Track officials at the Nürburgring announced on Thursday that motorcycles would be banned from participating in tourist laps on the Nordschleife, an unprecedented move in the storied history of the open circuit.
The sanctioning body of the German track said that safety continues to be the utmost priority and that some difficult decisions had to be made after intense analysis of the interactions between cars and motorcycles on the 12.94-mile loop, as revealed in a Facebook post. These decisions were made with consideration to the weather as well, seeing as the annual opening day for motorcyclists, known as the Anlassen, at the Nürburgring was rapidly approaching.
“The different driving dynamics of two- and four-wheelers pose a risk of misunderstandings — especially for motorcyclists. To make the driving experience safer for everyone, cars and motorcycles will be strictly separated in the future. At the same time, we have restructured and expanded our offer for motorcyclists,” the announcement reads.
The ban on motorcyclists only applies to open track sessions, known as tourist laps. These track days are open to the paying public in whatever vehicle suits their needs, so long as certain exhaust noise and safety regulations are met, and have long been a pillar of the Nürburgring’s egalitarian motorsports history. However, tourist laps have turned tragic numerous times: a notable crash occurred back in 2021 during a tourist session, leaving one ‘Ring regular dead and seven others in the hospital, while two Goodyear employees died during a private manufacturer test day back in 2023.
This risky dynamic is only heightened by the presence of motorcyclists. Video evidence from track regulars like YouTuber Misha Charoudin displays consistent close calls with two-wheel riders on the Nordschleife. Last year, Road & Track covered a particularly close call on the loop between fast-moving Porsches and a Ducati rider, another indication that these sorts of near-misses are common. The greater maneuverability of a motorcycle versus a car is often tempered by traction levels and rider bravery, leaving riders in vulnerable positions across the nearly 13-mile track.
However, motorcycles aren’t banned from the Nürburgring as a whole. Track officials are attempting to expand availability to motorcyclists by adding two-wheel exclusive Grand Prix track dates. While the Nordschleife is undeniably its most famous section of tarmac, Nürburgring grounds also host a 3.2-mile Grand Prix track that will be open on 38 individual dates for two-wheel tourist laps. These GP track tourist dates will have specific stints where only motorcycles are allowed, helping riders adhere to a more uniform racing line. Plus, motorcycle-specific events on the Nordschleife will continue, too.
“Motorcyclists can continue to experience the Nordschleife in the framework of guided rides during professionally organized training — for a safe and yet intense Nordschleifen experience,” the track official said.
This development is undeniably disappointing for motorcyclists who have long enjoyed equity on the Green Hell, but it will remain to be seen if this decision improves the annual safety statistics. Oil spills, rapid overtaking speeds, and a general air of unpredictability make the prospect of riding the Nordschleife a daunting one, but one that we suspect many two-wheel regulars will miss dearly. Track officials say motorcyclists with a season pass can redeem its remaining value on the GP track, or return the pass at the information center of the Nürburgring.
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