The dismay over the tragic accident in the run-up to the ROWE 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal race, in which a compressed air cylinder exploded behind a pit lane, continues. Even though the results of the police investigation are not yet available, the containers used in motorsport can obviously pose a danger. The VLN is therefore seeking the expertise of specialists in order to contain the risks. To this end, talks are plannedwith the expert organization DEKRA, which has been a partner of the NLS since 2024, and the ILN (Interessengemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring).

"We don't want to get carried away now, but the incident before NLS4 has shown that there is a need for action," says Christian Vormann, Head of Sport at the VLN. "From our point of view, however, it makes no sense to simply impose rules on the teams. On the one hand, we need real experts in the field of compressed air tanks - we have them at our partner DEKRA. On the other hand, measures for teams must also be feasible and practicable. This is where we rely on ILN's knowledge."

Mobile compressed air tanks are present in almost all pits in motorsport. Among other things, they are used to operate the lifting systems in the racing cars. "Even after the first few minutes in a preliminary discussion with the DEKRA experts, we realized that the topic is far more complex than you might think at first," says Vormann. "We also had contact with many team bosses who are now somewhat unsure about the compressed air tanks they use. Ultimately, we not only want to increase safety with targeted measures, but also raise awareness among everyone involved. We cannot undo the accident, but we can actively work to minimize the risk in the future."