The VLN endurance racing championship organisation, together with the Nürburgring management, has granted a fascinating look behind the scenes of racing for a group of children. Within the framework of the meanwhile traditional Door-Opener Day of the “Programme with the Mouse” (“Die Sendung mit der Maus”, a German children’s educational TV-programme), doors at the Ring which normally remain closed for the public were opened for 15 children and their parents on the German Unity Day.
More than 600 institutions – amongst others enterprises, clubs and workshops – participated in the Door-Opener Day to give children the opportunity to experience factual issues live. This nationwide initiative was introduced by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) in the year 2011 to celebrate the 40th birthday of the “Programme with the Mouse”.
„Open doors!“ at the Nürburgring
The Mouse, the trade mark of the children’s programme which is broadcasted since 1971, accompanied the children between the age of eight and fourteen at the Nürburgring all the time whilst they had the opportunity to experience the Nürburgring first hand. The exclusive tour took the children and their parents into the paddocks which was completely full with race and service cars at the eighth round of the VLN endurance racing championship, to the busy pit lane, to the Media Centre and even onto the winners’ podium where the children could for a moment experience the feeling of being a winner. And finally the eyes of the children became bigger and bigger when they paid a visit to Race Control, the heart of each race event. This is where the clerk of the course and other officials supervise the action on the race track and in the pit lane on an impressive wall with about 50 monitors.
Together with the Mouse, the children also had a walk through the starting grid, admired the race cars and obtained one or another autograph from the race drivers. For the start of the field comprising about 160 sports and touring cars, the Mouse and the children with their parents had moved to the pit roof from where they had a magnificent view onto the action going on at the Grand Prix Circuit after the start. The children were extremely curious, soaking up all the information and the fascinating racing stories. On the approximately 400 metres long ring°kartbahn, they could finally even experience the tingly feeling of themselves sitting behind the steering wheel. The Door-Opener Day at the Nürburgring was then concluded with the obligatory souvenir photo, of course together with the Mouse.
Carsten Schumacher, capricorn Nürburgring GmbH Managing Director: “It was our pleasure to open the doors for the children. We are delighted that we have been able to provide an unforgettable day for our small fans. The interest in this day of action of the “programme with the Mouse” was huge, all the places were taken in a very short time.”
