Capricious weather part of the 24h race Nürburgring 06.06.2021: - Fog, rain, storm and hail - anything is possible at the 24h race - Most curious race interruption: Hail 2016 - Safety always first

- Fog, rain, storm and hail - anything is possible at the 24h race

- Most curious race interruption: Hail 2016

- Safety always first



The 49th edition of the ADAC TOTAL 24h Race was also hit by fog: Thick fog caused a longer interruption of the race at 9:30 pm.


Already in the years before, the famous Eifel weather caused unwanted breaks. The procedure is always the same: the race control weighs up very carefully when the red flag has to be used. The safety of the participants and marshals is paramount.



Here is a brief review of the weather capers of the past years.




2020 - Heavy rain

Due to heavy rainfall, the race organisers decided to stop the race with a red flag at around 22:30. As it became apparent early on that the rain would not let up, race director Walter Hornung decided to suspend the race until the next morning.


On Sunday at 8:00 am, the participants could start again. Thus, the 48th edition became the second shortest in history.



2018 - Fog


Around three and a half hours before the end of the 24h race, the red flags were waved. At this point, the marshals could no longer see each other and thus communication via flag signal was no longer possible: too great a safety risk for all involved. After two hours, the race was reopened and the participants set off for a 90-minute final sprint.



2016 - Hail

Probably the most curious weather caper in the history of the 24h race. Less than an hour after the start of the race, there was suddenly heavy hail, the slick-tyred cars could no longer keep to the track and were trapped in front of the uphill passes.


Race control stopped the race immediately, after which those involved had to wait until the hail had melted and the track was passable again. It took about one and a half hours until all vehicles could return to the pit lane. In addition, the teams were given a repair break, so that the race could not be resumed until the evening.




2013 - Fog and rain

At 10:45 pm the race was interrupted with the red flag due to heavy rain in the Schwalbenschwanz and Pflanzgarten sections and dense fog in the Fuchsröhre area. At 8:00 a.m. the race could be reopened.




2007 - Heavy rain

The pilots hadn't even started yet, but were still standing on the grid when the heavens opened the floodgates. So they sat there for about two more hours until the race could finally be officially started at 16:51.


But that was not enough: In the middle of the night, fog rolled over the Nordschleife. The fog became so thick that the race organisers interrupted the race at 3:54 a.m. and could not release it again until 9:31 a.m.



1994 - Storm

The gusts of wind were so violent that trees fell and the race had to be interrupted for three hours.




1992 - Rain

It was the shortest 24h race in history. The winners Cecotto, Danner, Martin and Duez only completed 76 laps. The race had to be interrupted during the night because of rain and fog. The carousel was under water after a while, so that the fire brigade had to pump it out, a lightning strike paralysed the fueling systems in the pit lane.

 ProMotion, transl. Deepl  photos ProMotion