Reasons for the accidents include inappropriate driving, an overestimation of what a driver can do and tuned-up vehicles which are nonetheless poorly maintained. And of course the recreational racers are not properly trained.

According to Heiko Schmitz of the Adenauer Police, there were 81 accidents last year involving tourists who were racing around the Nürburgring. Two people died, 18 were seriously injured and 43 suffered minor injuries. Already in this year, there have been 29 accidents, with one fatality and eight seriously injured. And the season has only begun.

Ossi Kragl is a race car driver and knows the Nürburgring well. He says the unpredictability of these tourist runs are worrying. “There is too little respect for the route,” he believes. He adds that many of the vehicles are souped up but maintained poorly. “If they lose oil on the track, the dilemma is there,” he says.

Kragl also says they drive much harder than in a normal racing series and that there are not any special areas of danger on the northern loop. “If you are fast, every millimeter of asphalt is dangerous.”

Capricorn Nürburgring GmbH operates the race track. "The Nordschleife (northern loop) is still the most demanding race track in the world - and we point this out constantly. We take every incident seriously and examine even smaller accidents exactly,” is the message given. If necessary, the route is closed for repair work or to avoid endangering anyone. “Security is our number one priority.”

Barriers and fences ensure the safety of participants and spectators. A deployment team can be on site within a few minutes of an accident. Up to two rescue vehicles and emergency physicians are available depending on traffic volume. The Nürburgring has also become the location for an intensive rescue helicopter training since last year. Five mobile teams patrol the route permanently for safety and security. (Orig. text: Victor Francke)