Want to take a precise racing line through legendary corners like Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps? Conquer the demanding Motodrom at Hockenheim? Or follow in the tyre tracks of the MotoGP™ on a circuit located in the middle of the Alps? All of these exclusive experiences and more are available on many of Europe’s most iconic racetracks. Whether it’s in your own vehicle during a track day or as part of a professional race driving training course, you can experience the adrenalin-inducing atmosphere of a racetrack up close and create some unforgettable memories. But be warned: once you’ve felt the excitement surge through your body on every fast straight and thrilling corner, your first experience on a motorsport circuit is unlikely to be your last.
RACETRACKS FOR MOTORSPORT ENTHUSIASTS:
- Nürburgring
- Hockenheimring
- Lausitzring
- Spielberg
- Spa-Francorchamps
- Zandvoort
- Le Castellet
- Monza
- Portimao
#NÜRBURGRING-NORDSCHLEIFE.
The Nürburgring’s Nordschleife, also known in awe around the world as the ‘Green Hell’, is a racetrack like no other. Drivers that wanted to win its 24-hour classic or one of the legendary Formula 1 Grand Prix that were held here always had to operate on a level somewhere between genius and madness, in order to negotiate the steep climbs and sharp drops on a circuit that stretches out deep into the forest. To this day, competitors and teams still respect its enormous challenge and appreciate its special appeal in equal measure.
This extremely demanding course is regarded worldwide as a true indicator of a sports cars’ performance. Over exactly 20.832 kilometres, the asphalt track, characterised by abrupt differences in altitude, winds its way through the Eifel mountain range in western Germany. Full throttle passages alternate with slow sections, long straights with tight corners, and smooth stretches with sharp passages. Renowned sections such as Tiergarten, Hatzenbach, Kesselchen or the Döttinger Höhe can be all experienced in your own vehicle on so-called ‘tourist rides’.
BMW M RACE TRACK EXPERIENCE: NORDSCHLEIFE.
BMW M instructors will show and explain the special features of this legendary racetrack in selected BMW M models. You’ll working together with professionals on the ‘Green Hell’ to improve your vehicle control when taking it to the limits.
#HOCKENHEIMRING.
On select days, the Hockenheim Grand Prix circuit attracts visitors with the opportunity to feel every bump of its historic asphalt through the steering wheel of their own vehicle. In addition, the DTM touring car series regularly stops here – guaranteeing an exciting motorsport spectacle and the unmistakable atmosphere of a racetrack rich in tradition. Whether a tourist ride in your own car or a professionally organised event, here you can experience that pure and unfiltered racing feeling with every fibre of your body.
#EUROSPEEDWAY LAUSITZ.
The EuroSpeedway Lausitz motorsport and training area near Berlin is a veritable playground for adults with petrol in their blood. The Lausitzring is characterised by a large number of different track layouts. This is made possible by the combination of varied corners in the infield and an outer triangle that serves as a high-speed racetrack. Motorsport enthusiasts have the opportunity to test both their driving skills and their own vehicles’ limits on the most popular circuit variant of the Eurospeedway during its track days.
#RED BULL RING, SPIELBERG.
Hardly any racetrack has changed as often and as significantly as the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. Located in the middle of a magnificent alpine landscape, there is no other circuit in the world like it. For years, some of the most important racing series on two and four wheels, including MotoGP, Formula 1 and DTM, have been competing at this ultra-modern facility with its characteristic mountain and valley course.
Anyone can take advantage of the regular opportunities to drive their own car on the circuit’s perfectly laid asphalt. Generous run-off zones and extremely high safety standards make this motorsport experience one of the safest possible. If you don't want to put your own vehicle through the challenge, you will find exciting alternatives amongst a whole catalogue of cars offered by the track’s operator.
BMW M RACE TRACK GT TRAINING: RED BULL RING.
This versatile facility, with its outstanding infrastructure and the exciting track characteristics of the Grand Prix circuit, is perfect for a BMW M Experience. The latest highlight of the programme is the BMW M Racetrack GT Training. The current BMW M4 GT4 – the model that masters the balancing act between series production and racing performance at the highest level of perfection – is used for this course.
#CIRCUIT DE SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS.
This racetrack, reverently referred to as the ‘Ardennes rollercoaster’ by motorsport enthusiasts and racing drivers alike, is home to one of the most iconic corners in the racing world: the ‘Eau Rouge’, named after a nearby river that shimmers red due to the high iron content of its sediment. Its combination of lateral G forces and compression, caused by gradients of up to 18 percent between the drop down and then climb up to the crest of ‘Raidillon’, the corner that follows, is unprecedented. This immense physical force is further exaggerated by the height difference of about 100 metres between the two corners.
Amateur racing fans wanting a go on this tarmacked thrill ride in their own vehicle can take part in one of the regular public driving experiences offered by the circuit’s operator.
#CIRCUIT PARK ZANDVOORT.
There is also a very challenging circuit nicknamed the ‘rollercoaster’ on the Dutch North Sea coast: the Circuit Park Zandvoort. Characterised by its many hills and humps, it is also known for its adjacent sand dunes that are often blown onto the racetrack’s surface, significantly changing the track conditions from one lap to the next without prior warning.
#CIRCUIT PAUL RICARD, LE CASTELLET.
Le Castellet's ultra-modern course has its very own charms, which quickly become clear at every point of its layout. The Circuit Paul Ricard itself is part of a large racing, testing and trial complex that offers professionals and newcomers alike the optimum conditions for demanding racing or their first steps on a serious circuit. Since its last modification a few years ago, the course has been characterised by its fluid yet very technical combination of corners, as well as the contrasting colours of its wide run-off zones. The highlight: the different colours also fulfil a functional purpose, with the blue and red surfaces offering even more grip than normal asphalt thanks to the special materials used in their composition. This is intended to lessen the consequences if you unintentionally leave the track at crucial points.
The Circuit Paul Ricard lies in the middle of a breathtakingly beautiful landscape not far from the Côte d'Azur, and its location displays all the typical southern French flair. This racetrack regularly opens its doors to enthusiastic amateur drivers. If you don’t want to take your own car, you can book alternative vehicles to use at various events and driver seminars held on the circuit.
#AUTODROMO NAZIONALE MONZA.
One of the highlights of the motorsport world is undoubtedly the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. It is a racetrack with storied history, with races having been held in the Royal Park near Milan for just under a century. Fans of racing nostalgia enjoy the slightly rudimentary layout of the old track, with its characteristic steep corners. For the passionate Tifosi, Monza is no less than the Mecca of the motorsport world. The course has always been unmistakable due to the high proportion of it that can be driven at full throttle. Naturally, speed records are regularly set here for many different classes of vehicle.
On its track days, even those car enthusiasts without a motorsport licence or their own racing team can take the opportunity to tackle Monza’s legendary passages, such as the Curva Grande, the two Lesmo curves and the extremely fast Parabolica shortly before the start and finish – the threateningly close, deep gravel traps always in the corner of their eyes. Monza is one of the few remaining Grand Prix circuits that uses these to catch any car leaving its asphalt at speed.
#AUTODROMO INTERNACIONAL DO ALGARVE, PORTIMAO.
Located in the southwestern-most corner of Europe, Portugal’s state-of-the-art. Autodromo Internacional do Algarve racetrack is just over ten years old. The local AIA Racing School offers everything from safety training to comprehensive race training. Depending on your level of experience and requirements, it will also provide the appropriate vehicles. If you just want to get a taste of the racetrack with your own car, you can do so at one of its ‘Auto Track Days’. The 20-minute sessions on the 4,684-metre-long course, peppered with challenging passages, offer plenty of potential for goosebumps and thrilling experiences.
