600 helpers, 10,000 working hours - How the Norisring DTM circuit is built in two weeks

This weekend marks the 81st running of the Norisring street race, a German touring/sportscar classic that has been a staple of the DTM since the series’ rebirth in 2000.

Motorsport Club Nuremberg is responsible for organising the event, which requires public roads on the site between Zeppelinfeld and Dutzendteich to be turned into a temporary race track.

In all, 600 volunteers put in a total of 10,000 working hours to host the blue riband round of the DTM in June every year. But unlike some other street circuits such as Formula 1's Monaco and Singapore venues that require a long lead time, the Norisring venue is set up in just two weeks - while dismantling it requires a mere seven days.

For the safety of the drivers, five kilometres of triple-crash barriers are erected on the edge of the track, along with another five kilometres of safety fences, one kilometre of concrete barriers and more than 110 6x6 sets of tyre bundles. 

In addition, the circuit requires three kilometres of water and sewage pipelines, plus five kilometres of power cables. Finally, temporary stands are put in place to seat 25,000 people, along with 12km of safety fencing around the event site.

Norisring preparation

Photo by: Andreas Beil

To ensure that all races run as smoothly as possible during this 81st International ADAC Norisring Speed ​​Weekend, as the event is officially called, the Motorsport Club Nuremberg also regularly trains people who then work as track marshals with an official license from the German Motor Sport Association (DMSB).

In addition, to mark the 40th anniversary of the DTM’s birth in 1984, three of the four electric support vehicles for media representatives will sport the designs that previously featured on the BMW M3 DTM E30s (nicknamed Alpina, Warsteiner/Wintershall and Jagermeister).

BMW, one of the four German manufacturers represented in the series along with Audi, Mercedes and Porsche, heads to the Norisring after factory driver Marco Wittmann clinched its first win of 2024 last time at Zandvoort.

Speaking about the Norisring, the two-time champion said: "Of course, the event in Nuremberg is a highlight for me, as it is every year.

“Above all because of all the fans, my fan club, my family and my friends on site, who always bring a lot of support for me. It's something very special every year. But also because of the special atmosphere at this event on the only street circuit in the racing calendar."