Just In: Michael Schumacher’s Famous Karting Track Near Kerpen Saved from Demolition

After years of uncertainty, Michael Schumacher’s famous kart track near Kerpen-Manheim is saved from demolition. The concerned authorities will restore Erftlandring for hosting world championships in the future again.

In the latest news, the track which discovered so many pilots will not go into the hands of energy company RWE. It has now emerged that a lease deal has been agreed between the management of the kart track and RWE that guarantees the venue will remain.

The clarity on the future of this track was still not there because the company owned the area near Erftlandring. And because RWE still dedicated the area in the vicinity to mining, chances of similar scenarios in the future were always around.

Michael Schumacher’s childhood track will be modernized

The Erftlandring in Kerpen is part of German sports history. Formula 1 legends like Michael Schumacher, Ralf Schumacher, and Sebastian Vettel were first discovered on this track.  In 2016, an energy company RWE acquired the surrounding areas of the track in a bid to expand lignite mining from the nearby Hambach Forest.

However, various local authorities and environmental organizations raised their concerns over the same. Ignoring these, the company decided to go ahead with this ambitious plan and tabled a compensation offer in January 2018 to seal the track’s fate. Later on, however, the company decided against their original plan, after the grave opposition of this expansion triggered local law-making authorities to intervene.

So, with the funds that were paid originally for the sale of the land, investments can now be made in improving the track. In a recent interview reported by Motorsports website Autosport, Gerhard Noack, president of the karting club talked about the future of the track.

“We have sealed a lease agreement with RWE for ten years, plus an option for five more, and can now invest the money from the sale in the necessary renovation,” said Noack.

“The access roads and the track will be newly asphalted, we will build new CI curbs and double catch fences so that we can organize international races like the world championships, the European championships, and WSK again,” he added.

The track hosted its last world championship round in 2001. Michael Schumacher was a part of that as well. Stalwarts like Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, and Vitantonio Liuzzi competed for the title in that race. Now, with clarity over the track’s future, we can expect another world championship round in Erftlandring soon.

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