During a practice session, Fangio ( the reigning World Champion) returned to the pits and complained to the team that his Mercedes-Benz W196 (or 300 SLR) was not set up properly and was behaving poorly on the track.

Uhlenhaut (driving engineer for Mercedes-Benz, and the father of Mercedes-Benz 300 SL) fresh from an executive lunch and still dressed in a full suit and tie, climbed into Fangio's race car.

 He went out onto the notoriously demanding Nürburgring and turned in a lap 3 seconds faster than the reigning World Champion's time.

 "the gentlemen should practice more" was his comment afterwards...

https://petrolicious.com/blogs/articles/the-mercedes-engineer-that-was-too-good-to-race

all stories like this should be gathered in one book, about the funny things said and done in the racing world for the past 120 years

the fastest lap for an American OEM on the Nordschleife has now been set by the Ford GT Mk IV, and it set a lap at 6:15.977 (thank you Dale! ) So, the only competition, is what, a Corvette? Cadillac doesn't have a factory race car anymore, do they?

So, yes, unlimited funding and engineering expertise can make a winner. Ford proved that in 65 with the GT 40s beating all competition at Le Mans. 

But, does it really mean anything useful? So, Ford can build a race car... what, that's supposed to be news? or some accomplishment? 

A track-only vehicle classified in the prototype category — is the fastest car currently available for purchase, to lap Nürburgring . 

It's cheaper to buy a race car that can get around it faster, that's something I'm pretty sure of...

Ford has a production schedule for 67 of these, I'm guessing 2/3rds of them are going to be investment only purchases, never taken to a track, and flipped in less than 5 years. 

https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2026/ford-gt-mk-iv-nurburgring-record

when the hybrid, all-wheel drive ZR1X lapped the 'Ring in 6:49.275, it became the fastest ever lap by an American production vehicle, as well as the fastest completed by any non-professional race car driver and the fifth-best overall.

Fast forward to today, and two Mustang GTD - one blue, one black - were turned loose at the Nürburgring. 

Though official scoring and timing results aren't available, outside timing indicates that they both beat the times set by the Corvette's best. 

The black Mustang GTD was clocked at 6:41.74, while the blue one came home at 6:45.71.

Though these are not official results, until official results are posted that irrefutably prove contrary, (not likely) the Ford Mustang GTD has put the Vette to shame.

https://fordauthority.com/2026/03/ford-mustang-gtd-duo-may-have-just-beaten-chevy-at-the-nurburgring-video

How to completely destroy your racing Beemer

https://dailytimewaster.blogspot.com/2025/12/bob-will-never-forget-his-first-trip.html

Nice to know that a track only EV race car with 2000hp, a track only space frame chassis, and a fake van silhouette, is only as fast as a stock Porsche GT3 with 1/4 the hp.

 https://www.facebook.com/motor1com/posts/pfbid0cuibTuMcsJQRXbzXr6tzT6QVEBhtropbbz87sx8SLz3b5P3w73uPkuT5BFrT3pFAl

https://www.motor1.com/news/769429/ford-supervan-ev-nurburgring-lap-time/

IKA Torino from Argentina at Nurburgring

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1328919192262578&set=pcb.1328805065607324

Chevy took it personally when the Mustang GTD became the first American car to break the 7-minute barrier at the Nurburgring.... but they needed a prototype Corvette to do it.

 So, here are the times for the fastest cars at the 'Ring

Mercedes AMG One – 6:29.090 (Super Sports Car)

Porsche 911 GT2 RS Manthey Performance Kit – 06:43.300 (Sports Car)

Porsche 911 GT2 RS MR – 6:44.749 (Modified Vehicles)

Mercedes AMG GT Black Series – 6:48.047 (Sports Car)

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X – 6:49.275 (Prototypes / Pre-Production Vehicles)

Porsche 911 GT3 RS – 6:49.328 (Sports Car)

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 – 6:50.763 (Prototypes / Pre-Production Vehicles)

Ford Mustang GTD – 6:52.072 (Sports Car)

https://www.thedrive.com/news/chevy-corvette-zr1x-and-zr1-both-beat-the-mustang-gtds-nurburgring-record

comparison, a vivid way to appreciate performance. And the best way to compare racing times, is at the 'Ring

the 2017 Honda Civic FK8 Type R shattered the existing Nürburgring Nordschleife front-wheel-drive lap record six months after the VW Golf GTI Clubsport S set it; Honda’s time was 7:43.80

A 996-generation Porsche 911 GT3 RS—with racing legend Walter Rörhl driving—laid down a lap of 7:43

That's shocking

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/2017-civic-type-r-sets-7-43-80-fwd-nurburgring-record-video.10679/page-2#post-183805

https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/the-civic-type-r-now-holds-the-fwd-nurburgring-lap-record.html

https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/the-25-most-memorable-cars-of-the-last-25-years

A GT3 RS Porsche passed a BMW on the inside of a curve on the Nurburgring and became one fireball, both drivers lived

 

As you can see from the Porsche’s onboard footage, it comes up on the BMW where it would have been a little tough to catch the speeding car in the rearview. 

The BMW probably didn’t see the Porsche at all.

When the Porsche went for the inside pass, it looks the BMW went for the same line, sending both vehicles into the barriers.

Maybe the BMW didn’t realize they had a car behind them at that particular moment, and the Porsche should have waited for a safer place to pass.

But, at the 'Ring? Isn't it just obvious that there is ALWAYS a faster car behind you? Seriously!!

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=717212990927954&set=pcb.717213024261284
https://www.thedrive.com/news/a-porsche-and-bmw-became-one-fireball-on-the-nurburgring-and-both-drivers-lived

Porsche just sent the new 2025 911 GT3 Weissach Package (992.2 generation) with a manual transmission around the Nürburgring. It only took them 8 years to break the Viper ACR's lap time

the official lap time is 6:56.294

That’s 3.7 seconds faster than the previous PDK-equipped GT3, and 9.5 seconds faster than the former record-holder for manuals, making the new GT3 the fastest stick-shift production car ever around the ‘Ring.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/2025-porsche-911-gt3-is-now-the-fastest-manual-production-car-ever-around-the-nurburgring

the Ford Mustang GTD recently became the very 1st vehicle from an American brand to complete a lap at the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes, posting a 6:57:685 – the 5th-fastest of any stock production sports car at the track.

https://fordauthority.com/2025/02/ford-mustang-gtd-buyers-must-maintain-ownership-for-two-years-exclusive/

So, for 3 times the cost of a Corvette, you can get a Ford that only slightly outperforms the Vette

the Mustang GTD is the first car from an American brand to complete a lap at the Nürburgring in under seven minutes. 6:57.685

Mustang GTD is only the sixth stock, production sports car to complete an officially certified sub-seven-minute lap and the fifth fastest in the production sports car class according to the Nürburgring's records

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2024/12/10/mustang-gtd-laps-nuerburgring-faster-than-any-car-from-an-americ.html

ever heard of the Old Timers Gp? It's an annual event at the 'Ring, a lot like Goodwood's Members Meeting

https://www.carandclassic.com/magazine/belmot-oldtimer-gp-is-this-germanys-answer-to-goodwood-revival/

thank you Kim!

Willi Kauhsen took the President of the Federal Republic of Germany for a ride on the Ring in 1973, without a seatbelt, in the snow

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=6835830603181177&set=gm.2350927118433858&idorvanity=527146584145263

in Germany today

 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10229362747998994&set=gm.5555145704538506&idorvanity=507045602681900

1930s Gran Prix racing around the world with the fastest cars of the 1930s, mostly the Auto Union Silver Arrows, plus midget racing, and Indianapolis

 

this is easier to watch on You Tube, which formats the movie properly, far larger than this

a full size Dodge on the ring is probably not a common sight, and it sounds terrific

 

Racing at Nurburgring from 1927 to 1952 covered in 15 minute compilation

https://www.bpvideolibrary.com/record/119

I've been wondering what the Stig has been doing... and he's been busy racing tuk tuks on the Nurburgring.

when he brought it to Germany from Thailand, the engine broke, so he rebuilt it with pistons from a Koenigsegg, and then made this record setting lap.

Of course he did... he's the Stig!

https://www.jokamies.fi/nurburgringilla-tehtiin-jalleen-uusi-kierrosennatys-radan-kiertaminen-kolmipyoraisella-tuk-tukilla-kesti-vajaat-32-minuuttia/

it took this Hellcat driver 8 minutes to CATCH UP to a Focus on the Ring... damn, those little Fords haul ass!

https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/96os90/hellcat_on_the_nurburgring/