RE: Dirk Schoysman's GT-R Nurburgring Lap
Friday 6th November 2009
Here's the lap that PistonHead's GT-R and Nurburgring fans have been waiting for - test driver and 'ringmeister' Dirk Schoysman talking us around the 'green hell' at serious speed in the car he famously helped to hone at the circuit.
Dirk Schoysman's GT-R Nurburgring Lap
Legendary 'ringmeister' talks PH round the circuit in the Nissan GT-R
Incredibly, Dirk has completed more than 14,000 laps of the track which - as he described in the video documenting PH's visit to Nissan's Nurburgring Technical Centre - is a distance similar to driving seven times around the world.
So it's surprise that he knows the circuit as well as anyone ever could, an incredible depth of knowledge that extends not just to which way the corners go (which Dirk reckons anyone can be confident about after a mere 50 laps), but every lump, bump, camber and undulation, as well as the myriad of different surface textures that make the Nurburgring such an epic challenge.
Which I guess is why he makes it look so easy!
Meanwhile, for anyone with a masochistic streak, here's the video of my effort with Dirk as guide...
Discussion
Fantastic.
"Feels like the car was off the ground!" says Chris, trying to justify the fright that he felt.
"Usually it is..." says Dirk, probably not noticing the look of terror on Chris' face!
Made me laugh because if I was in the passenger it's the kind of thing I would say, hoping to get some reassurance, not the fact that the driver has nads the size of cantaloupes!
"Feels like the car was off the ground!" says Chris, trying to justify the fright that he felt.
"Usually it is..." says Dirk, probably not noticing the look of terror on Chris' face!
Made me laugh because if I was in the passenger it's the kind of thing I would say, hoping to get some reassurance, not the fact that the driver has nads the size of cantaloupes!
Great video, very informative. "Hats off" to Dirk Schoysman. To be able to drive at that speed whilst analyzing the dynamics of the car and talking to Chris at the same time is fantastic. He, Dirk, comes across as a true professional who enjoys his job and doesn't show any of the arrogance that racing drivers sometimes display. Well done.
ndtman said:
Great video, very informative. "Hats off" to Dirk Schoysman. To be able to drive at that speed whilst analyzing the dynamics of the car and talking to Chris at the same time is fantastic. He, Dirk, comes across as a true professional who enjoys his job and doesn't show any of the arrogance that racing drivers sometimes display. Well done.
+1The noise of the rumble strips is so loud!, its a tell how hard the suspension is being worked pushing the tyres in. Proper man driving! I love the fact he scared this s
t out of Chris whilst being uber cool.
Much better lads!
Really good account of the day - thoroughly enjoyed it!
Just needed one more camera on the clocks and it would have been perfect - but that's being t
tty and a bit anal - sorry, just turned into my MD!
... and perhaps one one his feet...!
Edited by Fastra on Friday 6th November 11:36
monthefish said:
Great vid. 
Dirk's lap looked very serene and I was thinking it was going to be a slow lap.....until I looked down at the total video time at the bottom right of the screen.
Out of interest, how many laps has chris done of the ring?
How many laps? One in the Jag XFR earlier this year, and now one in the GT-R - oh, and another one about 15 years ago in a Mondeo V6, of all things. (I've also done about six as a passenger.)Dirk's lap looked very serene and I was thinking it was going to be a slow lap.....until I looked down at the total video time at the bottom right of the screen.
Out of interest, how many laps has chris done of the ring?
Edited by monthefish on Friday 6th November 11:00
If you want to see me looking really frightened, wait for the post of the GT-R lap filmed with Toshio Suzuki, because Dirk was taking it 'relatively' easy in comparison. Suzuki san reckoned his lap was 7min45 pace, and my god it was an eye-opener. Especially the literally flat-out kink at the end of the long straight - you've got a long time to watch it coming from the passenger seat...
Chris-R said:
monthefish said:
Great vid.
Dirk's lap looked very serene and I was thinking it was going to be a slow lap.....until I looked down at the total video time at the bottom right of the screen.
Out of interest, how many laps has chris done of the ring?
How many laps? One in the Jag XFR earlier this year, and now one in the GT-R - oh, and another one about 15 years ago in a Mondeo V6, of all things. (I've also done about six as a passenger.)Dirk's lap looked very serene and I was thinking it was going to be a slow lap.....until I looked down at the total video time at the bottom right of the screen.
Out of interest, how many laps has chris done of the ring?
Edited by monthefish on Friday 6th November 11:00
If you want to see me looking really frightened, wait for the post of the GT-R lap filmed with Toshio Suzuki, because Dirk was taking it 'relatively' easy in comparison. Suzuki san reckoned his lap was 7min45 pace, and my god it was an eye-opener. Especially the literally flat-out kink at the end of the long straight - you've got a long time to watch it coming from the passenger seat...
POST IT!!!!!nonuts said:
Brilliant lap, it's made me want to go back there again. I said it in the other thread, but Chris you really are one lucky bugger must have been an experience of a lifetime to do that with those two drivers!
Funnily enough, I was thinking about the experience the other day and trying to think of a better day out - with some difficulty, as you can imagine! 
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