The legendary Nürburgring racetrack in Germany is up for sale. The track complex could be broken into pieces or sold as a single entity. Jens Lieser, a state-appointed liquidator, confirmed the sale on Monday.
The North Loop (Nordshcleife) was built in the 1920s around the village of Nürburg in the Eifel Mountains. The track eventually featured four configurations including the 17.5-mile Gesamtstrecke (Whole Course), the 12.9-mile Nordschleife, the Südschleife (South Loop) and the Zielschleife (Finish Loop). A new grand prix circuit was added in 1982; it is now used for all major events at the track.
In addition to the circuit, the Nürburgring complex now includes hotels, amusement rides, restaurants and other exhibits attracting thousands of tourists per year.
Initially there were about 50 buyers interested in the track at a selling price of 125 million Euros ($161 million), but now there are only between five and 10. Lieser assured the public that none of the buyers are “oligarchs or sheiks” who may make the track private.
Mike Frison, a vocal supporter of the 'Ring, has launched savethering.org and maintains a Facebook page and Twitter account dedicated to the track. He recently did an interview on bridgetogantry.com explaining why he's nervous about the possible sale.
“The highest bidder buys the 'Ring and maximizes his profits to justify the investment. Grassroots motorsport will disappear (it's not earning real money) as well as local companies. Their services will be routed through the new 'Ring owner's monopoly,” Frison told bridgetogantry.com. “We have seen clear tendency of that in the Richter/Lindner era over the last two years. Accessibility and track time will only be a question of money. All events we know today are at risk, especially the tourist drives, which are an old dinosaur from the past. From day one to be precise, and it would be such a loss. You couldn't blame a private host to turn away from that, but for the atmosphere and the region it would be a disaster.”
Check out the rest of the interview at bridgetogantry.com.
On Tuesday, March 19 a “Yes to the Nürburgring” parade and protest will head from Nürburg to Mainz, the state capital of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, where the 'Ring is located. According to the Facebook invite, more than 500 people are going already, with more than 4,500 yet to respond.
We're deeply saddened by this news because, like you, most of us have yet to visit the legendary track. At the same time, we have some notion of the implications of an all-out track that anyone with a license can pay to drive on. That business model would fly for about two seconds here in the litigious United States.
We'll continue to follow this story, and hope the 'Ring stays in public hands long enough for us to get over there. We'd like to see that Karussell before it becomes just a carousel.
