List of Nürburgring fatalities

Fatal accidents on the Nürburgring motorsport race track in Nürburg, Germany during national and international motor-sport events on the 28.265 kilometres (17.563 mi) Gesamtstrecke ("Whole Course"), the 22.810 km (14.173 mi) Nordschleife ("Northern Loop"), the 7.747 km (4.814 mi) Südschleife ("Southern Loop") and the 2.281 km (1.417 mi) warm-up loop Zielschleife ("Finish Loop") or Betonschleife. From 1984, the new GP-Strecke or Eifelring which was built on the site of the Nürburgring pits complex and part of the Südschleife. This list does not cover fatalities from public sessions.

## List of fatal accidents involving competitors

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No  | Competitor  | Date  | Course  | Section  | Race  | Event  | Machine

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1  |  Čeněk Junek | 15 July 1928[1] | Nordschleife  | Breidscheid/ex-Mühle  |  | 1928 Großer Preis der Sportwagen | Bugatti Type 35B
2  |  Ernst von Halle | 16 July 1928  | Nordschleife  | Kesselchen  |  | 1928 Großer Preis der Sportwagen | Amilcar
3  |  Wilhelm Heine (driver) | 28 Sep 1929  | Nordschleife  | Steilstrecke  | 1929 ADAC-Langstreckenfahrt  | 1929 8 Hour Touring Car Race | BMW
4  |  Heinrich-Joachim von Morgen | 27 May 1932  | Nordschleife  | Hatzenbach  | 1932 Eifelrennen | Practice  | Bugatti T51
5  |  Paul Gründel | 3 July 1932  | Zielschleife  | Südkehre  | 1932 Westdeutsche Kraftradmeisterschaft | Practice  | 350cc Impéria
6  |  Emil Frankl | 3 June 1934  | Nordschleife  |  |  | 1934 Internationales Eifelrennen | Bugatti
7  |  Toni Babl | 15 June 1936  | Nordschleife  |  | 1936 Internationales Eifelrennen  | Practice  | 600cc Douglas Sidecar
8  |  Ernst von Delius | 26 June 1937  | Nordschleife  | Antoniusbuche/Döttinger Höhe  | 1937 AIACR European Championship  | 1937 German Grand Prix | Auto-Union Type C
9  |  Alfred Morali | 7 Aug 1949  | Nordschleife  | Aremberg  | 1949 Großer Preis vom Nürburgring  | Practice  | Norton 500cc
10  |  Theodor Weißenberger | 11 June 1950[2] | Nordschleife  | Metzgesfeld  |  | 1950 Eifelrennen | BMW Veritas
11  |  Günther Schlüter | 20 Aug 1950  | Nordschleife  | Pflanzgarten  | 1950 German F3 Championship  | 1950 German Grand Prix | Scampolo 501 - DKW F3
12  |  Josef Hackenberg | 25 May 1952  | Nordschleife  |  | 1952 German Sportscar Championship  | 1952 Eifelrennen | BMW Veritas RS
13  |  Paul Kresser | 28 June 1953  | Südschleife/Zielschleife  |  | German Sidecar Championship  | 1953 Rund um das Bayerkreuz | BMW 500cc Sidecar
14  |  Onofre Marimón | 31 July 1954[3] | Nordschleife  | Adenau Bridge  | 1954 German Grand Prix | Practice  | Maserati 250F
15  |  Ricardo Galvagni | 25 June 1955  | Nordschleife  | Fuchsröhre  | 1955 German motorcycle Grand Prix | Practice  | 500cc Norton
16  |  Rudi Godin | 3 July 1955  | Nordschleife  | Pflanzgarten  |  | 1955 Rheinlandfahrt für Motorräder | 250cc Puch
17  |  Viktor Spingler | 28 Aug 1955  | Nordschleife  | Brünnchen  | 1955 German Sportscar GT Championship  | 1955 Internationales Rennen | Porsche 356
18  |  Bernhard Thiel | 19 April 1958  | Nordschleife  | Pflanzgarten  | 1958 German Rally Championship  | 1958 Rallye Hanseat | Borgward Isabella
19  |  Erwin Bauer | 3 June 1958  | Nordschleife  |  | 1958 FIA World Sport Car Championship  | 1958 ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring | Ferrari 250 TR
20  |  Peter Collins | 3 Aug 1958[4] | Nordschleife  | Pflanzgarten  | 1958 FIA Formula 1 World Championship | 1958 German Grand Prix | Ferrari Dino 246
21  |  Fausto Meyrat | 9 June 1959  | Nordschleife  | Kesselchen  | 1959 FIA World Sports Car Championship | 1959 ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring | DKW Auto Union RS 1080
22  |  Alfred Wohlgemuth | 30 April 1961[5] | Südschleife/Zielschleife  |  |  | 1961 Internationales Eifelrennen | BMW 500cc Sidecar
23  |  Dickie Dale | 30 April 1961  | Bocksberg  |  | 500cc Norton
24  |  Günter Strasburger | 30 Sep 1962  | Südschleife/Zielschleife  |  |  | 1962 ADAC Eifel-Pokal Rennen | BMW 500cc Sidecar
25  |  Michael Rader | 14 July 1963  | Nordschleife  | Schwedenkreuz  |  | 1963 Internationales Rennen | Alfa Romeo
26  |  Dieter Schmicking | 28 Sep 1963  | Südschleife/Zielschleife  |  | 1963 Junioren-Pokal  | Practice  |
27  |  Axel Klaska | 28 Sep 1963  |  | Practice  |
28  |  Brian Hetreed | 29 May 1964  | Nordschleife  | Bergwerk  | 1964 ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring | Practice  | Aston Martin DP214
29  |  Rudolf Moser  | 30 May 1964  | Nordschleife  | Antoniusbuche  | 1964 ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring | Practice  | Porsche 904 GTS
30  |  Carel Godin de Beaufort | 1 Aug 1964[6] | Nordschleife  | Bergwerk  | 1964 FIA Formula 1 World Championship | 1964 German Grand Prix | Porsche 718
31  |  Herbert Mandel | 25 Sep 1964  | Südschleife  | Müllenbach  | 1964 German Sidecar Championship | 1964 ADAC Eifelpokal-Rennen | BMW Sidecar 500cc
32  |  Honoré Wagner | 23 May 1965  | Nordschleife  | Kallenhardt  | International Championship for Makes  | 1964 ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring | Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ1
33  |  Manfred König | 24 Sep 1965  | Südschleife  | Müllenbach  | 1965 ADAC Eifelpokal-Rennen | 1965 Junioren-Pokal | BMW 500cc
34  |  John Taylor | 7 Aug 1966[7] | Nordschleife  | Flugplatz  | 1966 FIA Formula 1 World Championship | 1966 German Grand Prix | Brabham BT11
35  |  Ranier Dangel | 16 May 1967  | Nordschleife  |  |  | Regularity Trial  | Opel Kadett
36  |  Georges Berger | 23 Aug 1967  | Nordschleife  | Pflanzgarten  |  | 1967 Marathon de la Route | Porsche 911
37  |  Albertus Goedemans | 30 Aug 1968  | Nordschleife  | Antoniusbuche  | ADAC 500 km-Rennen  | Practice  | Abarth SP 1000
38  |  Gerhard Mitter | 1 Aug 1969[8] | Nordschleife  | Flugplatz/Schwedenkreuz  | 1969 FIA Formula 2  | Practice  | BMW 269 F2
39  |  Hans-Dieter Fröhle | 17 April 1970  | Nordschleife  | Schwedenkreuz  | ADAC 300 km Rennen  | Formula Vee ONS Cup | Volkswagen
40  |  Klein  | 18 April 1970  | Nordschleife  | Schwedenkreuz  | ADAC 300 km Rennen  | Practice  | Porsche GT
41  |  Robin Fitton | 2 May 1970  | Nordschleife  | Wippermann  | 1970 World Motor-Cycle Championship  | 1970 German motorcycle Grand Prix | 350cc Norton
42  |  Hans Laine | 30 May 1970  | Nordschleife  | Döttinger Höhe  | International Championship for Makes  | 1970 ADAC 1000 km of Nürburgring | Porsche 908
43  |  Herbert Schultze | 12 July 1970  | Nordschleife  | Hatzenbach  | FIA European Touring Car Championship | 1970 Nürburgring 6 Hour | Alfa Romeo GTA
44  |  Ulrich Ritkowski | 6 Sep 1970  | Nordschleife  |  | 1970 Junioren-Pokal  | 1970 Eifelpokalrennen | BMW 500cc
45  |  Herbert Mann | 16 Oct 1971  | Südschleife  |  | Mayener Rundstreckenrennen  | Practice  |
46  |  Erich Bertholdt | 17 Oct 1971  | Südschleife  | Müllenbachkurve  | Deutsche Strassenmeisterschaft  | Mayener Rundstreckenrennen  | 500cc Kawasaki
47  |  Rüdiger Schwietring | 6 Oct 1973  | Südschleife  | Bocksberg  | Meisterschaftslauf für Serien-Motorräder  | Sprintrunde  | Honda 750cc
48  |  Walter Czadek | 31 Aug 1975  | Nordschleife  | Döttinger Höhe  | 1975 FIA Worldchampionship GT Cars  | 1975 Internationales Rennen | BMW 2002 TI
49  |  Alex Wittwer | 2 April 1976  | Nordschleife  | Fuchsröhre  | 1976 FIA European Formula 3 Championship | Practice  | March 743 - Toyota F3
50  |  Heinz Behrentin | 3 July 1976  | Nordschleife  |  | 1976 German Reliability Championship  |  |
51  |  Ernst Raetz | 9 July 1976  | Nordschleife  | Flugplatz  | 1976 Großer Preis der Tourenwagen  | 1976 Formula Super Vee  | Volkswagen
52  |  Corrado Antonello | 16 June 1979  | Nordschleife  | Sudkurve  | 1979 8 Hours of Nürburgring  | 1979 Laverda Match Race  | Laverda
53  |  Herbert Müller | 24 May 1981  | Nordschleife  | Kesselchen  | 1981 FIA World Endurance Championship | 1981 ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring | Porsche 908 turbo
54  |  Jorma Nevala | 23 Aug 1981  | Zielschleife  | Pits Straight  | 1981 Deutsche Motorradmeisterschaft  | 1981 Deutsche Tourist Trophy |
55  |  Hans Michael Kolb | 10 May 1986  | GP-Strecke  |  | Deutsche Motorradmeisterschaft  |  |
56  |  Wolfgang Offermann | 26 July 1986  | Nordschleife  | Schwalbenschwanz  | VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft  |  | Opel Manta GTE
57  |  Karl-Josef Römer | 24 Oct 1986  | Nordschleife  | Döttinger Höhe  | VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft  | 1986 VLN – Langstreckenpokal  | Porsche Carrera SC
58  |  Wolfgang Scholz | 19 Sep 1998  | Nordscheli  | Breidscheid  | VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft  | 1998 VLN – Langstreckenpokal  | Volkswagen Golf GTI
59  |  Stefan Eickelmann | 10 Oct 1998  | Nordschleife  | Karussell  | VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft  | 1998 DMV-250-Meilen-Rennen | BMW M3 \- E36
60  |  Oliver Perschke | 25 July 1999  | GP-Strecke  | Castrol - S  | 1999 Deutsche Straßenmeisterschaft  |  |
61  |  Marc van de Brandeler | 5 Sep 1999  | Nordschleife  |  | FIA Ferrari Porsche Challenge  | 1999 Ferrari Porsche Challenge | Porsche 993
62  |  Carola Biehler | 12 Aug 2000  | Nordschleife/GP-Strecke  | Flugplatz/Schwedenkreuz  | VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft  | 2000 6 Hour Ruhr-Pokal Rennen | Ford Escort RS2000
63  |  Christian Peruzzi | 25 May 2001  | Nordschleife/GP-Strecke  | Schwedenkreuz/Aremberg  |  | 2001 ADAC 24 Hours Nürburgring | Alfa Romeo 147
64  |  Ulli Richter | 4 Aug 2001  | Nordschleife/GP-Strecke  | Döttinger Höhe  | 2001 VLN 6 Hour Ruhr-Pokal Rennen  | race lap 9  | Porsche 996 GT3
65  |  Karl-Heinz Deusch | 7 July 2002  | GP-Strecke  | Ford Curve  | 2002 Motor Racing Legends  | 2002 Oldtimer Festival | MG J12
66  |  Lutz Barthel | 27 June 2004  | GP-Strecke  | Hatzenbachbogen  | 2004 Motor Racing Legends  | 2004 Oldtimer Festival | BMW 328
67  |  Hansruedi Portmann | 27 Sep 2008  | Nordschleife/GP-Strecke  | Wehrseifen  | 2008 ADAC Classic Trophy  | 2008 ADAC Eifelrennen | Ford Mustang
68  |  Leo Löwenstein | 24 April 2010  | Nordschleife/GP-Strecke  | Bergwerk  | VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft  | 2010 ADAC ACAS H&R Cup  | Aston Martin V8 Vantage
69  |  Wolf Silvester | 22 June 2013  | Nordschleife/GP-Strecke  | Schwalbenschwanz  | VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft  | 44th Adenauer ADAC Simfy Trophy  | Opel Astra OPC

## List of fatal accidents involving spectators

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No  | Name  | Date  | Course  | Section  | Race  | Event  | Role

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1  |  Andy Gehrmann  | 28 March 2015  | Nordschleife/GP-Strecke  | Flugplatz  | VLN Endurance Championship | 61\. ADAC Westfalenfahrt  | Spectator

## List of fatal accidents involving race officials

[edit]

No  | Official  | Date  | Course  | Place  | Series  | Race  | Role

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1  |  Guenther Schneider | 6 Aug 1963  | Nordschleife  | Flugplatz  | FIA Formula 1 World Championship  | 1963 Großer Preis von Deutschland/ 1963 German Grand Prix | Red Cross Volunteer
2  |  Berdt Hackenbert | 23 April 1977  | Nordschleife  | Pflanzgarten  | VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft  | 1977 Internationale ADAC Ahr Eifel 5 Hours | Marshal
3  |  Klaus Bierth | 8 June 1979  | Nordschleife  | Pit-Lane Entrance  | VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft  | 1979 ADAC 4 Hour Großer Preis der Tourenwagen | Marshal

## List of fatal accidents during unofficial testing

[edit]

No  | Competitor  | Date  | Course  | Place  | Series  | Event  | Machine

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1  |  Hermann Schmitz  | 8 Oct 1936  | Nordschleife  | Karussell  | Daimler-Benz Racing School  | Private Test  | Mercedes-Benz 500K
2  |  Gustav Baumm  | 23 May 1955  | Nordschleife  | Wippermann  |  | Private Test  | Baumm - NSU 125cc
3  |  Erich Bode  | 20 June 1961  | Nordschleife  | Fuchsröhre  | German Formula Junior Championship  | Private Test  | Mitter - DKW
4  |  Hans-Dieter Blatzheim  | 14 June 1985  | GP-Strecke  | Castrol Esses  | Historic Sports Cars  | Private Test  | Porsche 917
5  |  Marc Theis  | 6 May 2002  | GP-Strecke  | Audi Chicane  | Formula König Championship  | Private Test  | Formula König
6  |  Christian Franck  | 9 August 2023  | Nordschleife  | Tiergarten  | GoodYear Tire private test  | Private Test  | Porsche 911 Carrera S[9]
7  | Unidentified

## Sources

[edit]

1. ^ The Chequered Flag - 100 Years of Motor Racing p122 by Ivan Rendall (1995) Media Eye Ltd Weidenfeld & Nicolson ISBN 0-297-83220-4
2. ^ P-47 Thunderbolt vs Bf 109G/K Europe 1943-45 by Martin Bowman p49 (2008) Osprey Publishing ISBN 1-84603-315-2
3. ^ The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who p245 by Steve Small (1994) Guinness Publishing Ltd ISBN 0-85112-702-9
4. ^ The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who p111 by Steve Small (1994) Guinness Publishing Ltd ISBN 0-85112-702-9
5. ^ German Racing Motorcycles by Mick Walker p77 RedLine Books ISBN 0-9531311-2-2
6. ^ The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who p48 by Steve Small (1994) Guinness Publishing Ltd ISBN 0-85112-702-9
7. ^ The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who p378 by Steve Small (1994) Guinness Publishing Ltd ISBN 0-85112-702-9
8. ^ The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who p256 by Steve Small (1994) Guinness Publishing Ltd ISBN 0-85112-702-9
9. ^ Bell, Sebastien (August 10, 2023). "Two Killed In High-Speed Crash During Industry Testing At Nurburgring". Carscoops. Retrieved February 11, 2024.