An eight-car crash on the Nürburgring Nordschleife earlier today sent one driver to the hospital with serious injuries, claimed a rented Corvette Z06 and put one of the new BMW M3 "ring taxis" out of commission. It also caused more than $130,000 in property damage.


According to police, the accident occurred at around 2:00 pm local time on the circuit's tricky Bergwerk ("mine") section as three cars were slowing for a construction zone. A fourth driver, from the UK, stood on the brakes but couldn't prevent a collision with one of the vehicles ahead. He subsequently slid onto the grass and then back onto the track some fifty meters (164ft) ahead. It was there where he crashed into the other two vehicles.


Three other drivers saw the crash and slowed their cars. An eighth car, the ring taxi, crashed into one of the slowing cars, hit another car and came to a stop at the left of the track.

Police say the drivers were from several European countries. A sticker on the Corvette, apparently listing Swedish luxury rental agency Platinum Cars, suggests its rental status. The accident occurred near the site of Niki Lauda's fiery crash during the 1976 German Grand Prix.

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One driver was taken to a hospital in Koblenz with serious injuries. Two other drivers were treated on the scene. All of the cars except one were substantially damaged and were not drivable. Police are still investigating, but cite "excessive speed" as the cause.