- For decades, motorcycles and cars have shared the tarmac at the grueling German track.
- Citing safety concerns, the Nurburgring says the two can no longer co-exist.
- Motorcycles will be restricted to tourist sessions at the Nurburgring Grand Prix circuit.
Motorcycles have been banned from Touristenfahrten sessions on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, in what has been called one of the most significant policy changes at the famed German circuit in its history. The track cites safety concerns as the main reason for the immediate ban, although financial considerations likely played a role as well.
Up until this point, the Touristenfahrten sessions open to the public have been accessible to cars and motorcycles. Vehicles with four-wheels and two-wheels have been sharing the circuit for decades, but the sometimes tumultuous relationship between drivers and riders has created tension at the circuit.
Read: I Flew To Germany To Conquer The Nurburgring; It Conquered Me Instead
Going forward, motorcyclists will only be allowed to participate in Touristenfahrten sessions on the Nurburgring’s Grand Prix circuit. Access to the Nordschleife section will now be limited to professionally organized training sessions.
Safety isn’t the only factor behind the decision, according to Bridge to Gantry. Crashes involving motorcyclists during Touristfahrten sessions are far more likely to trigger track closures, particularly if paramedics are needed to tend to injured riders. That can hurt the track’s bottom line.
When I visited the Nordschleife last year and participated in one of these public outings, the entire session was canceled because a motorcyclist crashed within the first 3 minutes of the track opening. Not only did that leave hundreds of frustrated drivers unable to hit the track, but it also meant lost revenue for the circuit.
At the time, my instructor mentioned that many car rental companies at the track were increasingly frustrated with frequent motorcycle accidents causing session cancellations.
Officials say that motorcyclists who have already purchased a season pass can continue to use it on the Nurburgring Grand Prix circuit, or they can request a refund from the track’s information center.
Obviously, this is bad news for motorcyclists who dreamed about taking to one of the world’s most famous and difficult racetracks, and it may force them to seek out alternative circuits in Europe.
H/T to Road & Track