50 years ago, the farewell to Formula 1’s longest circuit.

Nürburgring, spanning 22.8 km, made a grim exit from the Formula 1 calendar following the German GP on August 1, 1976. A horrific crash involving Niki Lauda’s Ferrari brought the race to a halt and left the driver with lifelong scars. Showcasing immense resilience, Lauda made his comeback just 40 days later at Monza.

The crash permanently eliminated the circuit from F1. Even before practice sessions, Lauda had issued severe warnings regarding safety, arguing that the sheer length of the track prevented organizers from providing ideal conditions for the race. Indeed, following a suspension failure, his Ferrari slammed into the barriers at 200 km/h and rebounded onto the track in pieces. The impact caused his helmet to fly off and ruptured the fuel tank, igniting a fiery blaze. Lauda spent over a minute inhaling toxic smoke. Had it not been for the quick intervention of fellow drivers Arturo Merzario and Harald Ertl, he would not have survived. Medical staff arrived shortly after. The race was restarted about two hours later and ended with James Hunt taking the victory in a McLaren, followed by Jody Scheckter in a Tyrrell and Jochen Mass in a McLaren. Brazilian José Carlos Pace finished 4th in a Brabham.

Nürburgring hosted the F1 German GP from 1951 until 1976, when it was closed down and underwent a major overhaul, reducing the layout to 4.5 km. Today, utilized for endurance racing, it measures 5.1 km.

Between 1951 and 1976, the races were long and grueling. In 1954, for instance, during Juan Manuel Fangio’s victory with Mercedes, the race distance was 501.8 km and it only concluded after 3h45min—unthinkable figures for modern F1. Another downside was for the spectators, as races from 1968 onwards featured a mere 14 laps. Fangio and Jackie Stewart, with 3 victories each, were the most successful drivers at the track during this era.

Nürburgring only welcomed F1 back in 1984, when Alain Prost won the European GP on the newly shortened 4.5 km layout. In this ‘modern’ era, Michael Schumacher established himself as the ultimate master of the track, boasting 6 first-place finishes. Rubens Barrichello claimed victory in 2002.

The only road circuit longer than Nürburgring was Pescara, in Italy, boasting a 25.5 km layout, deactivated since 1961 due to safety concerns. The track, however, hosted a single F1 race in 1957, which saw Stirling Moss take the win in a Vanwall.