Continental AG Contidrom

The Continental AG Contidrom is a quality control testing facility constructed near Hanover, Germany, in 1967, by the local tire manufacturer Continental to serve as its benchmark testing installation. The facility started operations on a 2.8-km (1.7-mile) oval track, adding off-road courses, dry and wet handling tracks, and a state-of-the-art Automated Indoor Braking Analyzer (AIBA). But the jewel of the crown is without a doubt the 2.36-mile (3.79-km) road course, with its fast-paced trajectory running on flat terrain. There are twelve corners with varying radiuses that allow high-performance vehicles an easy flow, providing a usability challenge for the tires at the same time. The Oceanic climate of Hanover means the skies are mostly cloudy, with light rainfall being a frequent occurrence.

The Contidrom only has two straightaways, with the start/finish line located in the first one of them. There are long, fast-paced corners like two, four, and seven, and some highly technical sections defying the driver's steering skills. The adherence of the tires on any track surface conditions faces a test on the racetrack, as its traction and braking efficiency. The Contidrom's average speed is 89 mph (143 km/h), and the average time per lap is 1:35.8.