Lausitzring

The Lausitzring (formally known as the Dekra Lausitzring for ownership reasons) is a race track located near Klettwitz (a civil parish of Schipkau, Oberspreewald-Lausitz district) in the state of Brandenburg in northeast Germany, near the borders of Poland and the Czech Republic. It was originally named Lausitzring as it is located in the region of Lusatia, known as Lausitz in German, but was renamed EuroSpeedway Lausitz for better international communication from 2000 to 2010. The EuroSpeedway has been in use for motor racing since 2000. Among other series, DTM (German Touring Car Championship) takes place there annually. It also used to host the Superbike World Championship.

Dekra Lausitzring
LocationKlettwitz
(Brandenburg, Germany)
Time zoneCET (UTC+1)
CEST (DST)
Coordinates51°32′0″N 13°55′10″E
Capacity120,000
FIA Grade2 (Grand Prix)
3 Restricted (Grand Prix Circuit with Banked Turn 1)
OwnerDekra Automobil GmbH (2017–present)
OperatorEuroSpeedway Verwaltungs GmbH
Broke ground17 June 1998 (1998-06-17)[1]
Opened20 August 2000 (2000-08-20)[2]
Former namesEuroSpeedway Lausitz (2000–2010)
Lausitzring (2010–2017)
Major eventsCurrent:
DTM (2000–present)
Former:
World SBK (2001–2002, 2005–2007, 2016–2017)
Sidecar World Championship (2001–2002)
Champ Car German 500 (2001, 2003)
European Truck Racing Championship (2001–2002)
ADAC GT Masters (2007–2017, 2020–2022)
FIA GT (2000)
A1GP (2005)
F3 Euroseries (2005–2006, 2009)
World Series by Nissan
(2003–2004)
ASCAR Racing Series
(2002–2003)
Websitewww.eurospeedway.de
Superspeedway (2000–present)
Length3.256 km (2.023 miles)
Turns3
Bankingup to 5.7°
Race lap record0:34.747 (Brazil Tony Kanaan, Reynard 01I, 2001, CART)
Grand Prix Circuit (2000–present)
Length4.345 km (2.700 miles)
Turns14
Race lap record1:32:059 (United Kingdom Scott Mansell, Benetton B197, 2004, F1)
Grand Prix Circuit with Banked Turn 1 (2021–present)
Length4.601 km (2.860 miles)
Turns10
Race lap record1:32.085 (Germany Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, 2022, GT3)
Motorcycle Circuit (2000–present)
Length4.297 km (2.670 miles)
Turns14
Race lap record1:36.634 (United Kingdom Chaz Davies, Ducati Panigale R, 2017, World SBK)
Sprint Circuit (2004–present)
Length3.478 km (2.161 miles)
Turns12
Race lap record1:15.109 (Germany Markus Pommer, Dallara F311, 2014, F3)
Aerial view of Lausitzring.
Grandstands on the front stretch.

The Lausitzring has a feature which is unique in continental Europe: a high-speed oval race track, as used in the United States by NASCAR and IndyCar. The 3.256 km (2.023 mi) tri-oval (similar to Pocono Raceway) was used twice in 2001 and 2003 by open seater CART races named German 500 (won by Kenny Bräck and Sébastien Bourdais), plus a few British SCSA races. In 2005 and 2006, the German Formula Three Championship held races at the oval,[3][4] with a pole position lap average speed of 251.761 km/h (156.437 mph)[5] and a race average of 228.931 km/h (142.251 mph).[6]

History

As far back as 1986, in the former communist East Germany, it was planned to convert one of the huge open coal mine pits into a race track. In the late 1990s, this idea was taken up again in order to build a replacement for the AVUS in Berlin. The construction of the EuroSpeedway Lausitz began on 17 June 1998.[1] The facility was officially opened during a public ceremony on 20 August 2000.[2]

Winding in the infield of the high-speed tri-oval, there is a regular road race track for automobile and motorbike racing, using various track configurations up to roughly 4.562 km (2.835 mi). The stands around the tri-oval have a capacity of 120,000, while the huge main grandstands have 25,000 seats, and unlike many circuits, the entire circuit can be seen from the main grandstand. Next to the racing facility, there is a test oval with two long straights connecting two steeply banked U-shaped corners. The test oval has a total length of 5.800 km (3.604 mi), with each of its two straights measuring about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) in length. All tracks can be connected to form an 12.030 km (7.475 mi) long endurance racing course, but so far this option has been used only for testing and never as part of a major event.

There were three serious accidents at the facility in its first year of operation. On 25 April 2001, former Formula One driver Michele Alboreto was killed on the test oval after crashing at high speed due to a tyre failure.[7][8] Alboreto was testing an Audi R8 in preparation of his participation at the 2001 24 Hours of Le Mans. Just over a week later, on 3 May 2001, a track marshal was killed when he was hit by a touring car during a test session.

The third serious accident occurred on 15 September 2001, when the venue's tri-oval hosted the 2001 American Memorial. It was the first race of the American CART series to be held in Europe, but it was eventually overshadowed by the accident in which the series' two-time champion Alex Zanardi was involved. Zanardi lost control of his car at the pit exit following a late stop for fuel and the car slid onto the tri-oval, where it was hit from the side by Alex Tagliani's car at full speed. The impact split the front of Zanardi's car from the rest of it and caused the driver to suffer a traumatic amputation of both of his legs. Tagliani was not seriously injured, having suffered some bruising as a result of the crash.

The official EuroSpeedway anthem "Speed Kings" was recorded by the veteran East German band Puhdys in 2000.

The last concert of German hard rock band Böhse Onkelz took place on 17 and 18 June 2005 at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz under the name Vaya Con Tioz, in front of approximately 120,000. It was the biggest open air show by a German band ever.

On 9 October 2005, the EuroSpeedway played host to the A1 Grand Prix series on its road course. The fastest lap of the meeting was set by Nicolas Lapierre and was 0.45 seconds slower than the lap record for the 4.345 km (2.700 mi) circuit held by Heikki Kovalainen.

The EuroSpeedway played host to Round 6 of the 2010 Red Bull Air Race World Championship. As the last two events of the 2010 Championship (Rounds 7 and 8) were cancelled, the 2011 series was cancelled as well. The series then suffered an overall three-year hiatus before finally returning in September 2016 and September 2017.[9]

Panorama shot of the speedway from the grandstands.

On 1 November 2017, the entire facility was sold to the vehicle inspection company Dekra, which announced plans to modernize it and use it as a proving ground for road car innovations.[10] Amid fears that the purchase would mark the end of public racing events at the circuit, Dekra announced that it would not organize such events, but other companies would remain welcome to organize them and Dekra would rent the circuit to them for the purpose.[11] The DTM has continued to organize races at the circuit ever since.

Layout configurations
  • Superspeedway layout
    Superspeedway layout
  • Grand Prix Circuit layout
    Grand Prix Circuit layout
  • DTM Sprint Circuit layout
    DTM Sprint Circuit layout
  • Motorcycle Circuit layout
    Motorcycle Circuit layout
  • Detailed map of the Lausitzring
    Detailed map of the Lausitzring

Lap records

As of August 2023, the fastest official race lap records at Lausitzring are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleDate
Grand Prix Circuit: 4.345 km (2000–present)
BOSS GP F1 Class1:32.059[12]Scott MansellBenetton B1972004 Lausitzring EuroBOSS round
World Series by Nissan1:32.210[13]Heikki KovalainenDallara SN012004 Lausitzring World Series by Nissan round
A1 GP1:34.736Nelson Piquet Jr.Lola A1GP2005–06 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Germany
F30001:34.877[14]Robbie KerrLola B99/502005 Lausitzring 3000 Pro round
Formula 31:36.854[15]Markus WinkelhockDallara F3012001 Lausitzring German F3 round
Class 1 Touring Cars1:37.897[16]Philipp EngBMW M4 Turbo DTM 20192019 Lausitzring DTM round
LMP9001:38.353[17]Beppe GabbianiDome S1012003 FIA Sportscar Championship Lausitz
DTM1:39.395[18]Marco WittmannBMW M4 DTM2018 Lausitzring DTM round
LMP6751:43.082[17]Mirko SavoldiLucchini SR20022003 FIA Sportscar Championship Lausitz
GT1 (GTS)1:43.830[19]Julian BaileyLister Storm GT2000 FIA GT Lausitzring 500km
GT31:44.739[20]Dino LunardiBMW Alpina B6 GT32012 Lausitzring ADAC GT Masters round
Formula 41:46.485[21]Charles WeertsTatuus F4-T0142018 Lausitzring ADAC F4 round
N-GT1:48.219[19]Patrick HuismanPorsche 911 (996) GT3-R2000 FIA GT Lausitzring 500km
ADAC Formel Masters1:48.366[22]Florian HerzogDallara Formulino2012 Lausitzring ADAC Formel Masters round
Formula BMW1:48.761[23]Sebastian VettelMygale FB022004 Lausitzring Formula BMW ADAC round
GT41:55.120[24]Tim HeinemannMercedes-AMG GT42020 Lausitzring DTM Trophy round
Porsche Carrera Cup1:59.394[25]Leon KöhlerPorsche 911 (991 II) GT3 Cup2020 Lausitzring Porsche Carrera Cup Germany round
TCR Touring Car2:10.126[26]Dominik FugelHonda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)2020 2nd Lausitzring ADAC TCR Germany round
Motorcycle Circuit: 4.265 km (2000–present)
World SBK1:36.634[27]Chaz DaviesDucati Panigale R2017 Lausitzring Superbike World SBK round
Formula 31:39.852[28]Philipp RegenspergerDallara F3052017 Lausitzring Remus F3 Cup round
World SSP1:41.035[29]Niki TuuliYamaha YZF-R62016 Lausitzring World SSP round
Supersport 3001:52.866[30]Rick DunnikYamaha YZF-R32020 Lausitzring IDM Supersport 300 round
Northern Talent Cup1:52.909[31]Freddie HeinrichKTM 250 FRR2020 Lausitzring Northern Talent Cup round
Grand Prix Circuit with Banked Turn 1: 4.601 km (2021–present)
GT31:32.085[32]Maro EngelMercedes-AMG GT3 Evo2022 Lausitzring DTM round
GT41:42.039[33]Thiago VivacquaAudi R8 LMS GT4 Evo2022 Lausitzring DTM Trophy round
Sprint Circuit: 3.478 km (2004–present)
Formula 31:15.109[34]Markus PommerDallara F3112014 1st Lausitzring German F3 round
Class 1 Touring Cars1:16.992[35]Robin FrijnsAudi RS5 Turbo DTM 20202020 1st Lausitzring DTM round
DTM1:17.098[36]René RastAudi RS5 DTM2017 Lausitzring DTM round
GT31:20.629[37]Kelvin van der LindeAudi R8 LMS ultra2014 Lausitzring ADAC GT Masters round
LMP31:21.556[38]Óscar TunjoDuqueine D-082022 Lausitzring Prototype Cup Germany round
Formula 41:21.759[39]Robert ShwartzmanTatuus F4-T0142015 Lausitzring ADAC F4 round
ADAC Formel Masters1:23.602[40]Marvin DienstDallara Formulino2014 Lausitzring ADAC Formel Masters round
Porsche Carrera Cup1:24.174[41]Harry KingPorsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup2023 Lausitzring Porsche Carrera Cup Germany round
Formula BMW1:24.312[42]Sébastien BuemiMygale FB022005 Lausitzring Formula BMW ADAC round
GT41:28.559[43]Denis BulatovMercedes-AMG GT42023 Lausitzring ADAC GT4 Germany round
TCR Touring Car1:29.986[44]Nico GruberHyundai i30 N TCR2020 1st Lausitzring ADAC TCR Germany round
Superspeedway: 3.256 km (2000–present)
CART0:34.747[13]Tony KanaanReynard 01I2001 American Memorial
Formula 30:46.664[45]Ronny WechselbergerDallara F3022005 Eastside 100
Stock car racing0:49.026[46]Ben CollinsChevrolet Monte Carlo2003 2nd Lausitzring ASCAR round

Commercial use

Test site

On 1 November 2017, Dekra acquired the Lausitzring as a test site, especially for autonomous driving.[47] In April 2019 test and verification of communication elements took place on the Lausitzring. Participants were Ford, Samsung, Vodafone, Huawei, LG Electronics and others. Topics were communication matters.[48]

Entertainment

Dekra organised also an Open-air festival, that took place in May 2019.[49]

Events

Complementary racing events, such as DTM are on the agenda.[49]

Current
Former

See also

References
  1. "Die Anfänge". Eurospeedway.de (in German). Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  2. "Saison 2000". Eurospeedway.de (in German). Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  3. Sensationelle Rennen im Trioval - August 29, 2005 (in German)
  4. Cindy - Liebling der Fans - July 31, 2006 (in German)
  5. ADAC Eastside 100 - Practice 2 - August 29, 2005 (in German)
  6. ADAC Eastside 100 - Race 2 - August 29, 2005 (in German)
  7. "Michele Alboreto Killed in Testing Accident (Updated)". www.autosport.com. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  8. "PLUS: AUTO RACING; Alboreto Is Killed Testing Audi R8". The New York Times. Associated Press. 2001-04-26. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  9. "Red Bull Air Race wieder auf dem Lausitzring". Lausitzer Rundschau (in German). Cottbus, Brandenburg. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  10. "DTM and former Champ Car venue Lausitzring to close to public". autosport.com. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
  11. Wittemeier, Roman (17 July 2017). "Dekra übernimmt Lausitzring: DTM könnte bleiben". Motorsport-Total.com (in German). Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  12. "The BOSS route". Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  13. "Lausitzring Motorsport Database". Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  14. "2005 Lausitzring ProSeries". Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  15. "2001 Lausitz German F3 - Round 13". Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  16. "DTM 2019 » Lausitzring Grand Prix Round 14 Results". Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  17. "FIA Sportscar Championship Lausitzring 2003". Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  18. "DTM 2018 » Lausitzring Grand Prix Round 4 Results". Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  19. "FIA GT Championship Lausitzring 2000". Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  20. "ADAC GT Masters Lausitzring 2012 Race 2 Results" (PDF). 26 August 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  21. "2018 ADAC Formula 4 Lausitzring Result Race 2" (PDF). 19 May 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  22. "2012 Lausitzring ADAC Formel Masters Result List Race 1" (PDF). 25 August 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  23. "2004 Formula BMW ADAC Lausitzring (Race 2)". Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  24. "DTM Trophy Lausitzring 2020". Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  25. "2020 Porsche Cup Deutschland Lausitzring (Race 2)". Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  26. "2020 ADAC TCR Germany Lausitzring Race 2 Results - 1 November 2020" (PDF). 1 November 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  27. "German Round, 18-19-20 August 2017 World Superbike - Results Race 2" (PDF). World Superbike. Dorna. 20 August 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  28. "P9 Challenge Race Weekend Lausitzring Formelfahrz euge Ergebnis Race 1" (PDF). 15 July 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  29. "German Round, 16-17-18 September 2016 World Supersport - Results Race" (PDF). World Superbike. Dorna. 18 September 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  30. "2020 IDM Dekra Lausitzring IDM SSP 300 Race 2" (PDF). 13 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  31. "2020 IDM Dekra Lausitzring Northern Talent Cup Race 2" (PDF). 13 September 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  32. "DTM Season 2022 Round 3&4 Lausitzring Race 2 (55 Minutes +1 Lap) Final Classification" (PDF). 18 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  33. "DTM Trophy Season 2022 Round 1&2 Lausitzring Race 2 (30 Minutes +3 Laps) Final Classification" (PDF). 19 September 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  34. "ADAC GT Masters Lausitzring 5.Lauf ATS Formel 3 Cup Ergebnis Rennen 2" (PDF). Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  35. "DTM 2020 » Lausitzring Short Round 4 Results". Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  36. "DTM 2017 » Lausitzring Short Round 4 Results". Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  37. "ADAC GT Masters Lausitzring 2014". Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  38. "2022 ADAC GT Masters Lausitzring Prototype Cup Germany Race 2 Lausitzring" (PDF). 21 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  39. "2015 ADAC Formel 4 Lausitzring Result List Race 1" (PDF). 4 July 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  40. "2014 Lausitzring ADAC Formel Masters Result List Race 1" (PDF). 24 May 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  41. "2023 ADAC GT4 Germany Lausitzring Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland Race 1 Result" (PDF). 19 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  42. "2005 Formula BMW ADAC Lausitzring (Race 1)". Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  43. "2023 ADAC GT4 Germany Lausitzring Race 2 Result" (PDF). 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  44. "2020 ADAC TCR Germany Lausitzring Race 1 Results - 2 August 2020" (PDF). 2 August 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  45. "2005 Lausitz German F3 - Round 16". Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  46. "2003 ASCAR Championship Round 7: Lausitzring, 14th September Race 1". Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  47. "DEKRA und der Lausitzring - DEKRA übernimmt den Lausitzring" (in German). Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  48. "Weltkonzerne freuen sich über Meilenstein auf Lausitzring" (in German). April 18, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  49. "Saisonkalender 2019 und neue Website für DEKRA Lausitzring" (in German). Retrieved April 18, 2019.
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