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Official Poster for the Nurburgring 1000 Kilometres 2009A Rollercoaster Ride Awaits

Exerting forces of more than 4.5g as it accelerates from a standstill to 135 miles an hour in under three seconds (2.7 to be precise), the eight-seater Formula One-inspired ring°racer is set to make the Nürburgring's latest attraction the fastest rollercoaster ride in the world. That's even quicker than RML AD Group's Lola Mazda can move off the line, although the ring°racer can't match the coupé's top speed of over 200 mph.

The ring°racer loopThe ride is part of a new action-packed tourist attraction that officially opened last weekend, when the Nürburgring hosted a round of the fast and furious DTM. The "theme park" covers all aspects of motorsport, and offers a glimpse into the history of one of the world's most remarkable race circuits, the legendary Nordschleife. The famous Nürburgring 24 hour race, staged on the full circuit, is one of the feature attractions in a specially built cinema complex, while a selection of racing cars from the past 80 years of German motorsport will be on display. The emphasis is very "hands-on", and there are interactive sections and a simulated tour through a Formula 1 factory. If the ring°racer only last a matter of seconds (and can cater for 400 passengers an hour) the attraction as a whole (called the ring°werk) is expected to offer families up to five hours of entertainment.

The ring°racer in action. Image: RTLThe record-breaking ride has had a troubled couple of months after teething problems on the pneumatic launch assembly were a setback to preliminary trials, although Michael Schumacher (front seat, right) was one of the first to try out the new rollercoaster when the German Grand Prix was staged at the Nürburgring in July. At that time the launch speed was pegged back somewhat, but the ride is expected to be fully functional in time for Round 4 of the 2009 Le Mans Series this weekend.

This official video was posted recently on YouTube:

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RML AD Group's season has been something of a rollercoaster ride as well, with the new engine deal giving the start of the year a great boost, only to tail off as the year progressed. The Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres comes just a fortnight after the RML AD Group's Mazda-powered Lola recorded its best run of the year so far; challenging for second in LMP2 after starting from the back of the grid. Mike and Tommy eventually took seventh ater a couple of minor issues with plugs and a coolant leak delayed them, but despite this final classification, the run in the Algarve was seen as a positive result for the team (press release here).

RML AD Group at the Algarve, August 2009. Photo: Marcus Potts / CMCThis interpretation comes in the light of three consecutive non-finishes, in both the first two rounds of the Le Mans Series, and then again at Le Mans itself for the 24 Hours. Within that context, just reaching the end of the six-hour race was some kind of triumph. Having endured a 10-position grid penalty in the Algarve for a failed engine at Spa, and then being docked a further ten places when another new engine had to be fitted before the Algarve race itself, the team also arrives in Germany with a clean slate - no more penalties, and all being well, the first representative race-start since Barcelona in April.

Competition within the LMP2 class remains strong, at least on the European side of the Atlantic. In the American Le Mans Series, the entry in both prototype classes this year has been so poor that radical changes have just been proposed for the 2010 regulations. The two top classes, LMP1 and LMP2, are to be amalgamated into a single prototype class, with a new LMP Challenge category introduced for what are, in effect, the Formula Le Mans racecars that compete in the support races for the Le Mans Series.

Dyson Racing Lola Mazda. Photo: Regis LefebureThis will mean that Dyson Racing's two Lola Mazda Coupés (left), which are almost identical to RML AD Group's B08/86, could be racing head-to-head with the likes of Audi's new R15 TDI, the Acura ARX and Peugeot's 908.

Details have yet to be confirmed, but some form of performance equalisation factor is expected to be built into the regulations to allow these otherwise very different cars to compete on an equal footing. The exceptions will be the two "classic" ALMS endurance events; the Sebring 12 Hours and ten-hour Petit Le Mans races, when the LMP1 and LMP2 classes will be segregated as they are for the Le Mans 24 Hours and Le Mans Series.

At last weekend's Road America round of the ALMS, only nine prototypes took part, while the total grid was just 26 cars. By comparison, the Le Mans Series appears positively vibrant with health, and able to field an impressive 10 LMP1 cars, 13 LMP2 prototypes and a total of 15 GT cars.

On the Track - through the classes

Team Oreca Matmut, Bruno Senna, at the Algarve, August 2009. Photo: Marcus Potts / CMCLMP1: The significant change in the top prototype category since Portugal is the withdrawal of the two Oreca Matmut AIM cars (right, with Bruno Senna at the wheel). Despite finishing third and fourth in the Algarve, and claiming pole after being consistently amongst the quickest in testing, the French team has elected to miss the Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres in preference to a run in September's Petit le Mans event. It transpires that the team's budget won't stretch to both, so an eye to the 2010 season favours the American ten-hour race. The squad will return to the Le Mans Series for the final round at Silverstone.

Lavaggi LMP1, Spa 1000 Kilometres 2009. Photo: Marcus Potts / CMCRestoring the numbers in LMP1 will be a third Lola DBR1-2 coupé for Aston Martin, entered under the "AMR Eastern Europe" banner. Aston Martin did the same in the 24 Hours, and the additional factory car will make a total of four Aston-powered Lolas to challenge for overall honours.

Also returning to the fray for the first time since Spa is the Lavaggi LMP1 (left). Although unlikely to trouble any of the other cars in LMP1, and probably most of those in LMP2 either, Giovanni Lavaggi's self-designed prototype has earned the Italian admirers for his tenacity, even if not for pace or performance. The car will be co-driven by local Nordschleife expert Wolfgang Kaufmann.

There are no other significant amendments to the LMP1 entry list, where the main challenge is expected to lie between the three Astons, the Pescarolo-Judd, and Strakka Racing's Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S.

Pegasus racing. Barcelona 1000 Kilometres 2009. Photo: Marcus Potts / CMCLMP2: One returnee to the LMP2 entry list is the Pegasus Racing Courage (right). The blue and white car missed out the Algarve, although competed fairly successfully in Barcelona and Spa. The team is the only one currently competing at this level with Avon tyres.

No place on the grid for any of the Porsche RS Spyders, so the brunt of competition here is likely to be between the usual protagonists, including the ASM Quifel Ginetta-Zytek, the three Lola-Judds (two for Racing Box and a third with Speedy Team Sebah), the GAC Racing Zytek, and RML's Lola Mazda.

Unlikely to be challenging for pole, but always consistent and occasional podium-finishers, the Oak Racing Pescarolos cannot be discounted in the race itself, while the presence of Michael Vergers in the Bruichladdich Radical may give the SR9 a fresh turn of speed. The Dutchman knows the Nürburgring particularly well, and also holds the lap record (for road-legal cars) on the adjacent Nordschleife.

Another to watch is the WR Salini. The Zytek-powered car continues to improve race-by-race, and while not yet a contender on pace alone, should have reliability and dogged determination working in its favour.

RML AD Group at the Algarve 1000 Kilometres, August 2009. Photo: Marcus Potts / CMCGT: The end is nigh . . . for GT1, at least. Only two entries once again in the top GT class; the Larbre Competition Saleen S7-R (left, designed by RML) taking on a single Corvette C6R from Luc Alphand Adventures - the eponymous team's owner remaining unfit for duties following the operation last month on his injured back.

No such problems in GT2, where another hotly contested race is guaranteed between the thirteen evenly-matched competitors. In the Algarve, as has been the case all year, the pendulum swung equally between about eight of the GT2 entries, and picking the podium is like choosing a raffle ticket - any one could be a winner. If the two Farnbacher Porsches can keep out of each other's way, then it might be tighter still.

Felbermayr Porsche at the Algarve, August 2009. Photo: Marcus Potts / CMCTeam-mates taking each other out was a feature of the Algarve race, with two-car squads from every class having problems. Right at the start, the two FBR Porsches were taking intra-team rivalry a tad too seriously, with one car (right) permanently sidelined within 400 metres of the start. The two Kolles Audis also had a coming-together that resulted in one retirement and the second car seriously delayed. Coincidentally, both cars are featured on the official poster for the Nürburgring race (top of page). The two works Aston Martin Lolas clashed in LMP1, as did the Racing Box Lolas in LMP2.

Amazingly, despite such rivalry and much against predictions, the Algarve 1000 Kilometres went the distance without a single safety-car period.

The full LMP2 entry for the Nürburgring:

Image
(Click for an enlargement)
No Team &
Nationality
Drivers Car Engine & Tyres
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 24 Oak Racing
France

Jacques Nicolet
Richard Hein

Pescarolo Mazda 1997cc
Turbocharged
Dunlop
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 25 RML AD Group
Great Britain
Mike Newton
Thomas Erdos
Lola Mazda B09/86 Coupé 1998cc
Turbocharged
Michelin
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 26 Bruichladdich Bruneau Radical
Great Britain
Pierre Bruneau
Tim Greaves
Francesco Sini
Radical AER SR9 1995cc
Turbocharged
Dunlop
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 28 Ibanez Racing
France
José Ibanez
William Cavailhes
Frederic da Rocha
Courage LC75 AER 1997cc
Turbocharged
Dunlop
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 29 Racing Box SRL
Italy
Andrea Ceccato
Filippo Francioni
Giancomo Piccini
Lola Judd
B08/80 Coupé
3397cc
Aspirated
Michelin
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 30 Racing Box SRL
Italy
Mateo Bobbi
Andrea Piccini
Thomas Biagi
Lola Judd
B08/80 Coupé
3397cc
Aspirated
Michelin
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 33 Speedy Racing
Team Sebah
Switzerland
Xavier Pompidou
Benjamin Luenberger
Jonny Kane
Lola Judd Coupé 3394cc
Aspirated
Michelin
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 35 Oak Racing
France

Matthieu Lahaye
Karim Ajlani

Pescarolo Mazda 1997cc
Turbocharged
Dunlop
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 37 WR Salini
France
Philippe Salini
Stéphane Salini
Bruce Jouanny
WR Zytek 3396cc
Aspirated
Dunlop
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 38 Pegasus Racing
France
Julien Schell
Philippe Thirion Jean Metz
Courage Oreca LC75 AER 2000cc
Turbocharged
Avon
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 40 Quifel ASM
Portugal
Miguel Amaral
Olivier Pla
Ginetta Zytek GZ09S 3396cc
Aspirated
Dunlop
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 41 GAC Racing
Switzerland
Karim Ojeh
Claude Yves Gosselin
Philip Peter
Zytek 07S 3396cc
Aspirated
Michelin
Click to view an enlargement. All photos by Marcus Pots / CMC 43 Q8 Oils Hache Team
Spain
Maximo Cortes
Fonsi Nieto
Carmen Jorda
Lucchini Judd 3400cc
Aspirated
Dunlop

All photos in gallery above by Marcus Potts / CMC Graphics

Weekend Schedule

The following schedule is subject to change and the circumstances and events of the day

Thursday August 20th

08:00 09:00 ADAC GT Masters Adm. Checks Office Adm. Checks 1st floor
08:00 10:00 ATS Formel-3-Cup Adm. Checks Office Adm. Checks 1st floor
10:00 ADAC GT Masters Drivers Briefing Drivers Briefing Room
11:00 ATS Formel-3-Cup Drivers Briefing Drivers Briefing Room
11:00 14:00 ADAC Formel Masters Adm. Checks Office Adm. Checks 1st floor
11:00 14:00 Radical European Masters Adm. Checks/Signing on
12:00 18:00 Radical European Masters Scrutineering In situ
12:05 13:05 ADAC GT Masters Free Practice 1 60'
13:00 Radical European Masters Driver's Briefing
13:15 14:00 ATS Formel-3-Cup Free Practice 45'
13:30 19:00 Le Mans Series Adm. Checks/Signing on Le Mans Series office
14:00 19:30 Le Mans Series Scrutineering ACO truck
14:10 14:40 ATS Formel-3-Cup Qualifying 1 30'
15:00 ATS Formel Masters Drivers Briefing Drivers Briefing Room
15:00 19:00 CER Adm. Checks/Signing on CER tent
15:00 19:00 CER Scrutineering CER tent
14:50 15:50 Radical European Masters Free Practice 60'
15:00 18:00 Formula Le Mans Adm. Checks/Signing on FLM Structure
15:00 18:00 Formula Le Mans Scrutineering
16:00 17:00 ADAC GT Masters Free Practice 2 60'
17:10 17:55 ADAC Formel Masters Free Practice 45'

Friday August 21st

07:30 08:15 CER Adm. Checks/Signing on CER tent
07:30 08:15 CER Scrutineering CER tent
08:00 11:30 Le Mans Series Scrutineering ACO truck
08:00 Formula Le Mans Driver's Briefing Briefing Room
08:00 08:20 ADAC Formel Masters Qualifying 1 20'
08:30 09:00 CER Free Practice 30'
09:10 10:10 Formula Le Mans Free Practice 60'
09:30 11:30 Le Mans Series Drivers' Signing on Le Mans Series office
10:20 10:50 ATS Formel-3-Cup Qualifying 2 30'
10:30 12:30 Formula Le Mans Adm. Checks/Signing on FLM Structure
10:30 12:30 Formula Le Mans Scrutineering
11:00 11:20 ADAC Formel Masters Qualifying 2 20'
10:45 CER Driver's Briefing CER tent
11:30 Le Mans Series Team Manager's Briefing Briefing Room
11:30 12:00 CER Qualifying 1 30'
12:00 Le Mans Series Driver's Briefing Briefing Room
12:10 12:40 Radical European Masters Qualifying 30'
12:55 13:55 Le Mans Series Free Practice 1 - 60'
14:05 14:55 Formula Le Mans Qualifying 50' 20' + 10 + 20'
15:05 15:55 ADAC GT Masters Qualifying 50' 20' + 10 + 20'
16:10 16:40 CER Qualifying 2 30'
16:55 17:55 Le Mans Series Free Practice 2 - 60'
Saturday August 22nd

08:00 08:30 ATS Formel-3-Cup Race 1 Race 1 30'
08:45 09:45 Le Mans Series Free Practice 3 - 60'
10:00 10:30 ADAC Formel Masters Race 1 Race 2 30'
10:45 11:45 Formula Le Mans Race 1 Race 3 60'
12:00 12:45 Radical European Masters Race 1 Race 4 45'
12:55 13:25 ATS Formel-3-Cup Race 2 Race 5 30'
13:40 14:00 Le Mans Series Qualifying - "LM" GT1 & "LM" GT2 - 20'
14:05 14:25 Le Mans Series Qualifying - "LM" P1 & "LM" P2 - 20'
14:40 15:40 ADAC GT Masters Race 1 Race 6 60'
15:55 16:55 CER Race Race 7 60'
17:10 18:10 Formula Le Mans Race 2 Race 8 60'
18:25 18:55 ADAC Formel Masters Race 2 Race 9 30'

Sunday August 23rd

08:30 08:50 Le Mans Series Warm-Up 20'
09:00 09:45 Radical European Masters Race 2 Race 10 45'
10:00 11:00 ADAC GT Masters Race 2 Race 11 60'
10:00 10:30 Le Mans Series Autograph Session
11:10 11:30 Car Manufacturer track laps 20'
11:05 11:35 Le Mans Series PIT WALK (gate closed 10' before end) 30'
11:45 Le Mans Series Pits open
11:45 Le Mans Series GRID WALK opening
12:00 Le Mans Series Pits closed
12:15 Le Mans Series GRID WALK closing
12:27 Le Mans Series Green flag lap
12:30 18:30 Le Mans Series Race Race 12 195 laps Rolling-Start

Media Coverage

TV: Once again, a dire level of coverage for one of motorsports premier series, with only a brief smattering of live broadcasts from the Nürburgring and selected highlights after the event. Even Beach Football and Paintball get more extensive coverage this weekend, and you'll have to travel to the far corners of the EU to find the level of real-time broadcasting that the Le Mans Series warrants. As was the case for the last round in Portugal, only the residents of the Czech Republic can enjoy full coverage of the Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres, and only the Italians will have terrestrial access.

In the UK, coverage is on Eurosport and Eurosport 2. The start and first hour-and-a-half of the race will be shown live on Eurosport 2 from 11:30am British time, on Sunday 23rd August. A fifteen-minute round-up will follow at 18:30pm. Thirty-minutes of highlights will be shown at 22:35 on the Sunday evening on Eurosport 2, and then from 17:30 on Tuesday 25th August (one hour) and again at 22:00 (half hour).

Check out the Le Mans Series website for a roundup of anticipated coverage is included here.

Radio & On-line: Radio Le Mans will be be offering full coverage of Round 4 of the Le Mans Series from the Nürburgring. Their schedule includes detailed analysis and blow-by-blow reporting on every aspect of the weekend's events, starting with final practice and qualifying on Friday. Articles and features about the Le Mans Series, including highlights and post-race assessment following the last round in the Algarve, are already available as podcasts from the RLM website. Click the button below for access the new website.

The ring°racer in action. Image: RTLClick here to open the Radio Le Mans home page

Live timing can be found by following the appropriate highlighted link here.

More Information

Over the years we have posted several features about the Nürburgring. Our preview to the Le Mans Series race last season included a potted history of the track, and how the various elements were created, including the famous Nordschleife and the now lost Sudschleife. This preview from 2008 can be explored here.

Le Mans Series 2009

Round 4. Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres.
August 21st-23rd 2009
Weekend Preview

RML AD Group at the Autodromo do Algarve, testing February 2009. Photo: Marcus Potts