Nurburgring News

Nürburgring bankruptcy: What's really happening...

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Parent Category: Nurburgring

Created on Tuesday, 17 July 2012 19:05

Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 July 2012 10:45

Published on Tuesday, 17 July 2012 19:13

Written by Dale

This morning my inbox was full. No, not full. Fuller than full. It was bulging like Olaf Manthey's trophy cabinet. And all the PMs, emails and messages were the same basic question:

"What the f%#k is going on at the Nürburgring today?"

• The Nürburgring is NOT closing down. No matter how bad it sounds, it's incredibly doubtful that the part we love and enjoy (the actual racetrack parts) would ever be shut down. The queue to buy each possible day is two to three customers deep. Trackday and event organisers all over the world would kill their friends and sacrifice their own young for a nice summer's day at the 'Ring. And public driving is as popular as ever.
  
  
• The Nürburgring GmbH is close to bankruptcy. The EU will allegedly cock-block a vital 'bailout' of funds to keep the stricken company afloat. They are NOT bankrupt yet. But damn close. In fact SWR are calling the report not true and Welt Online reports here that the bailout might still go ahead.
  
  
• Nürburgring GmbH was officially announced as bankrupt in a press conference at 10.30am on Wednesday July 18th. A black day, for sure. But it's not the end of the Nürburgring!
  
  
• Government liquidators are being appointed, ready to start 'fixing' the mess. They will sell parts, they will cut other parts off. This is a process designed to get some of the creditors at least a small return on Nürburgring's debt to them. The principal creditor is the state of Rheinland Pfalz itself. It would not be in anybody's interest to close down the GP track or Nordschleife. The Nordschleife in particular prints money. Other items like the rollercoaster and Ring Boulevard? They're basically red-shirts in a Star Trek episode, or the guy who's going to get married to his gal as soon as he finishes this tour of duty...

In other words, you the dear reader shouldn't worry too much. The track will still open and so long as we're willing to pay money and arrive in our thousands, so it will continue.

Owners may change, and I've no doubt they will. Yes, the nature of how you drive the track might change over the next few years. A private owner could face problems keeping the track's status as a true public road during TF, for example. But these are mere details compared to the scary headlines you can read all over the internet right now.

DON'T PANIC

AND

KEEP ON LAPPING!

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