NURBURG, Germany — This year’s edition of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring may have been plagued by rain and fog with less than nine hours of on-track time during the 24-hour period, but it’s certainly no easy task to organize a twice-around-the-clock event.
Race management, organization, sports officials, security personnel and the participants themselves – everyone contributes to its success.
The race management team consists of 28 people. The inner circle includes the race director and head of organization, as well as the head of track security, the medical operations managers and assistants to the race management.
90 people are also involved in the extended organization, such as sports commissioners and technical commissioners, the technical committee, helpers in paperwork and driver information, Welcome Center / Check-In, timekeeping, award ceremony, Parc Fermé, camping organization, supporting program, runners
One thousand marshals are stationed around the Nordschleife, divided into 17 sections. Coordination is carried out by 32 section leaders and their deputies.
Ninety marshals are deployed in the pit lane. They wear similar protective clothing to the teams: fireproof overalls, helmets, reflective armbands and safety vests.
Thirty-five officials are on duty in the paddock to regulate what is happening there and, for example, to ensure that safety regulations are adhered to.
30 people drive the shuttle vehicles that transport teams, officials, journalists and VIPs from one place to another.
Thirty-five marshals are needed for the pre-start and starting line-up, and a further 20 marshals will be on duty in the Parc Fermé on Sunday.
Security
Fifty-four members of the DMSB team work in shifts to provide assistance on the track as quickly as possible. They are on site in eleven S-cars.
The intervention team, which secures accident sites and enables recovery and rescue operations, comprises 32 people. This year, four Cupra Formentors are stationed around the track. In addition, four Cupra Formentors are used as medical cars to get emergency doctors to the scene of the accident even faster in an emergency.
Thirty people are deployed on the E-Unit’s additional security and rescue vehicles, equipped with oil absorbents and additional fire extinguishers.
Two specially equipped extrication vehicles simplify the rescue of participants with suspected spinal injuries.
Thirty specialists are responsible for rescuing participants who have crashed and are stationed around the track, equipped with tow trucks and recovery tractors. Two vehicles are on site with compressors, rams and specially trained personnel so that in the event of major damage to the guard rails, the damage can be repaired immediately.
The ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring medical service comprises 100 doctors and paramedics, who work in shifts. Eight ambulances and two medical cars are on standby at the track, and a team of emergency doctors, surgeons, anesthetists and paramedics is also stationed in the fully equipped medical center in the paddock. Five more ambulances, two doctors with emergency vehicles and more than 30 paramedics are on duty outside. Several hospitals are on alert, and a rescue helicopter is ready for action at the medical center.
Eighty-five firefighters are on site at the Nürburgring: eight vehicles are in use along the track (one of them specifically at the alternative fuels filling station), and three tank fire engines are outside.
In the event of a major emergency, a maximum of 100 patients can be additionally cared for in a specially equipped lebEL trailer (life-threatening emergency situation) provided by the German Red Cross.
One hundred 50 full-time employees are on duty to support Nürburgring 1927 GmbH & Co. KG at the ADAC TotalEnergies 24h Nürburgring. From track management to key distribution, they ensure that the gigantic sports facility with its many areas is ready for operation.
The track operator needs 700 helpers to operate ticket offices, parking lots and gate controls during the event.
Six hundred 90 mobile toilets are set up around the Nordschleife.
There are 60,000 parking spaces for cars around the 25.378 km long combination of the Grand Prix track and the Nordschleife
1.5 million square meters of camping area are available to fans.
Nine kilometers of kerbs, all of which have to be repainted – the entire edge markings of the track (on both sides) also have to be repainted.
Twenty kilometers of construction fences are needed to mark exclusion zones.
Around 60 people have to put in 10,000 hours of work in advance until everything is organized and set up.
Seven thousand meters of construction fencing will be installed to secure nature conservation areas.
One hundred 70 shower spaces are available for visitors.
One hundred 60 flush toilets are available.
One Hundred 20 water barrels with 2 cbm capacity and 15 tanks with 10 cbm capacity are available to supply water to visitors.
Eighty mobile floodlight masts provide lighting.
The event was broadcast live on SPEED SPORT 1.