Hello, I am Marcel, I am 37 years old – it is never too late to start something, is it? – today I want to add a chapter to my diary from the motorsport world. Enjoy reading this part of the Diary of a Motorsport Engineer
Welcome back to my motorspot blog. I started to sum up some memories of my 23 visits of the 24h of the Nürburgring back in 2024. I visit this race since 2001. First as a kid, then as a photographer, and now as an engineer. I also “enjoyed” once watching it from the TV screen at home, in 2020.
We continue 2016 to 2019
2016
📖 In 2016 there was an event for the big history book of the Nürburgring.
📷 I was standing dry at T13 / Nordschleife entry when a black cloud was behind me and unloaded plenty of hail from Aremberg to Adenauer Forst. This caused the cars on slicks not to be able to climb the hill anymore and led to a red flag.
🌧️ Then it started to rain on the GP track. And it rained a lot. Several hours. The red flag period which was from my memories already in the first hour lasted about 4 hours. So it was almost dark and still wet when I made this picture and the race was resumed.
🛞 Nürburgring is always good for a tire gamble. I remember a NLS race in 2022 when the grid was just about dry and the clouds were dark over the Nürburgring. The driver and me we talked about putting wets on as we were somewhere in the middle of the pack. Many people around told me on the formation lap that it was the wrong decision … until we saw an onboard from the Fuchsröhre section where it was pouring down. Great team effort 💪
2017
For 2017 I selected a picture to talk about a very different part of the 24h race. At the track you’ll find a lot of petrol heads, waiting for the campsites to open.
😁 Even though some individuals bring some questionable behavior, the majority comes to do what we all want to do on a weekend in early European summer: have fun.
🏕️ Roughly 200.000 visitors are counted every year by the organizers. Given the fact that the track is 25 km long, there is plenty of space to put your tent right next to the fence, enjoy yourself and the company of your friends.
🌅 When the sun sets over the Nürburgring the cars keep on circulating and the camp sites transform into the biggest Motorsport party in the world. The picture shows how many people in the late evening are still glued to the track and try to follow the race with over 130 cars.
👇🏼 Get it on guys, the show is for you! Who‘ll be at the track and what are you going to do?
2018
In 2018 I did not carry my camera to the 24h race. If you do a professional photo coverage from a race weekend, it gets pretty exhausting.
➡️ You have to carry and take care for your heavy equipment
➡️ You have to get to the different sections of the track like Karussell, Brünnchen, Pflanzgarten, which are very long distances
➡️ you have to balance between packing and covering the race if you sleep in a tent.
The raceweekend itself if you are on one of the campsites around the track is different to a „regular camping trip“.
In 2018 I went to cover the 24h Spa from behind the fence. It was a fantastic race where I discovered a lot of new perspectives. Like this one at Eau Rouge.
The race in Spa which is the biggest GT race in the world, every year also proofs to be a good one.
2019
2019, an interesting year which had me already the fourth year working in the automotive industry while keeping some weekends busy with motorsport photography. This all more for fun than for money as self employment without a plan, clients and knowledge is pretty difficult.
I wouldn‘t say there wasn‘t luck around, however I did not take the chances.
Looking back now it is very interesting that I now can say with 😢 and 🥳 that this was the last time I would visit the Nürburgring Nordschleife with my camera and afterwards go for bigger races, bigger events and even bigger dreams.
By the way shooting at Hohe 8 is very cool, but also pretty dangerous.
Thank you for reading my story from the motorsport world! Did you enjoy it?
Do you have a suggestion for the next topic? Or a question to this one? Leave a comment via my contact form or send me an email: CLICK
You want to read another story? Checkout about my passion for motorsport photography and my engagement in the 24h of LeMans: LINK or about moments before and after a race weekend: LINK
See you trackside!
Please note that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed on this blog are solely my own and do not represent those of any of my affiliates, partners, or any entities I’m associated with. The content here is written from a personal perspective, aiming to share insights, experiences, and reflections that are mine alone. While I strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, these writings reflect my personal viewpoints and interpretations at the time of publishing and should be read with that understanding in mind.
The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Readers are encouraged to seek professional guidance for specific issues or concerns.
Thank you for reading and engaging with my content, keeping in mind the personal nature of this blog.
