6 Hours of Nürburgring explained
| Race Title: | 6 Hours of Nürburgring |
| Track Map: | Nürburgring - Grand-Prix Stecke.svg |
| Series Long: | FIA World Endurance Championship |
| Series Short: | FIA WEC |
| Venue: | Nürburgring |
| First Race: | 1953 |
| First Series Race: | 2015 |
| Last Fia Wec Race: | 2017 |
| Duration: | 6 Hours |
| Previous Names: | ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring
iRacing.com 1000 km Nürburgring |
| Most Wins Driver: | Stirling Moss (4) |
| Most Wins Team: | SpA Ferrari (7) |
| Most Wins Manufacturer: | Porsche (13) |
The 6 Hours of Nürburgring (formerly the Nürburgring 1000 km) was an endurance race for sports cars held on the Nürburgring in Germany and organized by the ADAC since 1953.
History
On the traditional 22.810 km long Nordschleife ("Northern Loop") version, the competition took usually 44 laps (1003.64 km, since 1967 1004.74 km) and lasted about 8 hours, later less than 6 hours. While the 1974 event was shortened in the wake of the oil crisis, the 1976 race was extended by 3 laps and covered 1073.245 km.
The inaugural race, which counted towards the 1953 World Sportscar Championship, was won by Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Farina in a Ferrari. The attendance at this inaugural event was disappointing, blamed in part on the lack of a serious German entrant. As a result, once it became clear that the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR would not be ready in time for the 1954 event the race was cancelled. The 1955 event suffered the same fate, but this time cancelled in the aftermath of the 1955 Le Mans disaster.[1] It became quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s though, and even more so after Formula One decided not to race at the Nürburgring after 1976 on safety grounds.
The last race on the Northern Loop in 1983 was won by Jochen Mass and Jacky Ickx in their Rothmans Porsche 956. In that year, due to the ongoing construction work, the track had been shorted to 20.832 km and provisional pits were used. This event saw the fastest ever timed lap of the Nordschleife when German driver Stefan Bellof lapped his Rothmans Porsche in 6:11.13 during practice, and an average of over 200 km/h. Bellof also set the race lap record during that race lapping in 6:25.91.
Since 1984, the 1000 km races were run on the new, much shorter Grand-Prix-Strecke, while the 24 Hours Nürburgring stayed on the legendary long track. In 1991, the 1000 km races were first shortened to 480 km, then discontinued overall due to the demise of the World Sportscar Championship.
In 2000, the 1000 km were resumed, with new competitive cars of BMW and Audi. The race was held as a part of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), the European version of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). In a wet race, the unusual front-engined Panoz of Jan Magnussen and David Brabham won, ahead of a BMW V12 LMR, an Audi R8 and the second Panoz.
On September 4, 2005, the 1000 km was held as a part of the Le Mans Endurance Series (LMES).
The 500 km Nürburgring was also similar event for smaller sportscars during the 1960s and 1970s.
VLN also runs a 6 hour endurance race, while covering only 4h in other heats. In 2010, for the first time a distance of more than 1000 km was covered by the winning Porsche 911 GT3.[2]
Current record of most wins belongs to Stirling Moss who won the race in 1956, 1958, 1959, and 1960.
In 2010, the winning Porsche 911 GT3 R of the 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen race was the first to cover more than 1000 km in a 6 hour VLN endurance race for GT3 and touring cars, lapping the 24,369 km long modern version of the Nordschleife 42 times for 1023.498 km in a time of 6:06:56.091. The 2012 winner, a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, covered the same distance in a time of only 6:01:29.541,[3] at an average of 169.879 km/h.
As a part of the Oldtimer Festival in 2010 the tradition and name of the renowned ADAC 1000 km of Nürburgring will be continued by the motor sport club DAMC 05. In contrast to former years, the race is organised for older cars and therefore the term “classic” was added to the name.[4] [5]
The 2013 race was the first under the Blancpain Endurance Series banner of the Stephane Ratel Organisation.
Winners
| Year | Drivers | Team | Car | Time | Championship |
|---|
| 1000 km distance, 22.835 km circuit |
|---|
| 1953 |  Alberto Ascari
Giuseppe Farina | Automobili Ferrari | Ferrari 375 MM Spyder | 8:20:44.000 | World Sportscar Championship |
|---|
| 1954 | No Race |
|---|
| 1955 | No Race |
|---|
| 1956 | Piero Taruffi
 Harry Schell
 Jean Behra
 Stirling Moss | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati 300S | 7:43:54.400 | World Sportscar Championship
German Sportscar Championship |
|---|
| 1957 | Tony Brooks
Noël Cunningham-Reid | David Brown | Aston Martin DBR1/300 | 7:33:38.200 | World Sportscar Championship |
|---|
| 1958 | Stirling Moss
 Jack Brabham | David Brown | Aston Martin DBR1/300 | 7:23:33.000 | World Sportscar Championship |
|---|
| 1959 | Stirling Moss
Jack Fairman | David Brown | Aston Martin DBR1/300 | 7:33:18.000 | World Sportscar Championship |
|---|
| 1960 | Stirling Moss
Dan Gurney | Camoradi USA | Maserati Tipo 61 | 7:31:40.500 | World Sportscar Championship |
|---|
| 1961 | Lloyd Casner
Masten Gregory | Camoradi USA | Maserati Tipo 61 | 7:51:39.200 | World Sportscar Championship |
|---|
| 1962 | Phil Hill
 Olivier Gendebien | SpA Ferrari SEFAC | Ferrari 246 SP | 7:33:27.700 | International Championship for GT Manufacturers |
|---|
| 1963 | John Surtees
Willy Mairesse | SpA Ferrari SEFAC | Ferrari 250 P | 7:32:18.000 | International Championship for GT Manufacturers |
|---|
| 1964 | Ludovico Scarfiotti
Nino Vaccarella | SpA Ferrari SEFAC | Ferrari 275 P | 7:08:27.000 | International Championship for GT Manufacturers |
|---|
| 1965 | John Surtees
Ludovico Scarfiotti | SpA Ferrari SEFAC | Ferrari 330 P2 | 6:53:05.400 | International Championship for GT Manufacturers |
|---|
| 1966 | Phil Hill
 Jo Bonnier | Chaparral Cars Inc. | Chaparral 2D-Chevrolet | 6:58:47.600 | International Championship for Sports-Prototypes
International Championship for Sports Cars |
|---|
| 1967 | Joe Buzzetta
 Udo Schütz | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche 910 | 6:54:12.900 | International Championship for Sports-Prototypes
International Championship for Sports Cars |
|---|
| 1968 | Vic Elford
 Jo Siffert | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche 908 | 6:34:06.300 | International Championship for Makes |
|---|
| 1969 | Jo Siffert
Brian Redman | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche 908/02 | 6:11:02.300 | International Championship for Makes |
|---|
| 1970 | Vic Elford
Kurt Ahrens Jr. |  Porsche Salzburg | Porsche 908/03 | 6:05:21.200 | International Championship for Makes |
|---|
| 1971 | Vic Elford
Gérard Larrousse | Martini Racing | Porsche 908/03 | 5:51:49.300 | International Championship for Makes |
|---|
| 1972 | Ronnie Peterson
Tim Schenken | SpA Ferrari SEFAC | Ferrari 312 PB | 6:01:40.200 | World Championship for Makes
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft |
|---|
| 1973 | Jacky Ickx
Brian Redman | SpA Ferrari SEFAC | Ferrari 312 PB | 5:36:53.400 | World Championship for Makes
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft |
|---|
| 1974 | Jean-Pierre Jarier
Jean-Pierre Beltoise | Equipe Gitanes | Matra-Simca MS670C | 4:07:24.100
33 laps, 753 km | World Championship for Makes
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft |
|---|
| 1975 | Arturo Merzario
Jacques Laffite | Willi Kauhsen Racing Team | Alfa Romeo 33TT12 | 5:41:14.100 | World Championship for Makes
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft |
|---|
| 1976 | Albrecht Krebs
Dieter Quester | Schnitzer Motorsport | BMW 3.5 CSL | 6:38:20.600 | World Championship for Makes |
|---|
| 1977 | Rolf Stommelen
Tim Schenken
 Toine Hezemans | Gelo Racing | Porsche 935 | 5:58:30.500 | World Championship for Makes |
|---|
| 1978 | Klaus Ludwig
Hans Heyer
Toine Hezemans | Gelo Racing | Porsche 935/77 | 5:55:46.600 | World Championship for Makes |
|---|
| 1979 |  Manfred Schurti
Bob Wollek
John Fitzpatrick | Gelo Racing | Porsche 935/77 | 5:57:35.100 | World Championship for Makes |
|---|
| 1980 | Rolf Stommelen
Jürgen Barth | Joest Racing | Porsche 908/4 Turbo | 5:52:15.100 | World Championship for Makes |
|---|
| 1981 | Hans-Joachim Stuck
 Nelson Piquet | GS Tuning | BMW M1 Gr.5 | 2:16:50.860
17 laps, 388 km | World Endurance Championship |
|---|
| 1982 | Michele Alboreto
Teo Fabi
Riccardo Patrese | Martini Racing | Lancia LC1 Spyder | 5:54:10.830 | World Endurance Championship |
|---|
| 1000 km distance, 20.830 km circuit |
|---|
| 1983 | Jochen Mass
Jacky Ickx | Porsche Racing International | Porsche 956 | 5:26:34.630 | World Endurance Championship |
|---|
| 1000 km distance, 4.551 km circuit |
|---|
| 1984 | Stefan Bellof
Derek Bell | Rothmans Porsche | Porsche 956 | 6:00:43.590 | World Endurance Championship
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft |
|---|
| 1985 | No Race |
|---|
| 1986 | Henri Pescarolo
 Mike Thackwell | Kouros Racing Team | Sauber C8-Mercedes | 3:42:30.020
121 laps, 599 km | World Sports Prototype Championship |
|---|
| 1987 | Eddie Cheever
Raul Boesel | Silk Cut Jaguar | Jaguar XJR-8 | 5:55:53.120 | World Sports Prototype Championship |
|---|
| 1988 | Jean-Louis Schlesser
Jochen Mass | Team Sauber Mercedes | Sauber C9-Mercedes | 5:53:00.600 | World Sports Prototype Championship |
|---|
| 480 km distance, 4.551 km circuit |
|---|
| 1989 | Jean-Louis Schlesser
Jochen Mass | Team Sauber Mercedes | Sauber C9-Mercedes | 2:47:14.599 | World Sports Prototype Championship |
|---|
| 1990 | Jean-Louis Schlesser
Mauro Baldi | Team Sauber Mercedes | Mercedes-Benz C11 | 2:39:15.913 | World Sports Prototype Championship |
|---|
| 430 km distance, 4.551 km circuit |
|---|
| 1991 | Derek Warwick
David Brabham | Silk Cut Jaguar | Jaguar XJR-14 | 2:23:41.028 | World Sportscar Championship |
|---|
1992
to
1999 | No Races |
|---|
| 1000 km distance, 4.556 km circuit |
|---|
| 2000 |  Jan Magnussen
David Brabham | Panoz Motor Sports | Panoz LMP1-Élan | 5:45:55.173 | American Le Mans Series |
|---|
2001
to
2003 | No Races |
|---|
| 1000 km distance, 5.148 km circuit |
|---|
| 2004 | Allan McNish
Pierre Kaffer | Audi Sport UK Veloqx | Audi R8 | 6:00:32.64
180 laps, 925 km | Le Mans Series |
|---|
| 2005 | Tom Chilton
 Hayanari Shimoda | Zytek Motorsport | Zytek 04S | 6:01:06.739
193 laps, 991 km | Le Mans Series |
|---|
| 2006 | Jean-Christophe Boullion
Emmanuel Collard
Éric Hélary | Pescarolo Sport | Pescarolo C60-Judd | 6:01:26.300
189 laps, 971 km | Le Mans Series |
|---|
| 2007 | Stéphane Sarrazin
 Pedro Lamy | Team Peugeot Total | Peugeot 908 HDi FAP
(Diesel) | 6:01:13.628 | Le Mans Series |
|---|
| 2008 | Stéphane Sarrazin
Pedro Lamy | Team Peugeot Total | Peugeot 908 HDi FAP
(Diesel) | 5:44:48.174 | Le Mans Series |
|---|
| 2009 |  Jan Charouz
Tomáš Enge
Stefan Mücke | Aston Martin Racing | Lola-Aston Martin B09/60 | 5:57:26.595 | Le Mans Series |
|---|
| 1000 km distance, 25.378 km circuit |
|---|
| 2010 | Wolfgang Pohl
Daniel Schrey | | Porsche Carrera RS | 7:00:42.2 48
35 laps, 888 km | FHR Langstreckencup[6] |
|---|
2011
to
2012 | No Races |
|---|
| 1000 km distance, 5.148 km circuit |
|---|
| 2013 | Maximilian Buhk
Maximilian Gotz
Bernd Schneider | HTP Motorsport | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | 6:00:46.354
178 laps, 916 km | Blancpain Endurance Series |
|---|
| 2014 | Laurens Vanthoor
César Ramos
Christopher Mies | Belgian Audi Club Team WRT | Audi R8 LMS ultra | 6:00:07.848
158 laps, 813 km | Blancpain Endurance Series |
|---|
| 6 hours time, 5.148 km circuit |
|---|
| 2015 | Timo Bernhard
Brendon Hartley
Mark Webber | Porsche Team | Porsche 919 Hybrid | 6:01:16.966, 203 laps, 1045 km | FIA World Endurance Championship |
|---|
| 2016 | Timo Bernhard
Brendon Hartley
Mark Webber | Porsche Team | Porsche 919 Hybrid | 6:01:16.183, 194 laps, 999 km | FIA World Endurance Championship |
|---|
| 2017 | Timo Bernhard
Brendon Hartley
Earl Bamber | Porsche LMP Team | Porsche 919 Hybrid | 6:00:09.607, 204 laps, 1050 km | FIA World Endurance Championship |
|---|
2018
to
2019 | No Races |
|---|
| 2020 | Matteo Cairoli
Christian Engelhart
Sven Müller | Dinamic Motorsport | Porsche 911 GT3-R (991.II) | 6:01:08.058, 173 laps, 882 km | GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup |
|---|
| 3 hours time, 5.148 km circuit |
|---|
| 2021 | Mirko Bortolotti
Andrea Caldarelli
Marco Mapelli |  Orange 1 FFF Racing Team | Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo | 3:00:53.243, 87 laps, 448 km | GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup |
|---|
| 2022 | No Race |
|---|
| 3 hours time, 5.137 km circuit |
|---|
| 2023 | Raffaele Marciello
Timur Boguslavskiy
 Jules Gounon | AKKodis ASP Team | Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo | 3:01:33.369, 92 laps, 473 km | GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup |
|---|
|
References
- Book: Posthumus . Cyril . World Sports Car Championship . 1961.
- Web site: Arnold/Menzel erringen historischen Sieg beim 6h-Rennen . 2010-08-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101201094107/http://vln.de/newsausgabe.de.php?id=2325 . 2010-12-01 . dead . de.
- Web site: Prestigeträchtiger Sieg für ROWE RACING beim 6h-Rennen . 2012-08-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120919074320/http://vln.de/newsausgabe.de.php?id=3068 . 2012-09-19 . dead . de.
- Web site: ADAC 1000 km classic. DAMC 05. de. 2010-04-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20120514022607/http://www.adac-eifelrennen.de/. 2012-05-14. dead. Homepage for the 2010 Oldtimer Festival.
- Web site: ADAC 1000 km classic. FHR. de. 2010-04-26. Homepage of the Fahrergemeinschaft Historischer Rennsport.
- Web site: Official results of the ADAC 1000km classic. DAMC 05. de. 2010-09-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20100926071313/http://www.oldtimer-festival.de/assets/plugindata/poolq/1000kmrennengesamt.pdf. 2010-09-26. dead. Homepage DAMC 05.
External links
