[Stingray]

The Nurburgring Just Banned Production Car Lap Records
Published: 6/18/2015
Author: J.F. Musial

This week, the management group overseeing Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife moved to ban manufacturers from attempting and publishing timed laps on the famed, 13-mile course. For car enthusiasts who judge modern sports cars by how quickly they can round the circuit, it’s an unthinkable, if not wholly unexpected, turn of events.

For Christian Von Koenigsegg, it’s even more disappointing; the news comes just days before he was to spend a week at the circuit with the new Koenigsegg One:1 hypercar in hopes of setting a lap record. It’s part of Koenigsegg’s three-year plan to establish the One:1 as the fastest production car in the world.

It was early Tuesday morning when I received an urgent phone call from Christian. In two days, I was to jump on a plane with my team to capture the Koenigsegg lap-time effort for our upcoming 4K documentary, APEX, which we’re producing in conjunction with Sony. This is the final chapter in a storyline that follows the past three years of auto manufacturers battling it out for technological dominance in producing halo cars for the next decade, cars including the Porsche 918, McLaren P1, and Ferrari LaFerrari. All have shown what they’re worth on the track, but the Koenigsegg One:1 has yet to do so.

Now we have a new story to tell: The Nürburgring benchmark of sports-car superiority has come to a screeching halt, and the Koenigsegg One:1’s place on the leaderboard is in jeopardy. We’d been on stand-by to fly across the Atlantic (on moments’ notice) to capture Koenigsegg’s attempt. This time, helicopter crews were ready to go, logistics were sorted, and travel was booked. The sudden notification from Nürburgring management couldn’t have come at a more inopportune moment for everyone.

The decision to ban timed laps stems from an accident earlier this year at a VLN race, involving driver Jann Mardenborough, in which a spectator was killed. Track management reacted by imposing a speed limit at Flugplatz, where the crash occurred. Since then, management has imposed further restrictions in other high-speed sectors. This is a particularly disappointing development for Koenigsegg, since the One:1’s flat-out speed in those sectors would likely have given it a lap-time advantage. In Tiergarten, for instance, a long, fast section where Christian estimates the One:1 could easily hit 300 kph, speed is now restricted to just 200 kph.

Official word from Nurburgring management is that these restrictions will be reviewed at the end of the year, but for the time being, manufacturers like Koenigsegg are banned from attempting lap-time runs — even if they’ve rented out the entire track for themselves.

The Koenigsegg team and the One:1 are now stuck in a holding pattern. They have a car that’s ready to attack the northern loop. Their simulations and data suggest they’ve got a good chance to best their competitors. Even Koenigsegg’s past track data suggests their best segment times, when stitched together, would undercut the Porsche 918’s official 6:57 time by double-digit seconds.

But there’s a twist to the story. After the initial restrictions were in place, Lamborghini ran its new Aventador SV and published a sub-seven-minute lap time. Nürburgring management claims Lamborghini’s attempt happened one day before they issued the latest round of restrictions. Yet at the same time, WTCC laps have been allowed to ignore all speed limits all together? What’s the deal? We’re investigating.

So what’s next for Koenigsegg and our film, APEX? The helicopter crews are ready, the One:1 is ready, but we don’t have anywhere to run the car.

Is there a new benchmark to be set? Should nearby Spa Francorchamps, another long, high-speed track with motorsports provenance, become the new venue for lap time tests? Maybe a stateside circuit like the four-mile West Grand course at VIR would fit the bill? What about setting an endurance record? Let the Reddit car forums march with their keyboards and pitchforks.

www.apex-the-movie.com

Special Thanks to Robb Holland and Mike Spinelli for details and help writing this article.

http://www.apex-the-movie.com/blog/2...ed-lap-records

[Denis]

oh what the hell....

[Stingray]

If any of you are unaware or wondering what precipitated this,... the recent (on 3/28/15) GT-R accident which caused a spectator fatality was a huge factor.

[motorhead]

This looks like what happen to Tucker all over again. The big boys don't like that the little guy is going to kick their asses. So what do they do? They buy off people to not allow it to happen. This is just to obvious to not be anything but a screwing. Way to much stock is put into that track anyhow.

[Stingray]

More recent news and good reading here: http://www.bridgetogantry.com/nurbur...e-of-the-mess/

[GossipSquirrelJelena]

A lap time is a lap time. Just use another track as your benchmark.

[Apex Motorsports]

You don't impose a speed limit when you find a safety issue. You fix the safety issue. Its a race track. The production car record laps is a big part of what gives "The Ring" its world status. Sad.

[Denis]

Originally Posted by Apex Motorsports

You don't impose a speed limit when you find a safety issue. You fix the safety issue. Its a race track. The production car record laps is a big part of what gives "The Ring" its world status. Sad.

that's what im sayin.

[xc_SS/RS]

The speed limits thing was a horrible solution to the problem. I feel like this is also a stupid solution to a problem. Let them at it, they know the risk involved with laying down a fast time on this track.

[TommyTheCat]

well this sucks

[crysalis_01]

I guess I don't really see a big deal.

1. Its a "track" half way around the world, that at best, a hand full of us (posters on this and other forums I post on) will ever be to.

2. There are not now, have there ever been, "Official" lap times.

3. There are dozens of tracks both stateside and abroad that are just as capable of giving developers and engineers what they need to make cars with world-class handling.

From what I can see, and this is indeed in my own humble opinion, some people may just be upset at losing the chance at some self proclaimed bragging rights.

Personally I've never bought a car to brag about it. I buy what I will enjoy driving because that's all that matters.

[BMR Sales]

I think part of this is because of the Financial Mess at the Ring. The Complex was "Sold" and there was supposed to be Hotels, Shopping & even an Amusement Park to add to the Tourist business. Unfortunately the "Buyer" didn't have any money and the Local Government had to take control of it. Even the German GP At Nurburgring was Canceled.

[SuperSound]

Well that's that apparently. Time for VIR to become the standard.

http://wot.motortrend.com/1506_repor...adbpr=25383000

"The speed limits are in place in areas where cars have the potential of becoming airborne, including 124-mph limits at the track's Flugplatz, Antoniusbuche, and Schwedenkreuz sections. In addition, there is a 155-mph limit on the main straight where other cars are entering and exiting.

With those restrictions in place, track officials have effectively hit pause on the race to post ever-faster Nürburgring lap times. Cars like the upcoming Ford GT, Acura NSX, and even the mighty Koenigsegg One:1 will remain without a ‘Ring time to brag about for the foreseeable future."

[Trans damm]

Read that earlier. I laughed, how are the Internet racers going to brag about how their car is faster at the "ring" after getting beaten down the strip.