BMW's history at the Nurburgring

Many chapters of success in BMW Motorsport history have been written on the NÃ¼rburgring, including 18 overall victories (among them eight one-two wins) in the NÃ¼rburgring 24- Hour Race, the last in this long line being claimed in 2005 with the BMW M3 GTR. 2003 saw BMW celebrate a one-two Formula One finish in the Eifel in partnership with WilliamsF1.

As a partner of the NÃ¼rburgring GmbH, BMW runs a test centre at the foot of the legendary Nordschleife which, after a three-year refurbishment, is one of the most advanced around. Probably the best known of BMW’s Driver Training centers is also based at the NÃ¼rburgring, offering a wide range of courses in safe and sporty driving.

The NÃ¼rburgring Erlebnis Welt (adventure world) next to the start/finish area boasts the world’s only permanent BMW racing car exhibition. Meanwhile, visitors can keep pace – literally – with the fascinating experience of the Nordschleife as a passenger in the BMW Ring Taxi, a 507 bhp M5 driven by seasoned racers such as Hans-Joachim Stuck, Sabine Schmitz and Claudia HÃ¼rtgen. 2006 sees the 36th Formula One Grand Prix staged at the NÃ¼rburgring. The first track variant was opened on 18th/19th June 1927.

On 29th July 1951, Formula One made its first appearance in the Eifel for the German Grand Prix. In the late 1950s and early 1970s the German GP temporarily moved to the Berlin Avus track and Hockenheim respectively. The horrific accident in which Niki Lauda was involved on 1st August 1976 marked the end of the legendary Nordschleife as a Formula One circuit.

On most days of the year the public can pay to drive around the Nordschleife with their own car or motorcycle. The new NÃ¼rburgring was inaugurated on 12th May 1984. Since then, Formula One has stopped off in the Eifel ten times for the European Grand Prix, twice for the Luxembourg GP (1997 and 1998) and once for the German Grand Prix (1985).

Between 1999 and 2001 the start/finish area underwent modernization, including the construction of a new pit building and press centre. 2002 saw the completion of the Mercedes Arena, a stadium-like section that extended the course by some 600 meters. As part of the support program for the 2006 European Formula One GP, Formula BMW Germany will be running its fifth and sixth races here. Formula BMW – now comprising four championships (Asia, Britain, Germany, USA) – allows teenagers to drive highly advanced single-seaters powered by 140 bhp BMW engines. BMW