Nurburgring is bankrupt.

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Dennisch

Dennisch

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Dennisch
It is with great sadness that we have to share news that the European Union denied allowing the state of Rhineland-Palatinate giving financial aid to the crisis-shaken circuit located in the German Eifel region. Bankruptcy is thus almost unavoidable, meaning that the legendary 22.810 meters of tarmac known as the Nordschleife will probably be sold just like it’s brethren known as the Nürburgring circuit.

The owner of the track, the Nürburgring GmbH which is subsequently owned by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, would need more than 10 million Euros to survive but because of the EU decision it’s not allowed to receive any funds from it’s owner nor is the state allowed to defer any of the 330 plus million Euros the state had previously granted to the company through credits which were given through state owned banks to the Nürburgring GmbH. An investigation about more than 500 million Euros of unapproved financial aid is still ongoing and surely played it’s part in this decision as well.

Currently it’s planned to run the upcoming season as planned but everything thereafter will strongly depend on the liquidator and if the track is being sold as a whole or split up. Ironically, the principal creditor of the operating company is the state itself.

Clickie

....
 
James May is probably excited.

It's a miracle that a track that long managed to last this long. But I guess all good things must come to an end. Unless a wealthy oil sheikh decides to buy it.
 
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But in my opinion - Damn.
 
It's Obama's fault. But seriously, It's a load of crap! The only real upkeep The 'Ring has is cutting the grass and the occasional dead tree being removed. It's not like it gets resurfaced every couple of years.
 
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Damn, this is just terrible. 👎
 
I find it impossible that a car manufacturer wouldn't buy it. VW or BMW I would predict to take ownership of the place, or Mercedes.
 
akmuq
I find it impossible that a car manufacturer wouldn't buy it. VW or BMW I would predict to take ownership of the place, or Mercedes.
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BMW & Merc should buy it as a partnership. It would be awful to see what happened to the oval at Monza, become the Nurb.
 
(Looks at title) This is news?

(Looks at post) Oh, this is new news.

The Nurb has been financially unsound for a long while. This is just the final nail in the coffin. 22 kilometers of toll road that doesn't go from Point A to any other point worth mentioning and doesn't have the highest of traffic volume just can't sustain itself on racing alone. (hence the amusement park idea). It's a shame, but it was inevitable in the current economic climate).

DaveTheStalker
It's Obama's fault. But seriously, It's a load of crap! The only real upkeep The 'Ring has is cutting the grass and the occasional dead tree being removed. It's not like it gets resurfaced every couple of years.
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Bent ARMCO costs money. Even if you make the racers pay, there are additional expenses involved in scheduling the repair and having the people available, as well as lost income from times when they do have to repair the barriers or resurface the road.

No road is completely maintenance free. Just the fact that it gets rained on half the time means that the road needs continuous upkeep, even if 18-wheeled cargo trucks don't pound it into dust like other roads out there. Especially important as it's a racetrack. A bumpy one, but still a racetrack, that needs to be absolutely free of broken pavement and potholes.

akmuq
I find it impossible that a car manufacturer wouldn't buy it. VW or BMW I would predict to take ownership of the place, or Mercedes.
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The question in my mind is whether they'd be willing to shoulder the continuous financial burden. VW already has its own (huge) test track in Germany. I don't know whether BMW or Mercedes has their own equally expensive facility...

Maybe a group of manufacturers could make a go of it... certainly 10 million euros spread out over several manufacturers (say, year-round track lease for a million each...) is not a lot of money. Call it track rental or leasing for one year. But how much do they need to put up continuously to keep it running? 50 million a year? 100 million?
 
Hard to know for sure, but seems like a bit of media hype and politics, are being dramatized...again/still.
I feel there is enough love and sentiment for this track, for it never to fall into a receivership as such.
Surely Kaz and many other parties, have the want, need and/or backing to be able to do something for this icon of motorsport.
 
Want? Yes. Need? Somewhat. Backing?

They'd have to figure out a sound business model to make it profitable. Pretty hard to convince investors to put up millions in cash every year with the promise of negative income.

The need is the sticking point. All the major manufacturers have their own (sometimes extremely extensive and large) testing facilities. Which cost a lot to build and maintain. And none of these facilities are anywhere near as big or difficult to maintain as the Nurb.
 
When talking business, running a side venture 50-80 million, which may be over priced, is a fairly small sized world market. It could run as a tax brake for oil or phone company or whatever.
I mean seriously, with a world marketing campaign, a meeting every 2 months of the year with world advertising twice a year, eg Le Man, Monaco GP, to name a couple, would be easily enough to cover a years expenses. TV rights and advertising to at a minimum 20 Million people world wide, speaks for itself.
It only needs a party to take the step, the prestige and history is already established.

Don't get me wrong Niky, I know the most of the world is in financial hardship. Funding an entertainment icon is low on the list, but the economy only works when money is being spent by the masses.
 
I hope this doesn't end up being another Riverside situation.... If anyone doesn't know, Riverside International Raceway was bought by a developer who proceeded to destroy the entire track for a shopping mall and housing developments. 👎:yuck:
 
It's been in the gutter for several years already hasn't it? I just hope things change for the better, the closing of the Ring would deeply sadden the car, bike, and general racing community.. Myself included

"Save the Ring"
 
zed300
Don't get me wrong Niky, I know the most of the world is in financial hardship. Funding an entertainment icon is low on the list, but the economy only works when money is being spent by the masses.
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I'm of the same sentiment... the Ring could probably be run as an advertising or tax write-off... but seeing as how people are pulling out of advertising for more specific and targetted motorsports ventures, it's hard to see how you could make these same businesses put money into one that won't generate as much advertising punch.

The "Orange Nurburgring?", the "Vodafone Nurburgring?"... or... the "Red Bull Ring?" :lol:
 
niky
I'm of the same sentiment... the Ring could probably be run as an advertising or tax write-off... but seeing as how people are pulling out of advertising for more specific and targetted motorsports ventures, it's hard to see how you could make these same businesses put money into one that won't generate as much advertising punch.

The "Orange Nurburgring?", the "Vodafone Nurburgring?"... or... the "Red Bull Ring?" :lol:
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There already is a Red Bull Ring. :sly:
 
I don't know. I COULD see Audi or Porsche somehow buying this track and using it as a private testing ground.
 
RVDNuT374
I hope this doesn't end up being another Riverside situation.... If anyone doesn't know, Riverside International Raceway was bought by a developer who proceeded to destroy the entire track for a shopping mall and housing developments. 👎:yuck:
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Pretty much the same thing where I live, before I was born, there was a racetrack where the mall is.
 
RVDNuT374
I hope this doesn't end up being another Riverside situation.... If anyone doesn't know, Riverside International Raceway was bought by a developer who proceeded to destroy the entire track for a shopping mall and housing developments. 👎:yuck:
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Same thing happened to Oran Park Raceway in Sydney back in 2010, almost 50 years of history gone, to make way for a housing development. :(
niky
... or... the "Red Bull Ring?" :lol:
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:lol:👍
 
I can actually see a large car company buying the track though. I mean, Volkswagen/Audi/Porsche, FIAT, Toyota and possibly GM might all have the money to buy the circuit. Mercedes...doesn't Merc already own a track somewhere? I don't think they need a second one. I can totally see VW buying the circuit though.
 
An iconic track such as this won't die. There WILL be someone that straightens this out. No one in their right mind would let this track die.
 
The thing I really fear from this is if it becomes defunct like the oval at Monza or Hockenheim's massive straights. Let's hope someone buys it out, but not to demolish it or build something on it.
 
ghskilla
The thing I really fear from this is if it becomes defunct like the oval at Monza or Hockenheim's massive straights. Let's hope someone buys it out, but not to demolish it or build something on it.
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👍

This is sad news.
 

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