5 Reasons To Watch the Nürburgring 24 Hours Race This Weekend

The Nürburgring motorsports complex, home to the modern Grand Prix track that used to host F1 races, and the infamous Nordschleife, the longest, most challenging track in the world, host an annual endurance race of epic proportions.

Though it has been overshadowed in terms of fame and popularity by the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this endurance race is a must-watch for any hardcore motorsport enthusiast.

First held (in the current 24-hour configuration) in 1970, the Nürburgring 24 Hours race, officially called ADAC 24h Rennen Nürburgring, has been the ultimate proving ground for multiple generations of amateur and professional drivers.

Nevertheless, if you never watched it and you're still not convinced that it's worth it, here are five reasons why you should tune-in this weekend.

It's one of the most spectacular races of the year

The Indy 500, Monaco Grand Prix, or the 24 Hours of Le Mans are all incredible races, but none take place on the world's most dangerous track, with nearly 150 cars on the grid.

Around 700 drivers participate in the event each year, with up to four sharing one car.

Unlike Le Mans, there are no hybrid prototypes, which, at first, might seem like a drawback. However, the GT3, GT4, Touring car, and close-to-production-spec cars that compete make for a tightly-contested race in each class.

Then there's the Nordschleife, which makes for the most part of the track. Watching so many cars go all out on the world's most difficult circuit is one of the most exciting experiences that motorsport has to offer.

It's free to watch

With few exceptions like, of course, Germany, the endurance race is not broadcasted on live TV. To a lesser extent, the same applies to the Le Mans race, which can be watched by fans from countries where it isn't broadcasted on TV on the Eurosport app. However, a paid subscription is required.

In the case of the Nürburgring 24 Hours, anyone with an internet connection can watch it live for free on the event's official YouTube page.

The broadcasting experience is top-notch in every way. Non-stop commentary or live interviews with the drivers and crew members are available in both German and English with separate broadcasting teams on duty.

Yes, an endurance race is harder to watch than a NASCAR or Formula 1 event because, after all, it lasts a full 24 hours.

However, you don't have to watch the entire race. Just tune in from time to time and check the action. I guarantee that you're going to be hooked, especially if you join the action during the night hours or towards the end of the race when things usually get more exciting.

It takes place on the longest, most technical race track in the world

Initially built in the 1920s, around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg, located in the Eifel mountains, the Nürburgring Nordschleife is the longest most difficult track in the world.

Nicknamed "the Green Hell" by the legendary Jackie Stewart back when it hosted Formula 1 races, the Nordschleife (North Loop) is a 22.835-km (14.189-mile) concrete rollercoaster that features 154 corners, multiple elevation changes, and long, fast straights.

Even more impressive, the 24-hour race takes place on the full Nordschleife plus the modern Grand Prix track, boosting the circuit's total length to 25.3 km (15.7 miles).

It's a million times more competitive than a current F1 race

With a few, rare exceptions watching a Formula 1 race in recent years is as exciting as watching paint dry.

Whether it was Lewis Hamilton or, more recently, Max Verstappen, the outcome is easy to anticipate way before the race starts.

Things are much different with the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Over the years, the race has been tightly contested by many teams, and since 2010, no team has managed to win it twice in a row.

Last year (2023), the victors were the Frikadelli Racing Team and their Ferrari 296 GT3. It was an underdog victory for a small privateer team against heavy favorites Manthey Racing (backed by Porsche) or Rowe Racing (backed by BMW).

It features over 100 cars, some of which are in close-to-production spec

This year, 131 cars were lined up for the qualifying session, which is still ongoing at the time this article was published.

The top classes feature GT-spec cars that battle for the overall win, but at the end of the grid, there's an interesting contest between close-to-production-spec cars, which you won't see in other high-profile endurance races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The majority of these near-stock cars are German-made, but there are some wacky races that have became cult heros among those in attendance, like a Dacia Logan which is making a comeback this year after a spectacular crash in the 2013 race.

Nevertheless, if the Dacia Logan or near-stock cars aren't that interesting, you can watch the Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari 296 GT3, or Glickenhaus SCG 004C unicorns going against the sea of BMW M4s, Audi R8s, Porsche 911 GT3s, and Mercedes-AMG GTs.

The 52nd edition of the 24-hour race starts tomorrow, June 1, at 4:00 PM (local time, GMT+2).