Racing enthusiasts and professional racing drivers from all over the globe have been waiting patiently for this year’s Nürburgring Endurance VLN Series which is also known as Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie (NLS).
Being one of the oldest racing series run at the critically acclaimed Nürburgring Nordschleife, this year would be the third instalment of the VLN series dubbed as the Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie. The organizers revealed in the month of September of 2021, that in March 2022, the schedule for Nürburgring Endurance VLN Series will be set into motion putting endurance racing tires to the test.
What Makes Nürburgring Endurance VLN Series Special?
This racing series is one of Europe’s largest and most difficult that has been organized in the past by VLN. The beauty of this racing series is that during Nürburgring Endurance VLN Series, 8 times a year, over 170 race cars come together at the Nürburgring Nordschleife racetrack to claim the first spot. Among these 170 race cars, there are several close-to-production touring cars and even full-blown GT3 cars.
All of the participating racing drivers are allowed a chance to skillfully race among the best talents from around the world at one of the world’s most beautiful, oldest, and most demanding racetracks that scare away amateurs for good. The Nürburgring Nordschleife racetrack is known for several reasons and one of them is being extremely difficult to master even by professionals especially when a time limit has been set in place.
Often called the riskiest road course, the Nürburgring Nordschleife features a total of 27 turns and several twists that require expert driving skills to ensure the safety of any vehicle along with its driver. It was originally built sometime between 1925-27 and was separated into two circuits which were Nordschleife (north loop, 14.1 miles long) and Südschleife (south loop, 7.7 miles long).
But the north loop has always been the heart of this challenging racetrack since the olden days. When series are not being held at Nürburgring, parts of the newly constructed Nordschleife is used for testing and club races. The Nordschleife is open to the public for lapping days in case it is not being used for testing or races at any particular time of the year.
Sponsors of the Nürburgring Endurance VLN Series happening in March include industry-leading companies like H&R, Gran Tourismo, Rowe Motor Oil, Falken, Good Year, Kalff, Sport Auto, Mercedes AMG, Manthey, NIMEX, and BMW Motorsport, etc.
Some of the clubs that serve as organizers and have been put in charge of the management of the world’s most famous series are RCM, ADAC Club, Ruhrblitz, etc. Just like every year, this time organizers are expecting masses of spectators to come to the racetrack to cheer and support their favourite racing teams. The Nürburgring Endurance VLN Series would also be available as a live broadcast for all those who would not want to miss the chance of watching this race series in action from the comfort of their home.
Changes introduced in 2022 Series
The 2022 season of the Nürburgring Endurance VLN Series has been subjected to a few changes according to its organizers.
Here are a few changes expected within the series 45th instalment.
- Class changes
During this year’s Nürburgring Endurance VLN Series, the VT2 class will become two sub-classes with different ratings which are: VT2 front-wheel drive and VT2 rear-wheel, and an all-wheel drive. Additionally, two new classes namely: VT Hybrid and VT Elektro would make their debut in 2022 for the first time in Nürburgring Grand Prix Circuit.
The technical specifications of the aforementioned two classes are based according to the requirements for eligible vehicles and its purpose could be a broad range of production vehicles. According to new rules, these new hybrid vehicles or any electric vehicle would get a 50% discount on entry fees when they make their first entry in 2022 NLS to be held in March.
- Fee changes
The impact of COVID-19 has touched people’s lives in every corner of the world by affecting the global economy. In the wake of this grim situation, the NLS organizers have decided that during the 2022 season, entry fees will be frozen for all classes. On the other hand, the 12-hour endurance race entry fee would get double that of a regular 4-hour VLN event.
- Point system revision
The series would follow a uniform point system in 2022 to offer simplification and develop a better understanding among different teams, racers, media personnel, and also sponsors. There is also an indication of limiting points to a maximum of seven vehicles per class. Previously, the rule was to give out a greater number of points to larger classes of vehicles but now the winner of 7 vehicles would receive the same points as the winner of a class of 20 vehicles.
