Construction of the Nürburgring began in September 1925 and the track opened in June 1927. The original configuration consisted of four layouts totalling over 28 km. For major events, racing took place on the Nordschleife, then approximately 22.835 km long and containing more than 300 metres of elevation change. The Südschleife, at 7.747 km, was used primarily for motorcycle races and secondary events because it was shorter and considered relatively safer than the full northern loop.
The track's character — 174 bends, narrow width of 8 to 9 metres in most places, sudden crests, and limited run-off throughout — made it both the most demanding and most celebrated circuit in the world. Ringmeister, as the circuit's masters were called, included Rudolf Caracciola and Tazio Nuvolari in the pre-war era, and Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, and Jackie Stewart in the post-war decades.
Motorcycle racing at the Nürburgring in the World Championship era took place primarily on the Südschleife, though some editions used parts of the longer circuit. The German motorcycle Grand Prix was held at the Nürburgring on multiple occasions during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, alternating with the Hockenheimring and other venues as the World Championship calendar evolved.
By the 1970s, the circuit's risks were increasingly untenable for top-level competition. The Nordschleife's vast distances made comprehensive marshalling and medical coverage nearly impossible — the German Grand Prix required up to five times the medical staff of a typical round at other venues. Niki Lauda's near-fatal accident during the 1976 Formula One German Grand Prix, which saw his Ferrari catch fire at the Bergwerk section, accelerated the Nordschleife's withdrawal from major sanctioned events.
The German motorcycle Grand Prix was held for the last time on the Nürburgring in 1980, after which it moved permanently to the Hockenheimring. The decades of motorcycle racing at the Nürburgring had encompassed some of the most demanding conditions in the sport's history.
Several sections of the Nordschleife were particularly notorious in motorcycle racing. Bergwerk, a tight right-hander following a long fast section, was the scene of serious accidents. The Pflanzgarten and Stefan Bellof S complex involved extreme high-speed jumps and sudden directional changes that gave riders virtually no margin for error. The Fuchsröhre plunged downhill through a forest corridor with trees separated from the track by only 2 to 3 metres of grass and Armco barrier.
Phil Hill became the first person to lap the Nordschleife in under nine minutes in a Formula One car in 1961, setting a time of 8 minutes 55.2 seconds. The absolute motorcycle lap records set during the decades of Grand Prix use on the various Nürburgring layouts stand as testament to the skill required to compete at the venue.
The Nürburgring's role in the history of Grand Prix motorcycle racing represents an era when circuits were defined by their natural terrain, when run-off areas were minimal, and when the lap itself was a multi-minute journey through forests, valleys, and mountain ridges. The move to purpose-built, safety-prioritised venues like the new Hockenheim layout and later modern facilities marked the end of the Nürburgring's relevance as a championship motorcycle venue. The circuit's Nordschleife remains in use for the 24 Hours Nürburgring and public Touristenfahrten sessions, preserving the physical infrastructure, while its place in motorcycle racing history is defined by the extraordinary demands it placed on riders across three decades of World Championship competition.