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In about a week, the legendary 24 Hour Race of Nordschleife will commence! Here is all the news and information I thought would be helpful. But, first order of business, let's list the BMW teams and what they will have locked and ready to fire. At the bottom I will post the entry grid though....

Whew, long list actually!
Walkenhorst Motorsport powered by Dunlop: BMW Z4 GT3
BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert: BMW Z4 GT3
BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS: BMW Z4 GT3
TeamCoach-Racing: E92 M3, E82
Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport: E92 335i
MSC-Rhön e.V. i. ADAC 2: M3 GTR
Cusano, Juan Angel: E46 M3
Hofor - Racing 1: M3 GTR, M3 CSL
Team Securtal Sorg Rennsport: M3 GT4
MSC-Rhön e.V. i. ADAC 1: 1M Coupe
Rehs, Patrick: 130i GTR
Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport: Z4 3.0si
Team Securtal Sorg Rennsport: 330i Coupe
Hofor Racing 3: E36 M3
Salerno, Ruben: z4
S: Hipercars GmbH: 330i
Salerno, Alessandro: 325i
Team Securtal Sorg Rennsport: 325i
Ledoux, Bruce: E90 325i
Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport: 325i
Hoffmann, Kornelius: 325i
aesthetic racing GmbH: 325i
Mönch, Michael: 325i
Meurer, Carsten: 325i
Walkenhorst Motorsport powered by Dunlop: M235i Racing
Team Securtal Sorg Rennsport: M235i Racing
Team Scheid-Honert Motorsport: M235i Racing
Ackermann, David: M235i Racing
Bonk Motorsport: M235i Racing
Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport: M235i Racing
Team Mathol Racing e.V: M235i Racing
Kaemena, Martin: M235i Racing
Finck, Fabian: M235i Racing
5 Race-House Motorsport: M235i Racing


BMW Motorsport News


Highlight at the "Hell".
The highlight of the endurance season for the BMW teams is scheduled for this weekend.


May 8 2015

The BMW Sports Trophy teams will be represented by strong drivers at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, which is in its 43rd edition this year. Six BMW Z4 GT3 will line up in the SP9 class and want to be fighting for the top places in the overall standings. Then there are the starters in the BMW M235i Racing Cup class, a BMW M235i Racing entered by BMW Motorsport as a media car and naturally a large number of privateers in their BMW cars.

"We are all really looking forward to the highlight of the endurance season and are convinced that we are in an excellent position with our two teams and our outstanding driver line-up," said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. "The two BMW Z4 GT3 entered by the Walkenhorst Motorsport team mean that we have another two irons in the fire. On top of this, in collaboration with Walkenhorst Motorsport, we will once again field a BMW M235i Racing media car. Two renowned motorsport journalists will be given the opportunity to contest the endurance classic alongside Harold Grohs and BMW Motorsport junior Victor Bouveng. I look forward to wishing our GT cars the best in the battle for the top places, following the gripping duels in the BMW M235i Racing, as well as watching the many BMW privateers go on their hunt through the 'Green Hell'."

As a result of the tragic accident at the first VLN race, which cost one spectator their life, for safety reasons there will be speed limits on some of the dangerous sections of track at this year's 24-hour race. Teams and drivers were given enough time to get used to these new conditions during the preparation race.

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert will line up on the Nordschleife for the fourth time with works support from BMW Motorsport, and will field two BMW Z4 GT3. Car number 19 will be driven by Dirk Werner, Dirk Müller, Alexander Sims and DTM Champion Marco Wittmann. The cockpit of car number 20 will once again be shared by Dominik Baumann, Claudia Hürtgen, Jens Klingmann and BMW DTM driver Martin Tomczyk. The quartet celebrated victory at the six-hour qualifying race in mid April.
BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS will also contest the race with works support and a top-class driver line-up. Lucas Luhr, Markus Palttala, BMW DTM driver Maxime Martin and Richard Westbrook will take it in turns at the wheel of the BMW Z4 GT3 with number 25. Car number 26 will be driven by Jörg Müller, Nick Catsburg, Dirk Adorf and BMW DTM driver Augusto Farfus. In addition to these four cars, the Walkenhorst Motorsport team will field two BMW Z4 GT3 in the SP9 class. 

A total of 15 teams have registered for the BMW M235i Racing Cup. A 16th BMW M235i Racing will be fielded by BMW Motorsport in collaboration with Walkenhorst Motorsport. The two motorsport journalists Bernd Ostmann and Christian Gebhardt will share the car with Harald Grohs and BMW Motorsport junior Victor Bouveng.


First Couple pages of the Entry List. If you want the rest let me know:






Oh and by the way there was this from the Quali:

Schubert Motorsport has won the Nürburgring 24h qualifying event. Dominik Baumann, Claudia Hürtgen, Klingmann and DTM driver Martin Tomczyk gave a confident and flawless performance and won – not least thanks to a superior strategy – ahead of the Porsche Cup Manthey Racing and Black Falcon. The Haribo Racing Team – whose Mercedes SLS had been leading until shortly before the end – found themselves ending the race in the pits with a technical defect.

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Marc VDS funny stat

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Schedule

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Photos from Qualification Race

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Top 18 Qual.

Qualification through the qualifying of 1st VLN race
1 Rowe Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 SP9 Jan Seyffarth
2 Frikadelli Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R SP9 Patrick Huisman
3 Rowe Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 SP9 Nico Bastian


Qualification via the ADAC qualification race
4 Haribo Racing Team Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 SP9 Maximilian Götz
5 Team Zakspeed Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 SP9 Sebastian Asch
6 Team Toyota Gazoo Racing Lexus LFA Code X SP-Pro Hiroaki Ishiura
7 Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG 003C SP-X Thomas Mutsch
8 Bentley Motor Sport Bentley Continental GT3 SP9 Jeroen Bleekemolen
9 Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG 003C SP-X Manuel Lauck
10 BMW Team Schubert BMW Z4 GT3 SP9 Klingmann
11 Bentley Motor Sport Bentley Continental GT3 SP9 Lance David Arnold
12 Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3 SP9 Felipe Fernandez Laser
13 BMW Team Schubert BMW Z4 GT3 SP9 Dirk Müller
14 Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup MR SP7 -
15 Black Falcon Team TMD Friction Porsche 911 GT3 Cup SP7 -
16 Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R SP9 -

Qualification through the qualifying of the 2nd VLN race
17 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS SP9 Frank Stippler
18 Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 SP9 Stefan Mücke

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Which manufacturer will win?

The countdown is on, only one week: Then start at the Nürburgring, the legendary 24-hour race. For the 43rd time the motorsport stars will meet in the Green Hell another in the battle for the coveted overall win. Motorsport-Magazin.com takes a look at the favorites.

Audi

Audi travels as the defending champion in the Eifel, because last year, the Ingolstadt triumphed at the 24-hour race. Not the only reason why this year should have on the bill Audi. The Audi R8 LMS has been completely revised and is clearly stronger than in the previous season. In the second VLN race, Audi Sport Team WRT celebrated a flawless double victory - and underlined thus clear that you want to be at the top of the podium and at the season climax.

In addition to the Audi Sport Team WRT and the Audi Sport Team Phoenix employs two of the new cars. The driver pairings are strong: In addition to the classic sports car experts come up with Mike Rockenfeller and Nico Müller again DTM drivers to use. The Audi race experience and Twin Busch Motorsport confident in the Audi R8 LMS ultra. Overall, therefore, find seven overall victory enabled Audi in the starting field of this year's 24-hour race.

BMW

Last year, the BMW Z4 GT3, the Munich with this vehicle is still no overall victory at the 24-hour race. With the BMW Sports Trophy team of Marc VDS and Schubert are four works cars at the start. As with Audi grab here DTM drivers at the wheel: In addition to GT specialist Maxime Martin also DTM Champion Marco Wittmann, Martin Tomczyk and Augusto Farfus are going in the Eifel at the start. Added to the two customer vehicles Walkenhorst motorsport, so a total of six BMW Z4 GT3 will roll to the starting line in the fight for the overall victory.

Mercedes

Send Swabia in the GT3 class the strongest line-up of all manufacturers at the start. No fewer than eight Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 will be at the start at the 24-hour race. An official factory team, there is not, but Mercedes supports the team in a number of areas and also sends DTM drivers in the Eifel. In addition to Christian Vietoris, who will contest his first 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, also returns Maximilian Götz back to the steering wheel of the Gullwing.

If we can play to our potential and the technology cooperates, I am confident that we will ride to victory. Hans-Peter Naundorf
One of the best Mercedes team is considered the team of Rowe Racing. In the last VLN race, the team traveled regularly on the podium and fight for overall victory with. "Our achievements in the previous two VLN races give us a tailwind," says Rowe team boss Hans-Peter Naundorf pleased. "The entire team is now hot on the season highlight. If we can play to our potential and the technology cooperates, I am confident that we will ride for the win."

And do not forget: Black Falcon. The Black Hawks missed last year narrowly victory and occupied the second position. Now the overall victory to her. But they trust again, among other things back to DTM record champion Bernd Schneider. Besides Rowe Racing and Black Falcon Send Car Collection, the team Zakspeed, the Haribo Racing Team and the team Premio each a Mercedes Gullwing at the start.

Aston Martin

The British go with two works cars at the start. Although Aston Martin could lead the 24-hour race in the past, even temporarily, it was enough not yet a top result. Accidents or technical failures tore the cars often out of the race. In Bilstein-Aston-Martin as usual Darren Turner, Pedro Lamy and the Berliner Stefan Mücke at the wheel, the sister vehicle to Richie Stanaway, Jonny Adam and Mathias Lauda change, son of Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda, ​​from.

Porsche

The probability of a Porsche victory against tough competition is low. Overall, only three Porsche 911 GT3 R go on the trip: Frikadelli Racing, Falken Motorsports and the customer car of Manthey Racing. On top of the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR from Wochenspiegel Team Manthey. The glamorous years of Manthey teams where the team with the 'thickness' celebrated numerous victories overall, are over. Since entering into the WEC Manthey Racing cared only the customers' vehicles.

Bentley

Bentley is regarded as dark horses to win at this year's classic in the Eifel. For the first time the British take the 24 Hours Nürburgring in attack. At the wheel of the Bentley Continental GT3 beefy among others Lance-David Arnold and Christian Menzel Motorsport-Magazin.com columnist will take place. A total of three cars involved in the starting list, two works cars and a vehicle from the German Bentley Team HTP.


Nissan

Nissan has a serious start to the season behind them. After the fatal accident at VLN season opener, send the Japanese at the 24-hour race a works cars out on the track. Alex Buncombe and Kazuki Hoshino stand out as pilot of Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 from the Nissan GT Academy Team RJN already, more drivers will still announce. Even the private Schulze Motorsport team goes back to the own Nissan at the start.

The exotics

Also this year, the exotic back on the Nordschleife. Above all, the cars of James Glickenhaus could already enthuse the audience. At season start of the US billionaire sent two vehicles with the designation 'SCG 003C' on the Nordschleife - and secured immediately the lap record. On top of the Lexus LFA Code of Gazoo Racing X. Already at the 24-hour qualifying race, the Japanese have proved with the second place, that they are among the fastest teams on the Nordschleife.

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Roll-out of the two BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert BMW Z4 GT3s for the Nürburgring 24 Hours. How do you like the liveries? ///

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For Marco Wittmann is the third ADAC Zurich 24h-race of his career, and yet it will be different than the previous: as the current champion of the DTM even more eyes will rest on him than it was in previous years, when he in the BMW Z4 GT3 the BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert is launched. But it is the 25 year old does not impress: "I'm really looking forward to the race. The Nordschleife is always something special, and the 24-hour race, the highlight of the GT3 sports. "

After it turned out last year, is the DTM champion this time the battle for the overall title at the top of the list. 2014 he was hit in the middle of the night by a rival and ended up in the guardrail. This time it will go better. The conditions are good: The Z4 GT3 demonstrated recently at the ADAC 24-hour race qualifying races on 11 and 12 April his victory ability. "We have a mission and a goal in mind, we are working towards it," said Fürth are combative. He starts in the Schubert BMW together with Dirk Müller, Alexander Sims and Dirk Werner.

The changeover from the DTM cars on the Nordschleife falls the BMW works drivers not particularly difficult. He knows the BMW Z4 GT3 already inside and out and is well aware of the specifics on the Nordschleife. "Especially with a 24-hour race you give in race mode not 105 percent," he explains. "As a driving style is required, which allows you to drive through even over such a long time by car. It's not just about the material, but also about keeping the Spritverbauch in mind. "

Exercise is everything
Nevertheless, he knows that the preparation races like the 24-hour qualification race are very important. Less to win. Rather, again a feeling for the race on the Nordschleife is to be built. "The traffic is certainly the biggest change," says Wittmann. As an example of the special features when driving in a starting field with more than 150 competitors, he calls, "the small vehicles to overtake so that they see you and you get the right eye and the right sense of where you can place." Also, the processes are very different from a DTM race, and must be trained."It's about reinzukriegen the special operations again. For example, to practice the driver change w/colleagues. "

Set-up: The search for the compromise
But also the car that he shares with three teammates must be prepared for the 24-hour race. Wittmann: "We're four on the car and then you always have to find a compromise. One takes a certain attitude good, and the other another. We need this race to eject a good set-up, with which all feel comfortable and with the can drive all consistently fast "Wittmann has with his teammates by the way has an advantage over other teams." We all have the same size , That is why we need to make any adjustments to the seat or on the pedals. "

Nordschleife: pure adrenaline
Even with experienced drivers like Marco Wittmann can bring the pulse racing the Nordschleife. "I love the Fuchsröhre - the downhill passage with compression. This is extremely challenging. At these points, you realize how the adrenaline rise, "he enthuses. "Or relatively liquid passages we Pflanzgarten I and II. On the Nordschleife, it is extremely important to get into this flow, to find a rhythm. If you once had a major blunder, it's hard to get in again in the same round. "

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ROWE RACING FAVORITES TO WIN

Thursday, 05/07/15
[Team Info] All good things come in threes: After two third place finishes in the 24-hour race in the two previous years to follow a victory for ROWE Racing this year. "The time has come and we are well prepared," said Rowe Racing team boss Hans-Peter Naundorf. This is confirmed by the results in the VLN: With all runs that denied the Wormser racing team since 24-hour race in 2014, the team was on the podium. This year ROWE Racing starts with two SLS AMG GT3 in the toughest race in the world, the. From 14 to 17 May, held at the Nürburgring and the Nordschleife.

Two of four pairings go in the Eifel to the starting line: The ROWE Racing SLS AMG GT3 # 22 will be driven by Maro Engel, Jan Seyffahrt, Renger van der Zande and Thomas Jäger, who competes as a double starter in the sister car. Nico Bastian, Klaus Graf and Christian Hohenadel share at his side in the second Gullwing with starting number # 23 cockpit. "A very high-caliber driver line-up," as Naundorf notes. "With Renger, Maro and Thomas we have three former DTM pilot, Nico and Christian have resorted for BMW or Audi factory at the wheel. Jan was already active in the Porsche Junior squad and Klaus brings a two-time ALMS Champion and Trans-Am Champion invaluable experience. "

Both ROWE Racing SLS 2015 are already qualified because of the rankings in the VLN races for the top 30 qualifying at the 24-hour race. "Our achievements in the previous two VLN races give us a tailwind. Finally, we finished on the podium and also in the first round we were on pole position. The entire team is now hot on the season highlight. If we can play to our potential and the technology cooperates, I am confident that we will ride for the win, "said team boss Naundorf is looking forward to the race.

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That Glickenhaus is looking nice on track.
Here's an article about its N24 debut: http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/be...for-n24-debut/

[BobS]

Will this be televised in the US? I hate how bmw isn't in the 24 hours of lemans, would love to watch this race as its a much better mix of cars/manufacturers.

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BMW Sports Trophy teams are ready for the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
The "Green Hell" is calling: The highlight of the endurance season for the BMW teams is scheduled for this weekend.

May 11, 2015 by BMW Motorsport



The "Green Hell" is calling: The highlight of the endurance season for the BMW teams is scheduled for this weekend. The BMW Sports Trophy teams will be represented by strong drivers at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, which will be run for the 43rd time this year. Six BMW Z4 GT3s will compete in the SP9 class and want to be fighting for the top places in the overall standings. Then there are the starters in the BMW M235i Racing Cup class, a BMW M235i Racing entered by BMW Motorsport as a media car and naturally a large number of privateers in their BMW cars.

"We are all really looking forward to the highlight of the endurance season and are convinced that we are in an excellent position with our two teams and our outstanding driver line-up," said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. "Two further privateer BMW Z4 GT3 complete our squad in the SP9 class. On top of this, in collaboration with Walkenhorst Motorsport, we will once again field a BMW M235i Racing media car. Two renowned motorsport journalists will be given the opportunity to contest the endurance classic alongside Harald Grohs and BMW Motorsport Junior Victor Bouveng. I look forward to wishing our GT cars the best in the battle for the top places, following the gripping duels in the BMW M235i Racing, as well as watching the many BMW privateers go on their hunt through the 'Green Hell'."

As a result of the tragic accident at the first VLN race for safety reasons there will be speed limits on some of the dangerous sections of track at this year's 24-hour race. Teams and drivers were given enough time to get used to these new conditions during the preparation race.

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert will compete on the Nordschleife for the fourth time with works support from BMW Motorsport, and will field two BMW Z4 GT3s. Car number 19 will be driven by Dirk Werner, Dirk Müller, Alexander Sims and DTM Champion Marco Wittmann. The cockpit of car number 20 will once again be shared by Dominik Baumann, Claudia Hürtgen, Jens Klingmann and BMW DTM driver Martin Tomczyk. The quartet celebrated victory at the six-hour qualifying race in mid April.

BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS will also contest the race with works support and a top-class driver line-up. Lucas Luhr, Markus Palttala, BMW DTM driver Maxime Martin and Richard Westbrook will take it in turns at the wheel of the number 25 BMW Z4 GT3. Car number 26 will be driven by Jörg Müller, Nick Catsburg, Dirk Adorf and BMW DTM driver Augusto Farfus. In addition to these four cars, the Walkenhorst Motorsport team will field two BMW Z4 GT3s in the SP9 class.

A total of 15 teams have registered for the BMW M235i Racing Cup. A 16th BMW M235i Racing will be fielded by BMW Motorsport in collaboration with Walkenhorst Motorsport. The two motorsport journalists Bernd Ostmann and Christian Gebhardt will share the car with Harald Grohs and BMW Motorsport Junior Victor Bouveng.

Driver quotes ahead of the 24-hour race.

Dirk Müller (BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert, car number 19):
"I can hardly wait to get started. As in previous years, there will be a large number of cars driving for the win. But the past has repeatedly shown that you need to get through the race without making any mistakes or getting even so much as a scratch on the car. Then you are in with a chance of being at the front at the end of the race. This is the target we have set ourselves. We are extremely well prepared, have four outstanding cars with fantastic drivers, two good teams and also two very good cars from Walkenhorst Motorsport. So we are in a great position - and the many BMW fans supporting us at the track give us that extra momentum."

Marco Wittmann (BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert, car number 19):
"I'm looking forward to racing in the BMW Z4 GT3. The 24-hour race is the highlight of the year in endurance racing. The proximity to fans, countless spectators and the unique Nordschleife make this event really special. That's what makes it so appealing to drive there. Our aim is to win the 24-hour race. I hope that, together with my team-mates, I will be able to deliver a good performance and that we will be able to fight for the win."

Jens Klingmann (BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert, car number 20):
"The 24-hour race on the Nürburgring is one of my personal highlights every year. The four of us know each other very well. We drove together last year and are an established team. It's the final year that we will compete in the BMW Z4 GT3. Which is why all of us are even more motivated, and the objective is clear; to see BMW get the overall win again at this endurance classic. We are well prepared and will give it our all to achieve this goal."

Martin Tomczyk (BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert, car number 20):
"As a DTM driver, the race is special to me in many ways. It is a nice change to race in the fantastic BMW Z4 GT3. And the approach is different; we aren't in a sprint race, rather a 24-hour race, and I'm sharing the cockpit with three very strong team-mates. Our task is to get through the race without incident, while driving at the necessary speed. But you can never lose sight of the pitfalls of the Nordschleife. My aim is definitely to win the race. It's the third time that I will compete for BMW there. It was very close last year, but you always need that little bit of luck at the Nürburgring. I hope that there won't be any freak weather conditions."

Lucas Luhr (BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS, car number 25):
"The 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is the absolute highlight of the season, and it has always been my personal highlight of the year. The Nordschleife is still the best racetrack in the world. I grew up just around the corner, so it is like a home race for me, which I am incredibly excited about. It will be a challenge, but one that we all enjoy taking on."

Maxime Martin (BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS, car number 25):
"The Nürburgring 24 Hours is a very special event. We are well equipped and will try to get the overall win. We have a strong driver line-up and an outstanding car, and the team is extremely well prepared. I'm looking forward to contesting the race and trying to attack at the front."

Dirk Adorf (BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS, car number 26):
"Just like every year, the anticipation is immense. The 24-hour race is a real highlight for BMW Motorsport – and for me too, because I get to drive in my "back garden". The competition is extremely strong, but we have the advantage of an extremely powerful driver line-up and a very well organised car. If we also have that little bit of luck, we should be able to be up there at the top. The first one and a half hours really count. There is so much chaos and it is important to get through it well, not get confused and to find a good race rhythm quickly. The field has sorted itself out after 12 hours, and if you are still doing well after 18 hours then you are up there at the front at the end."

Augusto Farfus (BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS, car number 26):
"I'm already looking forward to the weekend. I just love this track and this event. Everything about the Nürburgring 24 Hours is special - the track, the fans, the whole setting. It is one of the best races in the world, and it is great fun contesting this race every time. We will try to get the win. We have a very strong overall package with an outstanding car - and I can't wait to get started."

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Following the horrific VLN crash and the subsequent Slow Speed Zones being put in place, some drivers recently commented on the zones:

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/0...low-zones.html

"The Flugplatz and Schwedenkreuz corners will have a 125mph speed limit and there’s a 155mph limit between Gallenkopf and Antoniusbuche, covering the Döttinger Höhe straight (above). The recent Nurburgring 24 qualifying race and second VLN round provided the first opportunities to test the restrictions ahead of this weekend’s 24 Hours at the track, so we caught up with some of the participating drivers to get their take on how the racing will be affected.

Marco-SeefriedPorsche and Ferrari regular Marco Seefried will be racing a HTP Motorsport Bentley at the N24, and had his first run in the car at the second VLN round last month. “You accelerate up to the speed limit, you don’t have to brake into the zones,” he told us. “So you don’t get the ‘accordion’ effect you sometimes get with Code 60 in other events. But it doesn’t feel natural to have speed limits on a race track. I understand the organisers had to react, but I’m not sure if it’s the best thing for the future – I think it would be better to find a way to generally restrict the performance of the cars.

“On Döttinger Höhe, what I found was that a group of five or six cars would get bunched up together. The GT3s get up to 155mph quickly, something like a BMW 235i Cup takes a little bit longer, then we all go into the first corner together. The straight used to be a nice place to pass slower people, but the risk has now been transferred to somewhere else on the circuit.”

Norbert Siedler, who’ll race in the Haribo-sponsored Mercedes SLS at the N24, said: “I didn’t find it a problem, it seemed to work okay. Yes, it’s not as possible to pass slower cars on the Döttinger Höhe, but it’s the same for everyone.”

Marc VDS BMW’s Nick Catsburg hasn’t yet experienced the slow zones, but has spoken to some who have. “I’ve heard from the BMW guys that it’s okay,” he said. “You just accelerate into it, turn on the limiter and it stops accelerating. We think it’s a good short-term solution, we’re just happy we can race.”

Markus-WinkelhockPhoenix Audi’s Markus Winkelhock said: “I did the last VLN round and it worked out okay. My one concern is what’ll happen at night or in the rain. You’re not fully concentrating on the straight – you’re looking at the dash, up at the straight, then back at the dash again. Okay, the speed is slower, but it’s more complicated for the driver. Every seems to have a different opinion. I’m not a big fan of speed limits on a race track, but if this is the only possibility to race GT3s there, then it’s better than nothing.”

Fellow Audi driver Frank Stippler reckoned: “It’s a big change, but I think it was the only option to have the 24 Hours this year. It’s a strange first impression to have a speed limit on a racetrack, but everybody needs to deal with it.”

Laurens VanthoorLaurens Vanthoor is also in an Audi at the N24, and finished second at VLN2. “The most important things is we can race and that’s is safer,” he said. “It’s quite tricky, because you have to make sure you enter the slow zone in the right gear – the limiter is different for each gear. Some of them are at points where you’re normally on the radio, so it can be distraction. I can see a car maybe running into the back of another because he’s not looking.

“I understand that something had to be done, but in a way it’s like putting a speed limit on Eau Rouge at Spa – you understand as a driver that’s a dangerous corner and the consequence for going over the limit is you hit the barrier. The difference with Flugplatz is that if you go over the limit, it’s not about the car oversteering, it’s about getting airborne and maybe flipping. But this is something you have to feel as a driver, before the VLN1 crash, several people were talking about having to back off there because they could feel the nose going too high. It’s like the Brands Hatch GP circuit, Bathurst or Macau, if you go past the limit, you pay for it. Compared to the likes of Paul Ricard, where it’s like a PlayStation game really!”

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Originally Posted by BobS

Will this be televised in the US? I hate how bmw isn't in the 24 hours of lemans, would love to watch this race as its a much better mix of cars/manufacturers.

Unfortunately, I do not believe this will be broadcast by any US tv stations.
The way to watch will be via live stream such as YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/ADACZurich24hRennen/videos

also here:
http://www.24h-rennen.de/en/live/


This is a live timing site that, while it wont provide a video feed, will give you all the latest times, pretty much real-time
http://vln.wige-livetiming.de/live-timing-24h.html

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Bentley Motorsport prepares for the Green Hell



Works Continental GT3s ready to face the ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race at the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife

Crewe - Bentley Motorsport is making final preparations for its toughest challenge since the start of its Continental GT3 programme, the ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race, held on the most famous racetrack in the world – Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife. A pair of Works Bentleys will contest the race, joined by a third car entered by Bentley’s European Works-Supported operation, Bentley Team HTP.

To perform against the extreme and unique demands of the world’s hardest endurance race, some highly experienced Nürburgring experts join the 2015 Bentley Boys. The first Works car will carry number 85, and feature a special and distinctive green livery based on that of the Bentley Speed 8 that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003. The #85 car will be driven by the three British Bentley Boys – Guy Smith, Andy Meyrick and Steven Kane – all of whom have gained valuable experience in recent VLN races.


http://www.motorsport.com/endurance/...he-green-hell/

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Audi will be providing all the safety cars

[Dackelone]

The WTCC race should be quite good too!

[954Stealth]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

The WTCC race should be quite good too!

Agreed!
Check out their poster

[954Stealth]

Here's some cool 'Ring facts

1: Inspired by Italy's Targa Florio road course, construction work on the original Nurburgring near the village of Nurburg in Germany's Eifel mountain region began on 27 September 1925 and was completed in the spring of 1927. It cost around 15 million Reichsmark and involved up to 3000 workers.

2: The first races were held around the full 28.265-kilometre circuit on 18/19 June 1927. That first race for motorcycles was won by Germany's Toni Ulmen (350cc Velocette), with the following days car race won by Rudolf Caracciola in the over 5000cc class in a Mercedes Compressor.

3: The original Nurburgring, or Gesamtstrecke, featured 172 corners, sweeping gradient changes and averaged eight to nine metres in width. Louis Chiron set the lap record in his Bugatti Type 35C in the 1929 grand prix in a time of 15m06.1s (112.31km/h or 72mph).

4: That same year the full circuit was used for the last time in major racing events, with future grands prix to be run on the 22.8-kilometre Nordschleife, and motorcycle and minor races taking place on the smaller 7.7-kilometre Nordschliefe.

5: It was in 1960 that Sir Jackie Stewart dubbed the Nordschleife "The Green Hell" a nickname that has stuck to this day with Jochen Rindt declaring it: "Difficult to drive, easy to die." It remains a popular proving ground for car manufacturers and is open to the public to drive at select times of the week.

6: 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. In the race his team-mate Clay Regazzoni set a fastest lap record of 7m06.40s.

7: 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 just six weeks later at the Italian Grand Prix.

8: That accident, which helped to inspire the making of the hit movie Rush, meant the 1976 Grand Prix was the last to be held on the Nordschleife. The track is now best known for hosting the Nurburgring 24 Hours (ADAC Zurich 24h-Rennen), which was first run in 1970. The event uses the Nordschleife and adjoining modern grand prix circuit, attracting up to 800 professional and amateur drivers in around 200 cars. This year's event takes place shortly after the WTCC aces have completed their two three-lap races.

9: In its current 20.81km form, the late Stefan Bellof still holds the honour of setting the fastest lap ever at the Nordschleife pole position for the 1983 World Endurance Championship 1000km Nurburgring race aboard a Rothmans-backed Porsche 956C in a time of 6m11.13s. Bellof also set the fastest lap during the race (6m25.91s) before flipping the car at Pflanzgarten.

10: Almost every turn on the Nordschleife tells a story, but a few of the more interesting ones include: Tiergarten (1km) former burial ground for animals that died in combat; Schwedenkreuz (5km) Hans Friedrich Datenberg, a former mayor of Kehlberg and tax collector for Adenau, was hijacked and slain at this point by Swedish soldiers in 1638. A 2.90m cross still stands in his honour; Klostertal (13km) an Order of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem were base here in the 14th century; Pflanzgarten (17km) former site of the gardens and crop growing fields of the Earls of Nurburg.