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“Experience BMW Motorsport” day at the Nürburgring.
28th April 2007. Report and Photographs by Melvyn Pettit
BMW Motorsport day
at the Nürburgring
On the 15th March 2007 BMW Motorsport press release read: “It has been over three decades since the greatest racing cars on the planet came face-to-face with the world’s most challenging circuit. On 28th April the BMW Sauber F1.07 will become the first Formula One car for 31 years to grace the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife track. Nick Heidfeld’s journey into history will be the highlight of a full day in the Eifel mountains with the BMW Motorsport racing arsenal“.
We had to be there!
Therefore, after quick telephone calls it was on, with fellow SAS (Southeast Active Supporters) Selwyn and Tony joining me in my E36 BMW coupe for a long weekend. The alternative title for the report could have been. “SE Car-Burn Balanced Weekend” or “Where’s Number 46“.
Why the title “SE Car-Burn Balanced Weekend” ? Our trip would be a Car-Burn balanced weekend because we not only planned to be at the Saturday BMW Day at the Nürburgring, but also to join SE committee member Dave Brentnall and his mate Ken who are keen cyclists, to watch the Liege-Basgonge-Liege cycle race that was being run on the Sunday, so Petrol Heads on Saturday and Leg Heads on Sunday.
The heading “Where’s Number 46“, comes from doing a small favour for Neil Leigh. Our base for the weekend was again AEadventures, Moulin Du Ruy, Stourmount. Ann and Neil had rooms spare and also Dave and Ken was staying there. On the Friday, trip to Neil’s, we have a little favour to do for him. As many club members are aware Neil is a motorcycle instructor at the ring, and on one of his days over at the Nürburgring, while he was slowly coming back into the Car Park from the track a British car driver pulled straight out with-out looking and knocked Neil off his bike, damaging the exhaust. Therefore, our favour was to pick up a new exhaust, which he had won the bid on e-Bay. The pick up address is in a small village just south of Brussels, we find the road but no number 46, we have 44 then 52? We park up and walk around until finally asking a woman in the garden where 46 is? She points to a little lane and in the corner we find two builders sitting in their van; they are waiting for our man. Therefore, with a call to Ann, she leaves a message on the mobile number she has: we wait… Then after around 30mins the shutters go up on the house and the chap comes out. The time is 11.30am and he has just got up. We make the transaction and we are on our way. By the time we arrive at Neil’s, Selwyn has become attached the down-pipes!
They start the race just like the 24hr race, IE: because there so many cars in the race they start the cars in waves! This race is only four hours, so we watch the first hour in grandstand. Then grab a bite to eat and drive over to Breidscheld Bridge to watch the rest of the race on the Nordschleife, and then wait for the high point of the day.
The race finished just after 4pm and soon after that, a camera car came around the track then a helicopter flying low comes into view as we hear the sound of the BMW Sauber F1.07 on the Nordschleife. Nick Heidfeld is on an installation lap. After a quick check, he then completes two more laps of the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife track, so we were their as the BMW Sauber F1.07 became the first F1 car in 31 years, (was it that long from the Niki Lauda Accident?) to be a race speed on the Green Hell. An average of 25,000 spectators normally follow the VNL series, Well it was reported that over 45,000 Motorsport enthusiast at the ring on this memorable day.
Sunday was a relaxing day, 20min drive after breakfast to Sougne-Remouchamps to meet up with Dave and Ken to watch the Liege - Bastogne - Liege professional cycle race. After lunch at Ann and Neil’s we all take a walk though the village to watch the cycle race go up the hill from Moulin-du-Ruy to Spa. Later we have a drink at “Joseph’s Bar”.
Monday, time to travel home, so another great trip, and once again our thanks to Ann and Neil for being mine-hosts. Only one sad note to report from the memorable day at the ring was the fact that Hans Stuck needed to be airlifted to hospital after his accident on lap 3 of the VNL Race.
BMW Motorsport - Press Release
On 28th April, a contemporary Formula One car will drive on the legendary Nordschleife section of the Nürburgring for the first time in 31 years. As part of the BMW Action Day, Nick Heidfeld will steer the BMW Sauber F1.07 around the 25 kilometre track. Here is some interesting information regarding this legendary track.
With 33 left and 40 right corners, the Nordschleife opened on September 27th 1925, with the first race held on June 19th 1927 - these are the naked facts. However, facts alone cannot explain the fascination for this spectacular rollercoaster mountain ride. More than anything else, it is the emotional side to this track. A driver who is able to achieve victory at the so-called "Green Hell" can be sure of the respect of fans and adversaries alike.
The Nordschleife provides drivers with every conceivable challenge: Sections with an ascent of 17 percent, steep slopes, jumps, banked corners, long straights, fast and winding sections. The old part of the Nürburgring takes drivers from one extreme to the other. This is one of the reasons why many experts consider this race track to be the most demanding in the world.
BMW faced the Nordschleife challenge during the first 24-hour race in 1970, with Hans-Joachim Stuck and Clemens Schickedanz securing the overall victory in their BMW 2002ti. Since then, BMW drivers have been able to win events on this track on 17 further occasions. The last BMW drivers to win here were Pedro Lamy, Boris Said, Duncan Huisman and Andy Priaulx behind the wheel of the BMW M3 GTR in 2005. A year earlier, Stuck, Jörg Müller and Dirk Müller secured victory in the Eifel marathon - also with the BMW M3 GTR.
Between 1951 and 1976, a total of 22 Formula One races were held on the North Loop. When Nick Heidfeld speeds through the Eifel in his BMW Sauber F1.07 in April, he will not only bring the pinnacle of motor sport back to the Nürburgring, but some special emotions as well.
Click Picture for F1 on Nordschleife Picture album
Saturday after breakfast, we travel the 75miles to the ring. The weather is HOT; we park up, pay our 10euros and cross the bridge into the main paddock. Time to look around the pits, which are full of the race cars for the upcoming VLN Endurance Championship race, which starts at 12o/c. Around a third of the drivers in the race will line up in BMW models. Have a quick word with Green Hell legend Hans-Joachim Stuck. In 1970 Hans-Joachim Stuck and Clemens Schickedanz secured the overall victory in the first 24-hour race held on the Nordschleife in their BMW 2002ti, Today he is driving the BMW Motorsport (No. 170) Z4 Coupe in the race. Time to go over to the BMW Motorsport paddock area, BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen pointed out in press release: “This day is our way of saying thank-you to the fans for their support“. Well, as you can see from the pictures, it was heaving with BMW Motorsport fans that came out to show their allegiance to BMW, they line up for autographs from BMW Motorsport drivers Andy Priaulx, Jorg Muller, Augusto Farfus, Sebastian Vettel and Nick Heidfeld. After looking at the BMW displays and picking up goodies it time to head to the grandstand to watch the start of the VLN Endurance Championship race. For those of you who read “My top ten BMW Powered cars” piece in the club magazine might recall I put the M3 GTR as my number 2, well, just as we sat down in the grandstand the GTR came out for a demonstration lap before the start of VNL race. The driver being Olaf Manthey. Were we there at the final official appearance of this fire-breathing racing machine?
Click Picture for BMW Motorsport paddock Picture album
Click Picture for VLN Endurance race Picture album
Click Picture for Liege - Bastogne - Liege cycle race Picture album