Nürburgring

　　   The Nürburgring, in German meaning "the ring of Nürburg," is a racing circuit situated in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Originally constructed in the 1920s, the track was built around the small village of Nürburg and a medieval castle in the Eifel mountain region. Due to its exceptionally long length and challenging, complex terrain, it is not only widely regarded as one of the most demanding circuits in the world but is also frequently used as a testing ground for new production vehicles before their official release, particularly for endurance and performance evaluations.

　　   Originally, the Nürburgring had four different configurations. The longest, known as the "Gesamtstrecke" or full course, stretched 28.265 kilometers. It was often divided into the "Nordschleife" (North Loop), a 22.810-kilometer northern section, and the "Südschleife" (South Loop), a 7.747-kilometer southern section. Additionally, near the starting point, there was a short 2.281-kilometer warm-up loop called the "Betonschleife" or "Sprint-Strecke." While major racing events now typically take place on the GP-Strecke, the Nordschleife remains a popular venue for vehicle testing and is regularly open to the public for individual driving experiences.

　　   The Nürburgring continues to be one of the permanent venues for Formula 1 races, frequently hosting the European Grand Prix or the Luxembourg Grand Prix. It has also alternated with the Hockenheimring to host the German Grand Prix. The currently active Nordschleife is used by many automakers to test their high-performance vehicles before launch, making the best lap time on the Nordschleife a common benchmark for evaluating a performance car’s capabilities. Numerous manufacturers, including Nissan, Cadillac, and Porsche, have used their Nürburgring Nordschleife test results as part of their promotional campaigns.

　　   Nürburgring    Reason to visit: The world's most demanding racetrack    Continent: Europe [Europe]    Country/Region: Germany [Germany]    State/Province: Rhineland-Palatinate [Rhineland-Palatinate]