DMSB to host Nordschleifen round table next week, while the ADAC Nordrhein confirms the 24 hours Qualifying Race
After Saturday’s horrific accident at the opening VLN round of the season, involving the Nissan GT-R of Jann Mardenborough at the Quiddelbacher Höhe/ Flugplatz section of the Nordschleife which left a spectator fatally injured, the DMSB has confirmed and specified the Nordschleifen ban on certain cars. All cars entered in the classes SP7, SP8, SP8T, SP9, SP-PRO, SP-X, Cup 2, E1-XP1, E1-XP2, E1-XP Hybrid and the GT part of the class H4 are temporarly banned from any DMSB sanctioned event on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The class SP10, for FIA GT4 cars, has been reinstated.
The DMSB is still working on the circumstances of the accident, and is focusing it’s work on all the cars that have a similar characteristic than the Nissan. “Our goal is to work out a solution, that will ensure safe and fair racing on the Nordschleife in the future. Our work will consider everything and we are not holding back on any solutions”, said Hans Joachim Stuck, President of the DMSB. “Next week we will host a round table with everyone involved to find out what are the requirements in order to have safe racing at the track. The track, spectator areas, cars and the sporting regulations, everything will be tested. We will discuss a short term solution for the coming weeks and a long term one, in order to safe the racing on this unique track for the next ten and twenty years.”
The round table, slated for next Tuesday, April 7th, will see the safety and technical regulation experts of the DMSB having talks with professional racing drivers and amateur drivers, in addition manufacture representatives, representatives from the Nürburgring and the organizers of the Nürburgring 24 Hours and VLN will also be present.
As the next race on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife the Nürburgring 24 Hours Qualifying Race is just under ten days away and the ADAC Nordrhein has confirmed that it will take place no matter if the fast cars will return or not. “We think it would be the wrong signal to cancel the event at this point, even though we don’t know yet if all cars entered are allowed to take part” said 24 hours race director Walter Hornung. “We will offer the drivers to gain valuable Nordschleifen experience, even tough it might has to be in a car in a smaller class. The bigger cars are still allowed to take part in the Saturday morning testing session, which will be held only on the GP circuit.”
In regards to next week round table Hornung said: “If the meeting sees any changes to the cars or the regulations the 24 Hours Qualifying Race would be the ideal testing event.”
Soeren Herweg
