Events & Tours
The Inauguration of the Nürburgring GP in 1984 with the Race of Champions
The 1984 Race of Champions marked the Nürburgring GP inauguration with top Formula 1 legends competing in identical Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16 cars. A young Ayrton Senna stole the show, battling Niki Lauda on a wet track and securing victory.
After the serious accident in 1976, in which Niki Lauda nearly lost his life, the Nürburgring Nordschleife was considered too dangerous for racing, and the German Grand Prix of Formula 1 was moved elsewhere. The race returned to the Nürburgring in 1984, on a newly built 4,556-meter circuit featuring wide run-off areas and maximum safety. To mark the inauguration, a one-make race was organized that remains unforgettable: the “Race of Champions”.
The event, held in collaboration with Mercedes, brought together an extraordinary number of Formula 1 champions. Among them were Jack Brabham, Phil Hill, John Surtees, Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Stirling Moss, and Alain Prost. They all drove the same car: the brand-new Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16. These identical cars had modifications for track driving, including a roll bar, stiffer suspension, a racing exhaust, and racing seats with six-point harnesses to ensure both performance and safety. The race was 12 laps long, with Alain Prost on pole position, but he soon had to make way for a young Brazilian named Ayrton Senna, an up-and-coming driver with remarkable talent.
