Nurburgring applies for bankruptcy?

In what possibly only James May would describe as good news, the state-owned company that runs the Nurburgring is making noises about applying for bankruptcy.

The legendary 14 mile public track in Germany – a large poster of which festoons the lift to the Top Gear office – has been in financial trouble for some time, but today confirmed that its request for help from the European Commission was unlikely to be approved in the short term.

According the Rhein Zeitung newspaper in Germany, the company running the complex (which included an ill-fated leisure add-on) is now around 413 million Euros in debt. 

The state premier of the Rhineland Palatinate government said: “with greatest probability, bankruptcy would be applied for at the end of the month due to lack of liquidity.”

James is on the record decrying the rock-hard handling that comes from manufacturers’ recent addiction to testing their road cars at the ‘Ring, but this is decidedly sad news for any car fan.

Nothing has yet been decided in the long-term, but it’s not looking good for the Green Hell.  Perhaps this weekend’s German Grand Prix could feature a few rattling collection tins?

This is, after all, the scene of one of the greatest Top Gear challenges, involving Jeremy, a Ford Transit and a very fast German woman named Sabine…