Nürburgring
Nürburgring at a glance
- Location
- Nürburg, Rheinland-Pfalz
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 5.148 km (3.199 mi)
- Turns
- 15
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1984
- Owner
- Capricorn Nürburgring Betriebsgesellschaft (Viktor Kharitonin, majority stake since 2014)
- Capacity
- 150,000
- Address
- Nürburgring 1
- Phone
- +49 2691 302-630
- Website
- nuerburgring.de
Track map and layout
The Nürburgring is really two circuits sharing one name. The modern GP-Strecke, built in 1984 next to the old track, is a 5.148 km, 15-turn Grand Prix circuit used for F1, DTM and other championships, with a stadium-style final sector that gives spectators sightlines across several corners. Alongside it survives the legendary Nordschleife ('North Loop'), a 20.832 km public-road-style circuit opened in 1927 that winds through the forests and villages of the Eifel mountains with around 154 corners and over 300 metres of elevation change, including the famous Karussell banked corner and the Flugplatz and Fuchsröhre sections where cars go airborne. On Touristenfahrten (public driving) days the Nordschleife and GP-Strecke can be combined into the 'Gesamtstrecke' (whole course) of roughly 25.4 km, one of the longest lap experiences in world motorsport.
Named corners and sections
- Karussell. A steeply banked, concrete-lined hairpin on the Nordschleife that drivers can take through the banked gutter for extra grip; one of the track's most photographed corners.
- Flugplatz. A fast crest on the Nordschleife, near the site of a former airfield, where cars can briefly become airborne if taken flat out.
- Fuchsröhre. A dramatic downhill compression ('fox hole') on the Nordschleife that loads the suspension hard after a blind crest.
- Adenauer Forst. A tightening downhill left-hander on the Nordschleife named after the nearby town of Adenau; a common spot for accidents and marshal posts.
- Dunlop-Kehre. A tight hairpin on the GP-Strecke leading into the circuit's stadium section.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Nordschleife | 20.83 km | 20.832 km public-access toll road/circuit; used for the Nürburgring 24 Hours and NLS endurance races |
| GP-Strecke (Grand Prix circuit) | 5.15 km | 5.148 km; current F1/DTM configuration, opened 1984 |
| Gesamtstrecke (combined circuit) | 25.41 km | Nordschleife plus GP-Strecke joined together for the 24 Hours race and some Touristenfahrten days, roughly 25.4 km |
Events and race weekends
The Nürburgring 24 Hours, run on the combined Nordschleife/GP-Strecke Gesamtstrecke each June, is the track's marquee event and one of the world's largest motor races by entry list. The Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) brings endurance racing to the Nordschleife across the season, while the GP-Strecke hosts DTM, ADAC GT Masters and, intermittently, Formula 1 (most recently the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, and historically the German and European Grands Prix). Rock am Ring, one of Germany's biggest music festivals, also takes over the circuit grounds each June.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nürburgring 24 Hours | ADAC Nürburgring 24h / GT/endurance | June | run on the combined Nordschleife and GP-Strecke |
| Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie rounds | NLS | April-October | multiple endurance rounds on the Nordschleife |
| DTM Nürburgring | DTM | September | run on the GP-Strecke |
| ADAC GT Masters | ADAC GT Masters | varies | GP-Strecke round |
| Rock am Ring | Music festival | June | held on the circuit grounds, not a race |
Getting there and parking
The Nürburgring sits in the Eifel region of Rhineland-Palatinate, roughly equidistant from Cologne, Koblenz and Trier. There is no rail station at the circuit itself; the nearest useful stations are in Koblenz or Adenau-adjacent towns, from which visitors typically need a rental car or taxi, as public transport into the Eifel is limited. Most fans drive in via the A1 and A48 autobahns, and Touristenfahrten visitors queue at the Nordschleife toll gate (Tiergarten) near Nürburg village.
- Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN) · about 63 min drive
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) · about 70 min drive
- Frankfurt Airport (FRA) · about 100 min drive
Parking
General parking around the Nordschleife entrance and GP-Strecke is largely free outside major events; grandstand and paddock parking for the 24 Hours and DTM must be booked with event tickets and fills early.
Book Nordschleife Touristenfahrten laps online in advance where possible, and check the published schedule closely, since sessions are frequently cancelled for weather, racing series testing, or track maintenance.
Hotels and camping near Nürburgring
Most visitors base themselves in Adenau, the small town closest to the Nordschleife's Tiergarten entrance, or in Nürburg village itself, both offering guesthouses, motels and pensions geared toward track-day traffic. For more choice, Mayen, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler and Koblenz (all under an hour away) have larger hotel stock. Rooms near the circuit sell out and prices spike well in advance of the Nürburgring 24 Hours in June.
Where to look
Adenau and Nürburg village are closest to the Nordschleife gate; Mayen, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler and Koblenz offer a wider range of hotels within roughly 30-45 minutes.
Camping
Official campsites operate around the circuit for the 24 Hours race, including the infamous 'Hell' and forest camping areas along the Nordschleife where fans camp trackside for the whole race weekend; a strong, decades-old camping and barbecue culture surrounds the event.
RV
Dedicated caravan and motorhome areas are available for the 24 Hours weekend, bookable through the official Nürburgring ticket shop; spaces are limited and sell out months ahead.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
The Nürburgring Nordschleife is famous for Touristenfahrten ('tourist drives'), which let anyone with a road-legal, roadworthy car or motorcycle and a valid licence pay for individual laps of the public side of the circuit, open most days from mid-March to mid-November outside racing and testing. Numerous third-party outfits based around Nürburg and Adenau offer guided laps, coaching and rental cars specifically set up for the Nordschleife.
Who runs days here
- Nürburgring Touristenfahrten (official)both
- RSR Nürburg (guided laps, coaching, rental cars)both
- Rent4Ring (Nordschleife-spec rental cars)car
- GEDLICH Racingcar
Typical cost: Nordschleife Touristenfahrten laps from about €30 (weekdays) to €35 (weekends/public holidays) per lap; an unlimited annual pass is around €3,000
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nordschleife (historic qualifying benchmark, Nordschleife-only) | 6:25.91 | Stefan Bellof | Porsche 956 | 1983 |
| F1 (GP-Strecke) | 1:28.139 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull RB16 | 2020 |
Spectator guide
The GP-Strecke's stadium section gives spectators views of several corners at once from grandstands near the start-finish straight, while the Nordschleife's point-to-point nature means fans spread out across dozens of viewing spots in the forest, many free of charge outside grandstand-ticketed areas. The Karussell and Brünnchen sections are among the most popular free vantage points for watching the 24 Hours and NLS races.
Seating
GP-Strecke grandstands cluster around the start-finish straight and final corners; Nordschleife viewing is mostly informal trackside standing areas, with some ticketed grandstands at Hatzenbach and near the Döttinger Höhe straight for the 24 Hours.
Best places to watch
Brünnchen and the Karussell are classic free Nordschleife viewing spots with long sightlines and a party atmosphere during the 24 Hours; the GP-Strecke's main grandstands suit visitors who want a single fixed seat.
Weather
- June (24 Hours): Eifel weather is changeable; daytime highs around 18-22°C with a real chance of rain or fog overnight
- September (DTM): cooler and often damp, highs around 14-18°C
History of Nürburgring
From Eifel road-building project to the 'Green Hell'
The Nürburgring was built in the 1920s as an unemployment relief and road-engineering project, opening in 1927 with two linked loops, the Nordschleife and the shorter Südschleife, winding through the forests and villages around the medieval Nürburg castle. Its length, blind crests and constant elevation changes quickly made it one of the most demanding circuits in the world, and Jackie Stewart's nickname for it, 'the Green Hell,' stuck for good reason: the track claimed numerous drivers' lives through the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
Niki Lauda's crash and the end of Grand Prix racing on the Nordschleife
Safety concerns culminated after Niki Lauda's near-fatal fiery crash at the Nordschleife during the 1976 German Grand Prix. Formula 1 abandoned the full Nordschleife the following year, and in 1984 a new, shorter Grand Prix circuit — the GP-Strecke — was built alongside the old track specifically to host modern F1 and touring car racing to contemporary safety standards, while the Nordschleife remained in use for endurance racing and, increasingly, public access.
Touristenfahrten and the modern circuit
From the late 20th century onward the Nordschleife became famous worldwide for Touristenfahrten, allowing members of the public to drive their own road cars or motorcycles around the circuit for a fee on non-race days, turning it into a pilgrimage site for car enthusiasts and manufacturers alike, many of whom use the Nordschleife for development testing. The Nürburgring 24 Hours, run on the combined Nordschleife/GP-Strecke Gesamtstrecke since 1970, has grown into one of the largest and most fan-attended endurance races on Earth. The circuit passed through a troubled financial period, including a 2012 insolvency, before being sold in 2014; it remains under Capricorn Nürburgring ownership today, hosting DTM, NLS endurance racing, GT competition and regular Touristenfahrten sessions alongside Rock am Ring.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Nürburgring Nordschleife?+
The Nordschleife is 20.832 km (12.944 miles) long with around 154 corners, making it one of the longest permanent race circuits in the world.
How much does it cost to drive a lap of the Nordschleife?+
A single Touristenfahrten lap costs about €30 on weekdays and €35 on weekends and public holidays; an unlimited annual pass is roughly €3,000.
What is the Nürburgring lap record?+
Officially recognised outright lap times are disputed because rules and layouts have varied; the enduring benchmark is Stefan Bellof's 6:25.91 in a Porsche 956 during 1983 qualifying, on a slightly longer version of the track. On the current GP-Strecke, the F1 lap record is 1:28.139, set by Max Verstappen in 2020.
Can you still drive the Nordschleife yourself?+
Yes. The Nordschleife operates as a toll road for Touristenfahrten most days from mid-March to mid-November, open to any street-legal, roadworthy car or motorcycle with a valid driver's licence.
Where do fans camp for the Nürburgring 24 Hours?+
Official campsites and forest camping areas line the Nordschleife for race week, including the famously rowdy 'Hell' camping zone; spots fill up well in advance of the June race.
What is the difference between the Nordschleife and the GP-Strecke?+
The Nordschleife is the original 1927 public-road-style circuit used for endurance racing and Touristenfahrten; the GP-Strecke is a separate, shorter 5.148 km circuit built in 1984 specifically for modern Formula 1, DTM and other championship racing.
Other tracks nearby
- Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps · 70 km · road course
- Grenzlandring · 101 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Circuit Zolder · 140 km · road course
- Stedelijk Motorcrosscentrum Lommel · 153 km · motocross
- Hockenheimring · 161 km · road course
- Circuit Jules Tacheny Mettet · 163 km · road course
Facts checked against 5 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.