Formula One is returning to a legendary track. McLaren and Mercedes will conduct a Pirelli tire test at Germany's Nürburgring from April 14-15. This marks the first F1 activity at the circuit since the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix.

This testing will mark the first time Formula One makes its return to the German track since the one-off Eifel Grand Prix held in 2020. The testing will take place with the regular F1 circuit layout rather than the Nürburgring Nordschleife that the circuit is used to hosting.

McLaren will be running their regular duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. While Mercedes will also field their regular drivers, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. 

The testing is a part of the Pirelli tyre test, which takes place with various teams over the season to gather data. This data will help the manufacturer further develop the tyre.  

This testing at Nürburgring is not a replacement for the wet tyre testing that was scheduled to take place in Bahrain but has been put off due to the ongoing war. The wet tyre testing will take place in Fiorano with Ferrari. This testing involves the dry tyres.

While the run-plans and tyre compounds remain a secret, it will be interesting to see how this testing helps in the manufacturers’ development under the new regulations.

Why does Formula One no longer race at Nürburgring?

The answer to why F1 no longer races at Nürburgring is simple, and that is safety issues. The track is too narrow for the modern-day wide cars. Other factors contribute to this situation, one of them being logistical issues.

Given the track is nearly 20km long, it was simply difficult to overcome the logistics issue. In an emergency, the medical staff could not get to the accident on time, nor were there sufficient marshals. 

With the emergence of the new and modern safety regulations, the track would have to be modified to meet the standards. This means installing run-off areas, installing barriers and surveillance systems. This would mean that the track would potentially lose its character.

The Nürburgring made a one-off appearance in 2020. But since that time F1 has not gone back to the track. With the upcoming test, it will be interesting to see how the cars perform on the historic track.

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Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi