The organisers of the Nurburgring 24 Hours have announced that there will be a qualifying race ahead of the 2014 event.
The teams will now be able to compete in a 6 Hour race, having completed practice sessions and a two-hour qualifying session around Green Hell to hone their skills and setups. 10 of the 30 positions for the individual time trial will be decided in the qualifying race, giving a real incentive for top teams to compete.
The Grand Prix circuit will host function and adjustment testing on the Saturday morning, before the afternoon will see the Nordschleife open up for practice sessions that won’t end before night falls, offering teams the chance to be best prepared for the race.
“We wanted to offer the teams contesting the 24h-Race an optimum testing opportunity – and without the pressure of a championship,” said Race Director Walter Hornung. “To make sure that the teams will be able to complete as many laps as possible even in the case of technical problems or minor accidents, we will interrupt the practice sessions by short breaks that will be used to tow damaged cars back to the paddock. They also can practice driving in the dark, on this weekend – a move underlining our efforts to increase the safety for the 24h-Race competitors.”
This new motion is expected to tempt teams from abroad with limited Nordschleife experience to regard qualifying as a must, offering drivers who may have plenty of experience under their belts at places other than the Nordschleife a chance to get to grips with the tough circuit.
