Formula 1 News: Drivers call for Nurburgring return amid rare F1 test
(GMM) Two top Formula 1 drivers have called for the Nurburgring’s return to the calendar, as rare running at the iconic German circuit resumed this week.
Current F1 drivers George Russell and Oscar Piastri were in action for Pirelli’s 2027 tire development program on Tuesday, with wet-dry conditions greeting the opening two days.
The test – which continues on Wednesday when Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli take over – is strictly limited to tire work, meaning teams cannot trial their own developments.
“You know, Formula 1 is also so difficult because we don’t have the opportunity to practice much, but that’s the rule,” Russell said.
“We’d like to do a huge number of starts, but we’re not allowed to.”
Piastri agreed the running is useful, even if limited.
“It’s not quite the same as a race weekend or a race. Still, it’s better than nothing,” he said.
But beyond the technical work, both drivers used the opportunity to highlight the appeal of the Nurburgring’s familiar F1 layout itself – and the absence of Germany from the modern calendar.
“I really enjoyed driving this morning. I really love the Nurburgring. I also did a few laps of the Nordschleife. I really, really like it. It’s a truly traditional, old-school track,” Russell said.
“Yeah, you know, I’d love to come back here for a race someday; of course we don’t have any races in Germany right now, but with Mercedes it would probably be nice to get one back on the calendar.”
Piastri echoed the sentiment, praising the circuit’s unique character.
“It’s a great track. I haven’t raced here in a while – the last time was in 2019. It’s an old-school track with bumps and specific kerbs, especially at the exit of corners,” he said.
“There’s almost no room for error – it’s all grass and gravel. Some sections are very challenging, and behind the wheel of a modern Formula 1 car, the track feels quite compact compared to the ones we usually race on. But it’s always great to return to such historic tracks.”
When asked directly about a return to Formula 1, the Australian was open.
“Of course. I don’t mind. It’s not my favorite track, but it’s very interesting and unique. There are a lot of elevation changes, and, of course, the history of this place is also very important.
“Racers love old-school tracks. The curbs and runoff areas typical of such tracks always provide more driving satisfaction when everything is done correctly. It would be nice, but we’ll see.”
Pirelli Press Release
The first day of the development test program organized by Pirelli at the Nürburgring got under way with a few installation laps on intermediate tires. Rain had fallen throughout the night, leaving the track wet, despite a shy sun appearing later in the morning. The drivers therefore waited for track conditions to improve before starting the program originally planned on slick tyres.
Oscar Piastri for McLaren and George Russell for Mercedes completed several eight-lap runs in the first part of the program, testing a number of construction variants on the C3 compound. The solutions considered most promising were then evaluated over longer distances late in the afternoon by the British driver, specifically to validate their behavior over a more representative mileage. A technical issue, however, kept Piastri’s car in the garage from the lunch break until almost the end of the session.
Track temperatures reached 37°C in the areas exposed to sunlight, while ambient temperatures never rose above 15°C. Piastri set his best lap in 1’35’’096, while Russell stopped the clocks at 1’33’’899. The former completed 65 laps (for a total of 335 kilometers), the latter 127 laps (654 kilometers). Tomorrow, for the second and final day of testing, Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli will be at the wheel.
