The Green Hell from a bird’s-eye view
The Nurburgring is a popular video destination on the internet. Aerial views of the track and its surroundings are difficult to find due to the abundance of crash compilations and lap records as well as spy footage. Pete Ruppert TOY UNVERSE’s most recent video offers a flyover of the whole facility.
To ensure a fair number of races on the abbreviated calendar, we start at the Grand Prix Circuit Formula 1. We take a look at the open spaces and run-off areas before we head into the Adenauer Forest to gain a deeper understanding of the Nordschleife’s nickname, the Green Hell.
This perspective allows us to see the elevation changes as the lap progresses. The footage from the onboard camera is always spectacular. Although the track is largely a meandering path through the forest, it is fascinating to see the uphill pitch in the Kesselchen section. It also shows how low the Breidscheid corner is on the circuit.
The footage shows the track’s lack of lighting posts, except for Touristenfahrten sessions. The track is already well-known during the day. Competitors in 24 Hours of Nurburgring events must navigate the majority of it illuminated by their cars and those of others.
The GP circuit is also closed to the public. It is used occasionally in endurance racing events to give drivers a better chance of overtaking, but it isn’t used every day. This point of view, despite its semantics, confirms the mystery surrounding the Nurburgring track and cements it in motor-racing’s history.