Nicky Catsburg admits that the Nürburgring Nordschleife, host to this weekend’s World Touring Car Championship races, is unlike any other circuit in the world, where taking risks is a necessity.
Catsburg has extensive experience of racing around the ‘ring, having competed in the headline 24 Hour race several times in the past.
In 2016 he is stepping up his activities at the event, with the Dutchman also competing in the 24 Hour race after the WTCC action has ended at the wheel of BMW’s brand-new M6 GT3 machine, competing for the Schubert team.
Catsburg didn’t take part in the 2015 WTCC event, as he only joined the LADA team from the following event in Moscow, but he is already looking forward to taking on the circuit in his front-wheel drive Vesta car.
“You have so much diversity and as a driver you can really make the difference,” explained Catsburg of the circuit layout. “To set the comparison with other tracks, Eau Rouge, the fast corner at Spa, is always a challenge and always a corner people speak about but it’s so easy. You go out on your fast lap, you try to take it flat but if it’s not possible you take the run-off and you have found the limit. On the Nordschleife you cannot do that anywhere. If you go off, you are in the wall or the trees even.
“What makes it even more difficult is that you have so many of these high-speed turns where you really have to take risks. The other thing is you only see those turns once every eight minutes so it’s really difficult to be on the limit immediately.
“But I just love it, it’s such a cool track. I’m always a big fan of high-speed corners and this track has it all. And the atmosphere with the fans, I always look forward to going there.”
Catsburg heads into the Race of Germany off the back of a strong start to the WTCC campaign, which has seen him score two outright podium finishes and break into the Q3 segment of qualifying on three occasions already.
The two WTCC races around the Nordschleife will be three laps in duration, with both taking place on Saturday morning to accommodate the 24-Hour race.