Dispute about measures for 2016
17.06.2015
H Behind the scenes, the dispute is raging over the question of what consequences should be drawn from the Nissan accident at the end of March as part of the VLN, in which a spectator was fatally injured. On April 7th, the DMSB imposed speed limits in the high-speed passages of the Nordschleife and set up working groups to work out options for action based on the accident analysis. Although there is no final report on the Nissan accident so far, information is circulating that a reason for the flight contribution was to be found in the coordination of the car.
Allegedly, the Nissan had little suspension travel, hit the bump stop on the bump in front of the airfield, which is why a large part of the energy had to be absorbed by the front tires, which resulted in a catapult-like rebound phenomenon of the tires Should have had consequence. That could explain why the GT3 Nissan took off so early, almost before the crest. At the same time, the pilot is said to have continued to give full throttle, which increased the lift-off effect. The gusty wind, the low outside temperatures and the sensitive aerodynamics of the GT3 racing cars are said to have played a role.
Audi and BMW for route changes
This brings the question of the consequences to the fore. In principle, there are two camps that are irreconcilably opposed to each other: Some GT3 manufacturers advocate modifications to the track - and strictly reject changes to the GT vehicles. 'A Nordschleife aero package is an additional expense, a second stage of construction. That costs money, not only for the manufacturer - but also for the teams,' said Audi customer sports director Romolo Liebchen. BMW sports director Jens Marquardt blows in the same horn. So far only Audi and BMW have represented this position in public, but it is to be feared that other manufacturers might follow the argument.
While Audi and BMW propose makeshift harassment on the Döttinger Höhe and behind the Hatzenbach, Ring icons such as Olaf Manthey strictly reject route changes: 'The Nordschleife is a cultural asset worth protecting. In addition, it makes no sense to adapt the route to the cars - otherwise we would have to rebuild the Nordschleife every few years.' Manthey, together with the Porsche sports department, advocates moderate but effective changes to the aerodynamics of GT racing cars. Almost all pilots and teams agree with this approach, but do not dare to show their colors publicly. 'The subject is highly political,' reveals oneGT3 works driver.
