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Nurburgring set for first F1 action in six years with test involving Mercedes and McLaren
The Nurburgring will host F1 action for the first time in six years next week.
Both teams will take part in a two-day test for F1’s tyre supplier Pirelli on 14-15 April, which will mark the first time in six years that the legendary German venue has hosted F1 action.
The Nurburgring held the Eifel Grand Prix during the COVID-effected 2020 season. It was the first time since the 2013 German Grand Prix that the GP-Strecke layout hosted an F1 race.
Germany has not been a regular fixture on the F1 calendar since the 2019 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. The race dropped off the calendar amid financial issues and declining attendance.
Nico Hulkenberg remains the only active German F1 driver following the retirement of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel at the end of 2022 – the same year Mick Schumacher lost his seat.
The two-day outing at the Nurburgring replaces the planned test in Bahrain at the end of February that had to be cancelled due to the US-Israel war with Iran.
Pirelli had taken the unusual step to carry out a wet-tyre test in Bahrain before it was canned for security reasons.
It is not yet clear whether Pirelli plans to carry out a wet or dry-weather tyre test at the Nurburgring.
Pirelli had a solution to artificially wet the track in Bahrain so could theoretically deploy the same system at the Nurburgring.
According to BBC Weather’s early forecast, there is a chance rain could hit the region on Tuesday 14 April, while Wednesday 15 is currently set to be dry.
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will be in action for Mercedes, with McLaren running Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri across separate days.
The test will provide all four drivers some welcome on-track time during F1’s enforced break following the cancellation of the Middle East double-header in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
After a five-week hiatus, the 2026 F1 season will resume with the fourth race of the year at the Miami Grand Prix on 3 May.
The Nurburgring has recently been in the spotlight due to Max Verstappen’s sports car exploits.
The Red Bull driver was denied victory in a recent four-hour GT race on the full ‘Green Hell’ layout because of a tyre blunder.
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The Nurburgring will host F1 action for the first time in six years next week.
Both teams will take part in a two-day test for F1’s tyre supplier Pirelli on 14-15 April, which will mark the first time in six years that the legendary German venue has hosted F1 action.
The Nurburgring held the Eifel Grand Prix during the COVID-effected 2020 season. It was the first time since the 2013 German Grand Prix that the GP-Strecke layout hosted an F1 race.
Germany has not been a regular fixture on the F1 calendar since the 2019 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. The race dropped off the calendar amid financial issues and declining attendance.
Nico Hulkenberg remains the only active German F1 driver following the retirement of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel at the end of 2022 – the same year Mick Schumacher lost his seat.
The two-day outing at the Nurburgring replaces the planned test in Bahrain at the end of February that had to be cancelled due to the US-Israel war with Iran.
Pirelli had taken the unusual step to carry out a wet-tyre test in Bahrain before it was canned for security reasons.
It is not yet clear whether Pirelli plans to carry out a wet or dry-weather tyre test at the Nurburgring.
Pirelli had a solution to artificially wet the track in Bahrain so could theoretically deploy the same system at the Nurburgring.
According to BBC Weather’s early forecast, there is a chance rain could hit the region on Tuesday 14 April, while Wednesday 15 is currently set to be dry.
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will be in action for Mercedes, with McLaren running Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri across separate days.
The test will provide all four drivers some welcome on-track time during F1’s enforced break following the cancellation of the Middle East double-header in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
After a five-week hiatus, the 2026 F1 season will resume with the fourth race of the year at the Miami Grand Prix on 3 May.
The Nurburgring has recently been in the spotlight due to Max Verstappen’s sports car exploits.
The Red Bull driver was denied victory in a recent four-hour GT race on the full ‘Green Hell’ layout because of a tyre blunder.
Both teams will take part in a two-day test for F1’s tyre supplier Pirelli on 14-15 April, which will mark the first time in six years that the legendary German venue has hosted F1 action.
The Nurburgring held the Eifel Grand Prix during the COVID-effected 2020 season. It was the first time since the 2013 German Grand Prix that the GP-Strecke layout hosted an F1 race.
Germany has not been a regular fixture on the F1 calendar since the 2019 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. The race dropped off the calendar amid financial issues and declining attendance.
Nico Hulkenberg remains the only active German F1 driver following the retirement of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel at the end of 2022 – the same year Mick Schumacher lost his seat.
The two-day outing at the Nurburgring replaces the planned test in Bahrain at the end of February that had to be cancelled due to the US-Israel war with Iran.
Pirelli had taken the unusual step to carry out a wet-tyre test in Bahrain before it was canned for security reasons.
It is not yet clear whether Pirelli plans to carry out a wet or dry-weather tyre test at the Nurburgring.
Pirelli had a solution to artificially wet the track in Bahrain so could theoretically deploy the same system at the Nurburgring.
According to BBC Weather’s early forecast, there is a chance rain could hit the region on Tuesday 14 April, while Wednesday 15 is currently set to be dry.
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will be in action for Mercedes, with McLaren running Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri across separate days.
The test will provide all four drivers some welcome on-track time during F1’s enforced break following the cancellation of the Middle East double-header in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
After a five-week hiatus, the 2026 F1 season will resume with the fourth race of the year at the Miami Grand Prix on 3 May.
The Nurburgring has recently been in the spotlight due to Max Verstappen’s sports car exploits.
The Red Bull driver was denied victory in a recent four-hour GT race on the full ‘Green Hell’ layout because of a tyre blunder.
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