In 1925 the German government decided to build a racing track as a part of the job program in the depression after World War I. They began working on April 27th, close to the small village Nürburg in a big rural area in the very west of Germany: the Eifel. In the next three years up to 3,000construction workers were employed and lived in shacks on and all around the racing track. To lay the foundation in theneighborhood several new basalt quarries were opened up and many kilometers of railway lines were constructed.

More than 3 years later (and three very cold and hard winters) on June 18th 1928, the new track was opened with a motorcycle race.One day later the first car race took place at the Nürburgring and the prominent winner was the famous Rudolf Caracciola (1901-1959) on its Mercedes 680 S.

The original 14 mile Nürburgring circuit was taken off the Formula One calendar after Nikki Lauda’s terrible crash in 1976. Some say that the new track, at just 2.82 miles long (4,556 km), is only a shadow of the former circuit, although it does incorporate the original start finish straight.

The new circuit first hosted a Formula One race in 1984 - the European Grand Prix - in which Alan Prost claimed victory in his McLaren. In reaction to the former accidents securitymeasures were overemphasize so that the formula One paddock deemed the new track as unimaginative and sterile after the 1985 race, and did not return until 1995.

The current circuit provides the spectator with great views all around the circuit - thanks to the large numbers of permanent grandstands.