BMW has revealed that Nick Heidfeld will drive one of its 2007 F1 cars at the the Nürburgring's legendary Nordschleife track next month, the first F1 car to take to the 14 mile track since 1976.

"This day is our way of saying thank-you to the fans for their support," said BMW Motorsport boss, Mario Theissen. "The same weekend, the Nürburgring Nordschleife will also play host to the VLN Endurance Championship. Around a third of the drivers in the race will line up in BMW models, which helps explain why BMW Motorsport is one of the partners in the VLN. An average of 25,000 spectators will follow the action at the world's most thrilling circuit.

"BMW is a longstanding partner of the Nürburgring," he continued. "With BMW Driver Training, BMW Adventure World, our 'Ring Taxi' rides and the Performance Center all based at the circuit, this is a kind of second home for us - as well as the scene of victories in all disciplines of racing.

"The Formula One car's laps of the Nordschleife will be the highlight of a day devoted to BMW Motorsport. Nick's demonstration will not be about setting records, but a tribute to a unique race track - one which is inextricably linked to the heritage of BMW Motorsport."

The Nurburgring was built in the Eifel Mountains in Northern Germany in an attempt to attract tourists. It first hosted the German GP in 1927 when the full 17.58-mile circuit was employed.

From 1929 only the 14.17-mile Nordschleife (North Loop), with its 176 corners, was used for the German GP which the 'Ring staged continuously save for 1959, when the race was run on the Avus track. In 1960 the German GP was contested on the 4.81-mile Sudschleife (South Loop) of the Nurburgring, but this was a Formula Two race staged to showcase Porsche.

During the 1960s, the circuit received increasing criticism which resulted in an S-bend being built at the end of the long finishing straight to slow the cars as they passed the pits. By 1970, the Grand Prix Drivers' Association had demanded a list of improvements which called for the ironing out of bumps, the felling of thousands of trees to create run-off areas, the installation of Armco barriers, a better surface and the reprofiling of some corners. As these changes had not been completed by 1971, the German GP switched to the bland Hockenheim Motordrom.

The Nurburgring was back on the WC calendar for 1972 but, following a serious accident to Niki Lauda in 1976, it was deemed too dangerous to race on. In fact, it was not so much the circuit itself which was in dispute as the fact that it was extremely difficult to provide adequate medical teams to patrol the 14 miles of the circuit.

In 1984 a new 2.882 mile circuit, a modern autodrome with little character, was constructed close to the original track.