Going Round the 'Ring

Strong sunshine was lending vibrancy to the colours in the paddock - flags hanging limp in the light breeze, surfaces reflecting brightly and hardly a cloud in the sky. Long shadows spread across the grey of the track as the teams prepared for an 08:30 start. Warm-up came early on Sunday morning.

Warm Up

Perhaps because of the venue, or maybe the sight of three near-identical Aston Martin Lolas poised at the exit of the pitlane, triple-banked headlights ablaze, but Sunday's warm-up managed to engender some sense of Le Mans in miniature. Thirty-eight cars is a very good grid, especially under current economic conditions, and the sight of all those cars streaming out onto the Nurburgring tarmac was a stirring sight.

Typical German efficiency, and the lights turned green at exactly half-eight, and the three Astons were leading the way . . . although only as far as the first corner, where Darren Turner managed to spin the #009! That was no real issue, well, not for anyone else, but when he attempted to rejoin the track, he thrashed out amid a cloud of tyre smoke right across the front of Tommy in the RML Lola; the Brazilian leaving the pitlane in mid-field.

This excitement aside, it was a pretty routine start to the session. Tommy's first flyer was a 1:54.107, and placed him just behind a revitalised #33 Speedy Team Sebah Lola, Jonny Kane taking out the re-built car for the morning shakedown. Tommy followed that with a 1:49.107 to be fifth quickest overall, albeit in a session where times are really of little importance. However, it was a fair indication that all was well with the RML Lola Mazda, and he could hand over mid-way through the session to Mike Newton.

Another 1:49 lap revealed what may well be typical race-pace for the RML Lola, narrowly lapping faster than Miguel Amaral in the pole-sitting ASM Ginetta-Zytek, although the Portuguese Count would subsequently post a slightly quicker time, but not until after Tommy had pitted for the driver change.

Mike's out-lap included a couple of dusty moments through the Mercedes Complex, but he was soon into his rhythm, and lapping in the low one-fifties - a 1:51.58 being his first meaningful time before the chequered flag brought the session to a close, just as one of the Aston's nurfed down the side of the #72 Corvette, ripping away the front right wing and door. Not work any team needed this morning. Mike's work wasn't yet finished, however, as he and Tommy executed a text-book simulated driver change to wrap up the session.

In LMP1 there was no repeat of Aston's front-row lockout. Indeed, the three Gulf-liveried cars had been lapping very conservatively . . . excepting Turner's first-corner pirouette and the final door-banging session down the back straight . . . and fastest overall until the dying moments was Danny Watts in the Strakka Ginetta-Zytek. A final push by Nicolas Prost then moved the #13 Speedy Sebah Aston through to the top of the screens.

LMP2 Warm-Up

The late-morning publication of the official grid and list of designated starting drivers revealed several changes that affected RML's position ahead of the start.

Four LMP2 cars had been penalised following qualifying. The #33 Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola, which caused the yellow flags that disrupted the dying moments of the session, was sent to the back of the grid after fitting four new tyres. The #30 Racing Box Lola and both Oak Racing Pescarolos, numbers 24 and 35, were each issued with a ten-place demotion following the fitting of new engines. Three GT cars were also penalised for fitting replacement engines. As a result, Tommy and the RML Lola Mazda would line up on the sixth row, third in LMP2.

The rest of the morning followed the usual routine, with the engineers busy final-fettling the car while AD Group's guests were given guided tours of the garage by Director of Worldwide Marketing, Pauline Norstrom (above).

Fortunately, the warm-up had gone well, and both drivers expressed their satisfaction with the handling and performance of the car, so the mechanics were not faced by any last-minute need for changes.

Around the back of the garage, the wheels fitted for warm-up were being washed down and cleaned (right), while the tyres that had been used were scraped clean of the pickup collected during the twenty-minute session and readied for the race.

The drivers took part in a particularly well-attended Autograph Session, perched at tables alongside the front of the truck. The weekend has been very well supported by the public, and the grandstands around the Nürburgring reflected the enormous following that motorsport enjoys in Germany. Official figures for the Algarve race at the end of July claim 30,000 spectators. Although this seem hardly credible, but the turnout at the Nurburgring might not have been far short.

The Race

Race coverage was created "live", and then driver quotes and additional observations added later. This process can lead to some inconsistency with tenses, for which we apologise in advance.

Race Start

12:18
The grid is being cleared now as the drivers are strapped into their seats and the additional personnel leave the area. The conditions are near-perfect after a morning of intense sunshine, and there have been no major incidents during the support race programme, so the track surface remains much as it did for this morning's warm-up - save a bit warmer. 1000 Kilometres lie ahead of the 28 starting cars, or 195 laps of the track.

12:24
The pace car moves off from the head of the grid, followed progressively by the whole grid.

Stirring music is blaring out across the circuit - sounding something rather like the theme used for the Rugby World Cup. Everyone moves off smoothly. Tommy occupies third in LMP2 after the changes to the grid, and has Phillip Peter immediately in front of him, and Filippo Francioni in the #30 Racing Box Lola behind (above and left).

12:29 RACE START
One minute ahead of time, and the race is off!

Pole setter Stefan Mucke heads the pack, and no obvious changes at the head of the field. Similarly, LMP2 moves through the awkward first corner without incident, and everyone emerges on the other side in grid order.

12:30
The first lap completed, and Tommy moves through to second in class, diving under Peter in the #41 GAC Zytek into the first corner at the start of lap two.

12:32
End of lap two and Mucke has pulled out a three second lead overall, and the field is starting the spread out. Olivier Pla has yet to establish any meaningful advantage over Erdos, second in LMP, and the two are currently matching times. Peter, however, is slipping further back and is now under intense pressure from Francioni in the Racing Box Lola.

12:34
Pla has eased through into 9th overall, getting the better of Boullion in the #16 Pescarolo, who had a terrible lap and has slipped back from 5th after a 1:53 lap. That's effectively introduced a buffer between the ASM Quifel #40 car and Erdos, in the #25 RML Lola. Less than a second separates the third and fourth-placed cars.

12:36
Pla's brief moment of glory is over, and Boullion has recovered his composure and also the position, so it's 10th overall for Pla, heading Erdos by four seconds. Peter and Francioni remain tightly joined, while fifth is currently Lahaye in the #35.

12:40
The front half of the grid is very neatly arrayed, with the top nine positions occupied by LMP1 cars, and then ten through to 22 being LMP2, with the exception of the Lavaggi 19th overall mixing the blend. After what may have been a conservative start, Pla is beginning to establish the expected class lead, and has a generous five-second lead over Erdos.

A further six seconds separate the RML Lola from the GAC Zytek in fourth, but less than a second secures the Swiss car's position over the first of the Racing Box Lolas (right).

12:42
After four laps of intense pressure, Peter finally gives way to the inevitable, and Francioni moves through to take class fourth for Racing Box. Elsewhere, LPM2 appears much as expected, with most cars still in start-order.

12:44
The Quifel ASM Ginetta Zytek continues to stretch its lead, and now enjoys nine seconds over Tommy Erdos, and the gap continues to grow. The red, white and blue Lola sits in somewhat splendid isolation just at present, having established a four-second lead over Francioni, now in third. Peter's woes continue as Matthieu Lahaye continues to make impressive progress from his demoted starting position, and is through to fourth.

12:48
The LMP2 cars are now mixing it with some of the tail-enders and gaps are fluctuating as the faster cars negotiate their way through. Pla had a better run on that last lap and has extended his lead to fourteen seconds, whereas a difficult pass delayed Erdos and allowed Francioni to close to within three seconds - the blue and line-green of the Lola chasing just visible above.

12:50
The GAC Zytek continues to fall backwards through the field, and is now five seconds adrift of Lahaye, who is currently circulating amongst quickest in the class. Erdos endures another slow-ish lap, and then Lahaye moves through to third in class, passing Francioni.

12:52
Coming into the LMP2 frame after starting from the very back of the grid. Jonny Kane has made a meteoric rise through the ranks and has already reached sixth in class, and his next target is the troubled Philipp Peter. Overall, it remains an Aston Martin one-two-three, and Strakka's Danny Watts fourth.

12:54
Tommy's encountered some handling issues and the #35 Oak Racing Pescarolo has closed right onto the tail of the RML Lola.

12:56
The battle for second in LMP2 is one of the closest now throughout the race, and Erdos is finding it hard to defend against the relentless attention of the purple and plum Pescarolo.

12:58
As the pair negotiate the mid-field, Tommy manages to get the fairly speedy Luc Alphand Corvette in between himself and Lahaye, and can breathe easier for a few seconds, but the Oak Pescarolo is soon back and on the case once again. The Pegasus Racing Courage goes for a spin.

13:00
Olivier Pla, blissfully ignorant of the duel behind him, has marched through to a twenty-second lead in LMP2. That duel is about to be joined by a third player in the form of Francioni, who has started to close back down on the Oak Pescarolo. Before long this will become a threesome.

There is a thrilling battle going on for second place in GT2. Pierre Kaffer has been defending hard in the hankook Ferrari, with Marc Lieb diving from one side to the other as he tries to find a way through.

13:05
For a while, status seems to have been re-established in LMP2, as Erdos heads Lahaye by two seconds, with Francioni third by a further four seconds. Jonny Kane has closed steadily on Peter for fourth, and the gap has narrowed to just seven seconds. After a handful of personal best laps from Tristan Gommendy, the WR Salini is the first P2 car to make a pitstop from sixth. It seems early, so may not be scheduled, and although brief, costs the #37 car four places.

13:10
Olivier Pla continues to make majestic progress at the head of the class, stretching his margin over Tommy to 25 seconds. The Brazilian maintains his grip on second, and appears to have overcome the earlier issues that cost him so much time, and is now matching Lahaye lap for lap, or indeed pulling slightly away. Just a heartbeat behind, Francioni has closed back down on Lahaye.

13:15
Pla is onto his 25th lap and has yet to be passed by the race leaders, and there are sis in the pitlane that teams are anticipating the routine arrival of their cars for fuel. The Lavaggi is in the pits, and staying there.

13:17 PITSTOP (Erdos in the car. Fuel only)
Tommy Erdos is the first LMP2 car to make a pitstop. It's a brief stop for fuel only, as the RML Lola is double-stinting its Michelins. This could save as much as 25 seconds on a pitstop and that's a vast amount to recover on track. The stop costs a total of 51 seconds, entry to exit. Matthieu Lahaye moves through to second in LMP2, followed by Francioni and the other leading group. Danny Watts is the first P1 driver to pit in the Strakka Racing GZ09S, similarly on Michelins, and also double-stinting them.

13:20
Francioni is second to pit in LMP2, followed swiftly by the #43 (19th overall) and the #28 (20th)

13:22
Olivier Pla pits the class leading ASM Quifel Ginetta Zytek. Fuel only, and 56 seconds - five seconds lost in the pits to RML. Next through is the #41 GAC Zytek from fourth. All these pitstops will take some time to filter down through the order, so it's hard to determine exactly where everyone lies, but the RML pitstop is currently the fastest achieved by any team.

13:24
Lahaye pits from the inherited lead of the class in the #35 Oak pescarolo, and Jonny Kane goes through to take first place in LMP2 . . . from last. He celebrates with his fastest lap of the race so far; 1:48.750. With the exception of the #33 Lola and the #38 Pegasus Racing Courage, everyone in LMP2 has pitted.

13:30
Oak Racing appears to have been the only P2 leading contender to take on tyres at that last stop, and the decision has cost them some 40 seconds, so all Lahaye's hard work was effectively for nothing. With Jonny Kane now having pitted, the order is reaffirmed as: Olivier Pla leading for ASM Quifel by 35 seconds from Tommy Erdos, second for RML. Third is the aforementioned Kane, with Filippo Francioni fourth, but by a margin of just four seconds. Fifth is the #35 Oak Racing Pescarolo, but Lahaye is another half-minute back down the rack. Sixth place is currently occupied by the #37 WR Salini Zytek, but enjoys only a narrow buffer over Thomas Biagi in the second Racing Box Lola, eighth.

Hour 2 (13:30:14:30)

13:31
The #16 Pescarolo has pulled into the garage. The car is currently the championship leader, so it's vital that the team gets the car back out and racing again as soon as possible. In terms of the race overall, the #007 Aston Martin Lola continues to lead from its sister car, the #009, and third place is occupied by the Speedy Sebah Lola #13, and fourth for Strakka, so no change there since the start an hour ago.

13:39
Confirmation that the Pescarolo's problem is gearbox and terminal.

13:40
Olivier Pla has passed the #008 Aston for 8th overall. Erdos is in tenth, and plus 32 seconds over Jonny Kane. The #33 driver has just five seconds on Francioni in the similar Racing Box Lola. The gap back to the #35 Oak Pescarolo is a massive 34 seconds, bearing in mind the #35 car was fighting Erdos for second only half an hour ago.

13:43
A massive "off" for the #15 Kolles Audi after contact with a GT2 Porsche on the entry to the back straight The Audi is thrown airborne before slapping down hard into the gavel, and then sliding backwards into the tyre wall. Mondini clambers out of the car, removes his gloves and stomps off behind the barriers. The position is awkward, and could lead to a safety car. There is debris strewn across the circuit and amid the gravel. The GT2 car involved, the #91 Ferrari, makes it to the pits for repairs and rejoins.

13:47
The loss of the Audi moves everyone up a position, so it's into the top-ten for RML's Lola Mazda. Erdos puts a lap onto the #24 Oak Racing Pescarolo as he begins his 44th lap.

13:50
A tight little tussle has developed for 6th in LMP2 between Gommendy in the #37 WR Salini, and Thomas Biagi in the #30 Racing Box Lola. It is possibly only a matter of time before those two swap places.

Having briefly declared a "green flag" situation at Turn 13, where the Audi went off, the official screens are now showing a full-course yellow. Despite this declaration, there are no visible signs of any flags actually being waved!

13:55
The situation in LMP2 remains largely unchanged, although their have been some detail fluctuations. Olivier Pla leads comfortably by forty seconds from Thomas Erdos. Jonny Kane (#33) remains third, but well back, some half-minute in arrears. Fourth is Francioni, by another twenty seconds, and then the #35 Oak Pescarolo.

13:59
The #30 Racing Box Lola has spun off at Turn 8. Biagi had been battling hard with the WR, but when the latter made its second pitstop (the first was early too) he'd moved through to sixth and appeared comfortable. Down at the bottom end of the LMP2 field, the #26 Bruichladdich Radical has had a torrid opening hour, and is languishing in 34th overall, having lost seven laps through some (as yet unidentified) issue.

14:07 PITSTOP (Erdos out, Newton in. Fuel and Tyres)
The #43 Q8 Lucchini spins i the middle of the Mercedes Complex as Tommy snicks right and enters the pitlane for the RML Lola's second scheduled pitstop. As before, the Mazda-powered car is the first of the LMP2 cars to makes its scheduled pitstop. This time its the full monty, with fuel, tyres and driver-change to Mike Newton. It's a 1:28 pitstop, which is one of the quickest yet.

14:10
A coming-together between the #24 Oak Pescarolo and the #37 WR Salini very nearly catches the race leaders. The LMP2 cars recover and continue, but it was hairy for a moment.

14:15
After the pitstop, the RML Lola has re-joined in fourth place, but there may be a problem, as the Lola is being trailed by a haze of what appears to be oil.

14:17 PITSTOP (Newton in. Fuel and Garage)
The RML Lola returns to the pitlane, just as Belicchi brings in the #13 Speedy Lola Aston from third overall. The RML crew are attending to the car in the garage, engine cover off.

14:18
Francioni and the Racing Box Lola #29 is the next LMP2 runner to make a second routine pitstop. Olivier Pla continues his inexorable run, and is holding 6th overall before he too pits, but so massive is his advantage over Jonny Kane that he'll most likely retain the class lead. No, it's a driver change with Miguel Amaral, and the #40 Ginetta-Zytek slots in just behind Jonny Kane.

14:22
The #43 Q8 Oils Lucchini coasts to a halt at the entrance to the pitlane. The RML Lola is still in the garage, and tumbling down the order. The team's luck simply won't hold this year. There's now a steady stream of LMP2 runners through the pitlane.

14:28
Coming through to end the second hour of the race and Jonny Kane's impressive run from the back of the grid continues, with the #33 Speedy Sebah Lola heading LMP2 by more than 20 seconds, but yet to make his second stop. He's circulating significantly quicker than Amaral in the ASM Ginetta-Zytek, second, and also has a three-second pace advantage over Ceccato in the #29 Racing Box Lola, third.

Mike Newton and the RML Lola Mazda remain static in the pit garage, and from a strong contender for the class have slipped to 27th overall, and heading for the nether-regions of the race.

Hour 3 (14:30:15-30)

14:35
Jonny Kane pits from he lead in LMP2 and hands over to Leuenberger. Amaral moves through to regain the class lead. All have now made their second stops and Ceccato is third (#29) with the WR Salini #37 fourth and Bobbi fifth (#30 Racing Box Lola). The #24 Oak Pescarolo holds sixth from its sister car, the #35 still having transponder problems, so no indication who's driving.

14:43 RETIREMENT
Word comes through from the garage that the RML Lola Mazda is a retirement, with yet another engine failure. It is hard to credit that a team that won the class at Le Mans two years on the trot, picked up the Le Mans Series title in 2007, and was one of the leading non-Porsche competitors in LMP2 in 2008, is now finding it so difficult just to finish a six-hour race. While the Mazda-powered Lolas in the States can usually complete the much shorter ALMS races, the similar chassis in Europe can perform on pace, but seemingly can't go the distance.

The Oak Racing Pescarolos run the same basic unit, and have both suffered ten-position penalties this weekend through the need to replace engines. German outfit Kruse Schiller Motorsport confirmed only last week that they have withdrawn their Mazda-powered Lola B07/86 from the season's remaining races, but it is also understood that the expectation that the car cannot finish the race was a deciding factor. It must be unbelievably frustrating for all the teams involved.

14:56
A frightening situation has developed on the final corner, where the WR Salini, with Stephane Salini himself at the wheel, spins out. Salini struggles to straighten up and ends up nose-on to the barrier, seemingly unable to find reverse. The recovery vehicle is sent out to tow him clear, but he manages to get the gear he needs, eases back into a gap, and drives off just as the recovery vehicle reaches him. The car appears to have problems anyway, but it is still at least moving.

We will continue with our race coverage for those following the 1000 Kilometres at Nurburgring, knowing that there's nothing to be added to RML's position until an official statement, which won't be made until after the race.

15:00
Time to consider the lower-order in LMP2. The aforementioned WR Salini had been fighting well for fourth, but as a result of Stephane's incident, has dropped well back, but still holds fifth from the #35 Oak Pescarolo, 12th and 13th overall respectively. Seventh is the second Oak car, the #24, but by a mere three seconds. Eighth is the #41 GAC Zytek, with Philipp Peter back in the cockpit and readily defending a thirteen second lead over the #28 Ibanez Racing Courage, 17th overall. The similar but brightly-coloured Pegasus Racing Courage rounds up the ten meaningful positions in LMP2, 18th overall.

15:10
Things have settled down in LMP2 to such extent that minor incidents, like another spin for the #43 Q8 Oils car, become highlights worthy of recording. When Hein sets a new fastest lap for the the #24 Pescarolo (1:51.016) it's another defining moment.

15:15
The third-placed overall #13 Speedy Sebah Lola is in for a pitstop, but the car fails to fire up after refuelling, and Nicolas Prost sits helplessly while the team struggle to find a spare battery.

Hour 4 (15:30:16-30)

15:33
Into the fourth hour and LMP2 has rumbled along largely in copybook style - each lap largely a copy of the last - but things looked about to change, but it was an illusion brought on by the different fuel-stop strategy being operated by the Speedy Sebah Racing for their #33 car. The ASM Quifel Ginetta-Zytek had (has?) been running 7th overall, and comfortably leading the second prototype category, even after having made a third pitstop. For a while the gap shrunk to a mere four seconds, with Benjamin Leuenberger having picked up the baton so effectively grasped for the first two stints by Jonny Kane. That all changed when Leuenberger pitted at 15:37 for what should have been a routine stop, but as it has in several past races, the Speedy car refused to re-start. Luenberger battled to fire up Judd, but without immediate success.

15:42
Ceccato spins the second-placed #29 Racing Box Lola on the exit of the final corner, right in front of Nick Leventis and Frank Mailleux, battling for 5th, and Matteo Bobbi slips the #30 Lola through into second in LMP2. The Speedy Sebah Lola is still pit-bound.

15:46
The battle for fifth is resolved. Mailleux passes Leventis at the first corner. A few moments later the leader, Jan Charouz, has to brake the #007 Aston Lola suddenly to avoid a GT2 Ferrari that was attempting to regain the track, and spins.

15:52
The #14 Audi pits from third place overall, allowing Stuart Hall in the #008 Lola Aston Martin through to third place, making it a factory 1-2-3 for AMR.

15:54
The #24 Oak Racing Pescarolo is back into the pits, and it's ahead of schedule for Richard Hein, but there doesn't appear to be a problem, and he's swiftly back out on track again.

16:00
The faultless run from the ASM Quifel outfit continues apace. The Ginetta-Zytek has not appeared to miss a beat in four-and-a-half hours of hard racing, and Miguel Amaral, who must be nearing the end of a solid middle-stint, leads the class by the best part of a lap from the first of the Racing Box Lolas, Ceccato in the #29 having got back ahead of Bobbi in the #30. Amaral's pace, typically around 1:52, is only marginally slower than Mailleux, back in 6th again in the LMP1 Signature Plus Oreca after a determined and much improved final half-hour from Leventis in the Strakka Racing Ginetta-Zytek to recover 5th.

16:10
The LMP1 runners are going through their fourth pitstops - Watts back in the Strakka car, but the three Astons untroubled in the first three places.

16:12
Thomas Biagi makes what is probably the first of the routine fourth pitstops for the LMP2 cars. It's fuel, tyres and a driver change, with Andrea Piccini into the Lola and back out in fourth.

16:18
Danny Watts, in his first flying lap, sets a new fastest lap for the #23 Strakka Racing Ginetta-Zytek of 1:44.272, and in doing so establishes a new fastest third sector outright.

16:20
The second Racing Box Lola is into the pitlane for its fourth scheduled stop. Two minutes later, and it's the leader's turn, Amaral out and Olivier Pla back into the cockpit. He returns to the track still leading LMP2, but losing overall position to the blisteringly quick Danny Watts, who's now closing on Mailleux.

16:26
Darren Turner takes Thomas Enge for the overall lead, just as Andrea Piccini sets a new fastest lap for the #30 Racing Box Lola of 1:49.836. It's only his second flying lap. Of the leading group in LMP2, only the #35 Oak Pescarolo has yet to stop . . . although a failed transponder means we have no idea who's driving.

16:29
The #35 Oak pits from third in LMP2. Both Piccinis are now in their respective Lolas, and each is consistently lapping quicker than just about everyone else in P2, except Pla, of course. Andrea, in the #30, posts an improved PB of 1:49.800, only to be outdone moments later by his brother Giacomo in the #29, with a 1:48.960. This sibling rivalry is yet to manifesting itself on track, though, as the two cars are separated by just over a lap.

Hour 5 (16:30:17-30)

Everyone in LMP2 has completed their fourth routine pitstops. The #33 Speedy Sebah Lola is back out on track, with Benjamin Leuenberger setting a cracking pace as he endeavours to recover some of the lost ground. Still no news on what delayed the Lola, but it cost the team at least ten laps.

16:44
The WR Salini has a problem with the front-right wheel, where the tyre is fouling the front bodywork. The incident appeared to arise as he came through the final chicane, and smoke erupted from the wheelarch as passed the pitlane entry. He'll have to complete a full lap before he can have the issue addressed. It appears to be a collapsed front suspension. Salini struggles back to the pits.

16:53
Disaster for Strakka! Having risen through to 5th, Danny Watts has spun off on the run down towards the Ford Kurve and hit the Armco on both sides of the track. It's a hard knock at both ends of the car, and there's no way he'll get that back to the pits. He climbs out of the car, calmly removing his gloves, and then removes his hans device before disappearing behind the barriers. It had been such a promising run from the privateer squad, and fourth overall was certainly within their grasp.

17:00
With the demise of the Strakka Ginetta-Zytek, Olivier Pla moves through to 5th overall, having also passed Mailleux in the Signature Plus Oreca. The Piccini brothers remain second and third for Racing Box, with the driverless #35 Oak Racing Pescarolo fourth, tenth overall. Two more LMP2 cars have run largely trouble-free races; the #24 Oak, 64 seconds behind its twin, and the #41 GAC Zytek in a class sixth and 12th overall. With a couple of notable exceptions - RML being one of them, of course - it's been a generally strong showing from LMP2.

Apologies for the lack of further coverage, but duty to the team called. A quick review of the final ninety minutes will follow later, as well as driver comments from Mike and Tommy, and thoughts for the future.

Following the Action

Radio Le Mans covered the Nurburgring 1000 Kilometres live on the Internet, and on local FM (108.0), from the start of first practice on Friday. Click the button below to access "podcasts" of the main action from Germany, including a re-run of the race coverage and post-race comment.