It's only a couple of days before racing returns to the Nurburgring with the "Formula 1 Aramco Eifel Grand Prix". Approximately 20,000 spectators will be cheering for the elite racers like Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and others.
The Nurburgring circuit has had the privilege of witnessing some rare yet unforgettable performances by motorsport legends from across the globe. Previously named the German, European, and Luxembourg GP, this year, it returns with a new name "Formula 1 Aramco Eifel Grand Prix". Jackie Stewart referred to the Nurburgring race circuit as the Green Hell because of its unusual length and challenging design. This race circuit has witnessed some incredibly exciting races by legendary drivers permanently etched in Formula One racing fans' memories.
It's not easy to forget Juan Manuel Fangio's pursuit during the F1 season of 1957 or Stirling Moss defeating a superior Ferrari while driving his Lotus during the 1961 F1 season. Now, all these motorsport legends have raced in the Nurburgring circuit and left a trail of unbelievable wins. Here's our pick of the top 5 great runs at the Nurburgring F1.
Legend: Karl Kling| Season: 1954|Car: Mercedes W196|Finished: 4th
Only a driver set out to beat himself can race the way Karl King did in 1954 at the Nurburgring racetrack. Even though he had a fuel leak and was expected to make multiple pit stops, Kling was in no mood to play second fiddle to his teammate Juan Manuel Fangio.
During the early stage of the race, Kling had started at the end of the grid as he lost a wheel before setting the qualifying time. Thus, he had to make up for the lost time as he had to go for multiple refueling pit stops. In his own words, Kling says he drove like a madman and well above the accepted rev limit of 8500 for the W196. In fact, he drove at 9000 for a significant part of the race and managed to take the lead from his teammate Fangio during the 15th lap, much to his teammates' amusement.
Fangio won the race while Kling finished 4th. However, it was the last peak for the racer par excellence who had only 11 grand prix to his name. In his own words, it was a matter of pride to race against all odds and finish at his best position in a grand prix.
Legend: Cliff Allison| Season: 1958|Car: Lotus 16|Finished: DNF
Cliff Allison lost the 1958 German Grand Prix at Nurburgring but won millions of hearts because of his lion-like spirit. Starting at the end of the grid, he pulled through the laps rather confidently while moving to the 4th position in the fourth lap. However, the tragedy when Ferrari driver Collins had a fatal crash, and his teammate Mike Hawthorn pulled out because of a clutch failure was extremely devastating.
With no one but his teammate following him, Allison was in a great position to finish at the top, but destiny had other plans. During the 13th lap, the radiator developed issues, and Allison was denied a well-deserved win. However, his performance earned him a place in the Ferrari team in the following year.
Legend: Carlos Pace| Season: 1973|Car: Surtees TS14A|Finished: 4th
The 1973 German Grand Prix would have been a mundane affair had Carlos Pace not performed like a brave heart. This member of the Ferrari's squad was only taking part in the second season of his F1 career and started at the 11th. However, only after the second lap, he went past the others to hold the 5th position. Soon he overtook Carlos Reutemann to grab the 4th spot and stayed there to offer Surtees their best result of the entire season.
Legend: Mika Hakkinen| Season: 1997|Car: McLaren MP4/12| Finished: DNF
Mika Hakkinen showed to the world that F1 isn't all about winning titles: it's about showing character when it matters the most. Yes, despite the engine giving up on the 43rd lap, Hakkinen showed remarkable resilience during this race and won fans' hearts. Fortune favors the brave and Hakkinen: it did not take long to break the jinx as he won both the 1998 and 1999 season.
Legend: Takuma Sato| Season: 2004|Car: BAR 006|Finished: DNF
Nurburgring seldom witnessed a race of this quality when Takuma Sato gave Michael Schumacher a run for his money. Renault teammates were killing the race with Jarno Trulli, Kimi Raikkonen, and Ferdinand Alonso pushing Sato to the fourth position at the end of the first turn. However, soon he went past everyone. Sadly, things took a wrong turn when his engine simply gave up after a pit stop after the fifth lap. Sato was an incredible driver who never gave up even when his left-wing had taken a bad hit during a sudden turn he had taken earlier.
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