Or: How the Curves at BILSTER BERG Got Their Truly Unusual Names …

Have you ever driven on a Racetrack? If you have, then you know that most of the curves have names. Often named after defining features of the region or famous race drivers, curves like the Blanchimont, Rascasse, Müllenbachschleife or the Schumacher-S are well-known even outside the world of motorsports.
Not so at BILSTER BERG. The names of its curves reflect the Racetrack’s history, mainly as a former military base …

Bullet – Since BILSTER BERG is located on a former British ammunition depot and since the first curve is bullet-shaped, that’s where it gets its name.

Bat Cave – BILSTER BERG is home to a large number of bats. This part of the property also includes a hill that serves as a hibernation roost for the bats.

Pump House – BILSTER BERG has its own water source. The pump house pumps water throughout the entire property and into the Track’s extinguishing pipe system.

Ammunition Field – The name of this long section of Track refers to the fact that the area was used as an ammunition depot, which was operated by the British Army of the Rhine, until 1993.

Hunter’s Beech – The Track is surrounded by many old beech trees and, originally, a hunting blind as well.

Driburg Clearing – As a tribute to the town of Bad Driburg, to which the BILSTER BERG belongs, this curve was named after it.

Hermann’s Lane – This section is dedicated to racing engineer and architect Hermann Tilke …

Boars’ Crossing – …who encountered a horde of wild boars at exactly this spot the first time he visited BILSTER BERG.

Telegraph Bend – This curve is located close to Oeynhausen telegraph station, which sent optical telegraph signals between Berlin and Koblenz from 1833 to 1849 and which still stands to this day.

Command Headquarters – Former site of the British command center, today this is where BILSTER BERG’s state-of-the-art administrative building, the heart of the Racetrack, is located.

Mousetrap – Inspired by the legendary Streif downhill course in Kitzbühel, BILSTER BERG also has a Mausefalle or “Mousetrap”, the most treacherous section with the steepest downhill gradient of 26 percent and the greatest compression.

Steep Climb – After the Mousetrap with its 26 percent downhill gradient, drivers are soon faced with a steep climb with an incline of 21 percent.

Bilster Peak – Once they have finished the climb, drivers arrive at the Bilster Peak. The name of this section describes the fact that drivers are unable to see what comes next.

Perch – During the project development phase, this spot was home to a five-meter-high observation tower that offered excellent views of the entire areal.

Clubhaus S – The S-curve winds its way past BILSTER BERG’s modern Clubhaus.

Pömbsen Plateau – This is the longest straight section of Track, located near the village of Pömbsen.

Courage Bend – This impressive blind bend with a slight downhill gradient and right tilt demands a great deal of courage from even the most experienced drivers.

Nieheim Basin – The basin is the lowest point on the Circuit and points in the direction of the town of Nieheim.

Burial Mound – It is believed that there are five to seven burial mounds in this portion of the Track; the area is protected accordingly.

Oeynhausen Turn – The Track’s last loop points in the direction of neighboring Bad Oeynhausen.

Text: Zimmermann Editorial
Photo: Patrick Meise