Finally the time had come: On 12 May 1984 the new Grand-Prix track of the Nürburgring was opened with an inaugural race. To attract Formula 1 back to the Eifel, the then 4.5 kilometre Grand-Prix circuit was built between 1981 and 1984, and was extended in 2001 by the "Mercedes Arena" section to its present length of 5.148 kilometres. A new track with big run-out areas, safety fences or with a dense network of safety roads. In 2003 the new section „Mercedes Arena“ was built.
In the opening race nobody else than the current Formula 1 drivers were the participants. However, none was sitting in the cockpit of his open-wheelers, but all riders lapped the circuit in brand new Mercedes 2.3-16V's that had been modified for the race. In the end it was a then relatively unknown Ayrton Senna, who was able to prevail against his fellow drivers. Among the competitors were names like Niki Lauda, Keke Rosberg, Alain Prost, John Watson or Stirling Moss.
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