂłpez 24, Tarquini 23, Menu 20
All-time laps led (top 5): Y Muller 565, Huff 344, Menu 297, Tarquini 274, LĂłpez 262
WTCC RACE OF GERMANY WINNERS
2015: Race 1: JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez (CitroĂŤn C-ElysĂŠe); Race 2: Yvan Muller (CitroĂŤn C-ElysĂŠe)
2011: R1: Yvan Muller (Chevrolet Cruze); R2: Franz Engstler (BMW 320)
2010: R1: Alain Menu (Chevrolet Cruze); R2: Andy Priaulx (BMW 320)
2009: R1: Andy Priaulx (BMW 320); R2: Augusto Farfus (BMW 320)
2008: R1: Augusto Farfus (BMW 320); R2: FĂŠlix Porteiro (BMW 320)
2007: R1: Yvan Muller (SEAT LeĂłn); R2: Augusto Farfus (BMW 320)
2006: R1: Andy Priaulx (BMW 320); R2: JĂśrg Muller (BMW 320)
2005: R1: Andy Priaulx (BMW 320); R2: Alex Zanardi (BMW 320)
WTCC RACE OF GERMANY VENUES
2015-Present: NĂźrburgring Nordschleife
2005-2011: Oschersleben
DID YOU KNOW?
Niki Lauda was the first driver to achieve a sub-seven-minute lap of the Nordschleife when he qualified his Ferrari for the 1975 German Grand Prix in 6m58.60s. Ironically, the following year it was Lauda who made calls to boycott the grand prix on safety grounds. The race went ahead and the Austrian reigning world champion suffered life-threatening injuries after crashing his Ferrari coming out of the left-hand kink before Bergwerk. The badly burned Lauda famously returned to action six weeks later at the Italian Grand Prix. That accident, which partly inspired the making of the hit movie Rush, meant the 1976 Grand Prix was the last to be held on the Nordschleife.
THE BIG WTCC NUMBER: 1925
Construction work on the original NĂźrburgring, near the village of NĂźrburg in Germanyâs Eifel mountain region, began on 27 September 1925 and was completed in the spring of 1927. It cost around 15 million Reichsmark and needed 3000 workers.
THREE WTCC FIRSTS
1 JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez became the first driver since Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass in 1983 to win a world championship race on the NĂźrburgring Nordschleife when the triumphed last season
2 Sabine Schmitz made history in 2015 when she became the first female to score a WTCC point in the championshipâs current era by finishing P10 in the first race at the Nordschleife
3 Honda underlined its WTCC credentials with Rob Huff claiming the makeâs first Main Race win of 2016 from the DHL pole position
HOW THEY STAND (after Round 8 of 24)*
Drivers: 1 LĂłpez 138; 2 Monteiro 124; 3 Huff 98; 4 Michelisz 85; 5 Bennani 83; 6 Muller 79; etc. Manufacturers: 1 CitroĂŤn 347; 2 Honda 308; 3 LADA 171; 4 Volvo-Polestar 90 WTCC Trophy: 1 Bennani 78; 2 Chilton 57; 3 Coronel 54; 4 Filippi 34; 5 Demoustier 30; 6 Ficza 16; etc. WTCC Teamsâ Trophy: 1 SĂŠbastien Loeb Racing 128; 2 ROAL Motorsport 52; 3 Campos Racing 37; 4 ALL-INKL.COM MĂźnnich Motorsport 27; 5 Zengo Motorsport 18. *Full standings are available athttp://media.fiawtcc.com/statistics
THEY SAID WHAT?
Thed BjĂśrk (Polestar Cyan Racing): âItâs the most amazing track in the whole world. Itâs absolutely unbelievable and Iâm so happy to be racing there in the WTCC. Itâs an experience of a lifetime. If you are at least a little bit interested in cars, then you have to drive the track. Itâs not scary but you have to be very, very aware of the risks. You need to pick the speed up as you go and try not to overdrive. Many people do mistakes there and itâs a track that can kick you into mistakes. But try to be calm and not go to the limit. Itâs easier said than done but you need to have a lot of respect for the track. I know the track. I can write it in my sleep, every corner, every small thing, I love it. It took me a couple of laps to learn it but now I know it inside out.â
Nicky Catsburg (LADA Sport Rosneft): âYou have so much diversity and as a driver you can really make the difference. To set the comparison with other tracks, Eau Rouge, the fast corner at Spa, is always a challenge and always a corner people speak about but itâs so easy. You go out on your fast lap, you try to take it flat but if itâs not possible you take the run-off and you have found the limit. On the Nordschleife you cannot do that anywhere. If you go off, you are in the wall or the trees even. What makes it even more difficult is that you have so many of these high-speed turns where you really have to take risks. The other thing is you only see those turns once every eight minutes so itâs really difficult to be on the limit immediately. But I just love it, itâs such a cool track. Iâm always a big fan of high-speed corners and this track has it all. And the atmosphere with the fans, I always look forward to going there.â
Tom Coronel (ROAL Motorsport): âItâs the best race track on planet earth. Itâs the most challenging track, itâs changing all the time. You can never do a lap perfectly. Every lap you have at least 10 times a near narrow escape and I donât think anybody knows the track 100 per cent because thatâs impossible. Whenever somebody asks me if I want to drive the NĂźrburgring Nordschleife I get an automatic smile on my face which I donât get with anything else that I can do on planet earth. So you can imagine how far it goes. You have to be scared because if you donât respect this track then you donât respect anything on planet earth. This is the most challenging thing a race driver can find. Itâs always in your mind that there is something scary but at the same time you feel privileged that you are allowed to drive this track.â
JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez (CitroĂŤn Total WTCC): âIt was the most amazing race of the year last year and Iâm really looking forward to going back. Everything is special about this track, itâs 25 kilometres, itâs called the Green Hell, itâs different from anything you have experienced before. Last year was my first time and I really enjoyed it and to be able to win was something else. Itâs something amazing to be flat out on this track. You have jumps, high-speed corners, a long straight, a long lap, itâs amazing. Of course with Fangio winning there and Carlos Reutemann winning there, the track has a strong connection with Argentina, my country, and itâs a very special place for Argentinian people.â
Tiago Monteiro (Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team): âItâs the biggest challenge. Itâs definitely the hardest track in the world to learn, to be fast on and to be able to attack. I wanted to race there for ages but I never had the opportunity, so when they announced it I took the opportunity to go and test as much as possible. I went there three or four times and it was just amazing. Like Macau, the Nordschleife is a top challenge and thatâs why we race there.â
TRACK DETAILS
Name: NĂźrburgring Nordschleife (www.24h-rennen.de)
Location: Otto-Flimm-StraĂe, 53520 NĂźrburg, Germany
Length: 25.278 kilometres Opening Race distance: 3 laps Main Race distance: 3 laps
Lap record (qualifying): JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez (CitroĂŤn C-ElysĂŠe) 8m37.327s (176.60kph), 15/05/15 Lap record (race): JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez (CitroĂŤn C-ElysĂŠe), 8m40.688s (175.40kph), 16/05/15
WTCC appearances: Eight
Time zone: GMT +2 hours Sunrise/sunset: 05h27/21h33 (Saturday 28 May)
Average temperature: 8°C-18°C (May)
The venue: Germany returned to the WTCC calendar last year for the first time since 2011. However, gone was relatively-tame-in-comparison Oschersleben and in its place came the legendary NĂźrburgring Nordschleife, complete with its daunting 25.378-kilometre lap and 64 heart-stopping corners. Supporting the famous ADAC Zurich 24h Rennen, the event produced two dramatic contests with Yvan Muller beating race-one winner JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez to race-two glory by 0.173s, the closest finish in the 2015 WTCC. This yearâs event will feature a split grid with the FIA European Touring Car Cup drivers joining their WTCC counterparts on track for the two three-lap encounters.
The timetable: ?Thursdayâs itinerary includes a 60-minute test and Free Practice 1. Fridayâs track activity is made up of Free Practice 2, Qualifying and WTCC MAC3 with the two three-lap races held on Saturday (at 11h20 and 12h45) prior to the ADAC 24h-Rennen. For WTCC Race of Germany, Qualifying is held over 60 minutes rather than split into three sections.
A LAP OF THE TRACK WITH SABINE SCHMITZ
The FIA World Touring Car Championship is returning to the legendary NĂźrburgring Nordschleife from 26-28 May for WTCC Race of Germany. Queen of the Ring and local resident Sabine Schmitz, who will drive a Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 for ALL-INKL.COM MĂźnnich Motorsport, is your guide to the 25.278-kilometre track, The Green Hell.
âThe Grand Prix Circuit part of the track is not too tough on the suspension like the Nordschleife but itâs all about traction for the shorter straights and having a stable car on the brakes so you donât lose time at the start of the lap.
âOnto the Nordschelife and the first left into the Hatzenbach is really important because you have a very, very quick section and you need to carry the speed. We donât brake here, just lift off a bit. The balance of the car has to be really easy to handle and you canât be too quick on the steering wheel. Then we have a couple of tight corners through Hocheichen. The rear tyres will lift off a couple of times and then there will be dust as well to deal with because the WTCC drivers love to cut the first sharp right-hander and they are leaving a big mess, so when I arrive itâs very slippery!
âFor Quiddelbacher Hohe we are close to being flat but this is a question of practice because there is a lot of movement in the chassis. Be careful how you correct the wheel because the car can go very light here so you have to make sure it has a good balance.
âFlugplatz is a very quick section and it really helps to have good downforce. You need to be good on the brakes for Aremberg and when you are on the brakes the car must be settled down. The Fuchsrohre is the compression, itâs very tricky when you have a soft set-up so you have to lift off a little bit. Then you have the Adenauer Forst chicane where the chassis is doing big, big movement from right to left, left to right. Metzgesfeld is a very fast left-hander but itâs really flat so not a big deal.
âThen we go down Kallenhard, a very sharp one with a steep braking area as it goes down very much. The weight will be in the front more than in other corners so you have to make sure the car is very well balanced. When you turn in, turn in very gently, which is the same as in Wehrseifen, a heavy downforce section.
âEx-MĂźhle is a very big compression. Itâs a steep hill and you need traction there because all the weight goes to the rear end and when you accelerate the weight goes even more to the rear end. You need really to keep the tyres on the ground and keep the speed out of Exmuhle because there is a long straight to Bergwerk, which is quite easy, flat with good Tarmac.
âThen we have the long, long uphill section â not so difficult to drive â to the Karusell. Itâs very hard for the suspension but you are only doing 80kph because if you jump out you will end up in the barrier very easily, so you are fighting the car a bit. Itâs necessary to go gentle out of the Karusell because of the grip at the front.
âHohe Acht is next and itâs where we have good Tarmac. Itâs not a big deal but the Wippermann is a little more tricky because of the kerbs, which you are quite hard on. You need to be very gentle on the steering wheel otherwise you might have a bad time when you go across the kerbs. Then we enter Eschbach, a very steep downhill braking area.
âAt BrĂźnnchen you have to wave to the fans and remember not to crash because your fan base will be gone! But itâs good Tarmac here and lots of grip. Next itâs down to down to Pflanzgarten where we have a big jump and because of the soft suspension of the front-wheel-driven Chevrolet you will lift off a little bit, all four wheels. But you have good downforce so maybe after landing we jump up again!
âThen we have a long right-hander but this is full speed over a crest into a left-hander. The car will be very light again so you have to be gentle on the wheel to make sure the balance is in good shape. Schwalbenschwanz is after this. It has good Tarmac, good grip and is very flat. For the little Karusell that follows, again you canât be too aggressive on the wheel when you exit. Let the front tyres do their job.
âItâs very, very necessary to catch a good line and be gentle on the exit in Galgenkopf because youâll need every single rev to have good speed for the long, long DĂśttinger HĂśhe straight, which is two kilometres long. Hopefully you are on your own with not too many cars around you at this point because the track is getting tighter and tighter as you get closer to the finish line.â
WTCC FLASHBACK 2015 (14-16 MAY)
JosĂŠ MarĂa LĂłpez became the first driver since Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass in 1983 to win a world championship race on the NĂźrburgring Nordschleife after claiming victory in the opening WTCC Race of Germany â and then very nearly made it two wins from two in the second event.
Starting 10th for race two, the defending WTCC champion charged through the pack in a dramatic contest to close to within 0.173 seconds of CitroĂŤn team-mate Yvan Muller crossing the finishing line following a thrilling slipstream battle for glory.
The WTCC was making its first appearance on the 25-kilometre layout, which combines the modern Grand Prix Circuit and the legendary Nordschleife loop. LĂłpez blasted into the lead at the start of race one and remained out in front on the back of an impressive display as fellow front-row starter Hugo Valente hit trouble, eventually crashing out on lap two.
SĂŠbastien Loeb kept up his chase of LĂłpez in the battle for WTCC title success with second place at the iconic Eifel mountain venue, while four-time champion Muller made it an all-CitroĂŤn podium, as Norbert Michelisz took fourth for Honda and the Yokohama Driversâ Trophy spoils. Tiago Monteiro led away from pole in the reverse grid second race but was unable to fend off Muller on the two-kilometre-long DĂśttinger Hohe straight on lap one.
Monteiro remained latched to Muller only for LĂłpez to drag ahead on the final lap, having slipstreamed Gabriele Tarquini for third seconds earlier. The dramatic action was broadcast live on television around the world and thrilled the thousands of fans watching trackside. Elsewhere, local ace Sabine Schmitz became the first female to score a WTCC point when she finished 10th in race one on her maiden appearance in the series.