Interesting news from the grass-roots GLP organisation, as the oldest championship at the Nürburgring will introduce a special EV-only class from 2022.
Stickers, Ts, Hoodies...
The current GLP (Gleichmassigkeitsprufung) is a 12-lap regularity contest which technically pits drivers against the clock to complete not the fastest lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, but the “most regular”. In fact, the laptimes aren’t allowed to be faster than 11m15s, or you face disqualification.
But in 2022, there will be a special 6-lap challenge allowing owners of EVs to compete in the 6-round championship. The 6 laps of the Nordschleife will be broken down as follows:
- Lap 1: Warm-up lap
- Lap 2: Set a laptime between 11m15s and 16m
- Lap 3: Repeat the laptime from Lap 2
- Lap 4: Repeat the laptime from Lap 2
- Lap 5: Repeat the laptime from Lap 2
- Lap 6: Finish your lap and leave the track
Every 0.01s second that you deviate from the “set time” earns you 0.1 penalty points. So 1 second under or over the time would net you 10 penalty points. And the least points wins.
At the same time, the petrol and diesel cars will be competing in a similar 12-lap event. It’s worth noting that the GLP at the Nürburgring allows competitors to park on the Döttinger Höhe straight, about 1.4km from the finish line at T13. This makes every single lap of the competition a free-for-all for about 19kms. All the way from T13 to the ‘parking’ area, drivers can drive as fast as they want and then park up until the clock nears the 11m15s minimum time. Then real competition is all about who can drive that 1.4km from DH to T13 in the most consistent fashion.
EVs versus ICE problems?
The EVs will be driving much differently though. Even a long-range Model 3 Tesla, or my previous Jaguar I-Pace Nürburgring Taxi, would struggle to drive 5 fast laps in perfect conditions. Instead the EV drivers will need to minimise stopping and acceleration, using skill and experience to keep the batteries charged all the way to the end of lap 6. This will undoubtedly cause some epic speed differences between the ICE drivers (who are often ‘gaming’ the system and driving around 8-minutes BTG, but 12-minutes from start-to-finish) and the EV drivers, (who will be aiming for maximum smoothness) who will probably be driving exactly 12-minutes every lap.
The regulations:
Just like the ICE-driving contestants, both driver and co-driver need to be German residents to qualify for the DMSB day-license (which is the lowest-grade competitor’s license), and they must be driving German registered cars. Cars will be inspected for road-worthiness at the RCN scrutineering area, and must be equipped with a hand-held fire extinguisher. Both driver and co-driver must wear helmets, and an entry costs €200.
There will be a ‘test’ of the new format this year during the GLP round on August 28th. I might have to take a closer look at that… who wants to be a co-driver?
You can read more, in German, here: RCN GLP Press Release
