That Eifel Weather Returns

After days of baking hot sunshine and dry weather, heavy (and spectacular!) overnight thunderstorms chilled the air and dampened the Nürburgring, leaving vast puddles and sodden areas of run-off, too dry to soak up the sudden downpour. As the Le Mans Series teams sheltered in their garages, preparing for the the first of three Free Practice sessions (due to start at 12:55) the support races took the track . . . and equally swiftly, some of them left it. Single seaters and Formula Le Mans racers took it in turns to practice their ballet routines, and very elegant they looked too.

For those who are regulars to the Nürburgring, there have been many changes around the circuit during recent months. The completion of the "theme park", the ring°werk, has resulted in modifications all along the length of the buildings overlooking the pit straight, with new facilities, new bridges, and a new service road alongside the main entrance, including several roundabouts and a central reservation. Dominating the view is the end-loop of the daunting ring°racer, but that's as frightening as it will get this weekend. Regrettably (for some), the new rollercoaster will not, after all, be operating until perhaps as late as October. Delays in testing and problems with the pneumatic launch assembly means that the ride appears to have failed to gain the necessary certification from the German authorities. One of the cars is poised on the track and seemingly ready to run, but it seems doubtful that anything will actually happen there this weekend.

Further disappointing news for RML as well, and contrary to the hopes expressed in our Weekend Preview, but following examination of the race engine after the Algarve race, an issue was detected that meant that AER had to break the seals on the unit, thereby exposing the team to yet another 10-place grid penalty and a further two point deduction in their points total.

The team is, of course, very disappointed, but still facing adversity with a smile. "Tommy will just have to qualify in the top-five overall, then we'll start near the front of LMP2!" said one member of the squad. "If the weather stays like this, he might well do it," replied another. However, with the forecast for Saturday and Sunday being for steadily improving conditions, it's an unlikely dream.

New Record

Returnee driver to the Le Mans Series this weekend, and mentioned in our Preview, Michael Vergers is back in the news again this week having beaten his own lap record for the adjoining Nordschleife circuit. The Dutchman already held the record for a production car, but has improved on that by whole eight seconds in a new and fully road-legal Radical SR8LM. The car was driven over from England to Germany for the attempt, and Vergers' time of 6:48 was officially confirmed yesterday, Thursday. Vergers has a long association with the Radical brand, and will be co-driving the #26 Bruichladdich car this weekend.

LMP2 Free Practice 1

LMP2 Free Practice 2

Follow all the action, live!

Radio Le Mans will be broadcasting live on the Internet, and on local FM (102.7), from the start of first practice. Follow all the action as it happens. Click the button below, but remember to check back here for our own regular reports. As usual, we shall be posting live during the race, so in-depth news of Mike and Tommy's race will be available here from approximately one-hour into the Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres.