BMW Sauber F1 Team - Nürburgring Nordschleife
"I'll never forget today as long as I live"
BMW has written another chapter in motor sport history on
the legendary Nordschleife at the Nürburgring. Today,
Saturday, an modern Formula 1 vehicle was driven round the
20.8 kilometre race track for the first time in 31 years in
front of a crowd numbering 45,000 BMW Sauber F1 Team driver
Nick Heidfeld was extremely enthusiastic after three laps
in the F1.06: "This drive was simply incredible. I thought
it would be great to drive on the Nordschleife before I started
out. But it was even better than I had expected. This racing
track is the best in the world. I'd really like to have emptied
the tank. It was a very special moment when I left the grand
prix circuit in the direction of the Nordschleife. I was really
shaken up at the Bergwerk section and on the Döttinger
Höhe. I'll never forget today as long as I live. Another
particularly special experience has now joined the many fantastic
childhood memories and racing successes."
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen said: "We wanted
to give fans a special treat. And I believe we have done this
with the entire BMW motor sport programme. The BMW M3 GTR
that Olaf Manthey presented today was welcomed like an old
friend. The car is actually much too athletic for the museum.
Naturally, the high point was Nick's drive with the F1.06.
We had implored him to be careful. The day was a homage to
the fans and to this unique circuit in the world of racing.
For once, the lap times were a secondary consideration."
Despite unusually hard demonstration tyres and short transmission
ratio, Heidfeld notched up a top speed of 275 km/h on the
long straight called the "Döttinger Höhe".
The second lap was his fastest lap and took 8:34 minutes.
A camera car took shots of the 29-year-old on some sections
of all three laps and Heidfeld slowed down for the photo calls.
The F1.06 was adjusted for maximum ground clearance to drive
on this uneven traditional circuit - four centimetres at the
front axle, eight centimetres at the rear axle. No other modifications
were carried out on the vehicle. One special measure was necessary
for wireless communication. Team Manager Beat Zehnder travelled
with the camera helicopter in order to secure the radio link
over the entire distance instead of sitting on the pit wall
as usual.
As far as BMW is concerned, the Nürburgring is rather
like a second home, not simply because of numerous past successes
- including 18 overall victories at 24 hour races and a one-two
Formula 1 win. BMW Motorsport is also the partner for the
VLN endurance championship at the Nürburgring, with one
of the races being held today (Saturday). BMW Driver Training,
BMW Ring Taxis, the BMW Performance Centre and a permanent
racing-car exhibition in the "Erlebniswelt" leisure
park are fixed institutions at the Eifel circuit.
In addition to the BMW Sauber F1 Team with Heidfeld and test
driver Sebastian Vettel and the BMW M3 GTR, the BMW works
drivers from the World Touring Car Championship (FIA WTCC)
guaranteed lots of exciting action , as well as talking to
fans and signing autograph books. Two-times world champion
Andy Priaulx (GBR) and Jörg Müller (DEU) also played
taxi driver on the Nordschleife, as did Augusto Farfus (BRA).
The BMW motor-sport fleet was out in force on the legendary
circuit. There was Formula 1 and the BMW M3 GTR, the BMW 320si
WTCC to the BMW Z4 M Coupé. Even the smallest of all
BMW racing cars put in an appearance: In the morning, Heidfeld
took the inspection lap in the Formula BMW packing 140 hp.
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