The Ring and things newbies should know
Discussion
terenceb said:
The point of the Ring being a "Race Track" -something the local police force disagree with during TF as racing is forbiden just as setting you're own personal best time could be a chargable offence!
Cameras everywhere???
- try reading the High Court judgments. Then get back to me. Cameras everywhere???
Edited by terenceb on Sunday 2nd November 13:06
- in car cameras, hundreds/thousands of spectators with cameras, a few circuit cameras.
Camera evidence has been used in various nurburgring cases i've dealt with.
My tip top tips:-
1. I would say that it takes many more than a dozen laps to learn the Nordschleife fully. You are always learning.
2. Do not chase cars that pass you that you deem to be less powerful/slower cars than yours. They well may be heavily modified and/or the driver may have many many more laps under his belt than you.
3. Think about getting ADAC recovery. It is much cheaper than RAC/AA et cetera and they often have a van there on standby.
4. Do not do 'just one more lap' if you are tired, just sell your remaining laps and come back another day.
5. Keep your eyes glued to your rear view mirror as well as reading the road ahead. Bikers inevitably sit in your blind side and Porsche GT3 RS et al come up on you a lot faster than you think - ie you might think you are going fast
6. Enjoy one of the last track/road bastions of non Health and Safety fast driving.
Pip
1. I would say that it takes many more than a dozen laps to learn the Nordschleife fully. You are always learning.
2. Do not chase cars that pass you that you deem to be less powerful/slower cars than yours. They well may be heavily modified and/or the driver may have many many more laps under his belt than you.
3. Think about getting ADAC recovery. It is much cheaper than RAC/AA et cetera and they often have a van there on standby.
4. Do not do 'just one more lap' if you are tired, just sell your remaining laps and come back another day.
5. Keep your eyes glued to your rear view mirror as well as reading the road ahead. Bikers inevitably sit in your blind side and Porsche GT3 RS et al come up on you a lot faster than you think - ie you might think you are going fast
6. Enjoy one of the last track/road bastions of non Health and Safety fast driving.
Pip
Good points-thank you.Point three re ADAC cover, bare in mind that recovery through Bongard will cost around 350 € just to get you down to here, Breidscheid , leave the car overnight will be another 70 ish!
Dont get sucked in by the claims of people telling of the countless laps they have done-how many of those laps were really good laps?
Yes, the more you do the better you should hopefully become-but its unlikely you'll get really clear laps on TF days, unless its very early on a mid summers morning that just happens to be completely dry.
Dont get sucked in by the claims of people telling of the countless laps they have done-how many of those laps were really good laps?
Yes, the more you do the better you should hopefully become-but its unlikely you'll get really clear laps on TF days, unless its very early on a mid summers morning that just happens to be completely dry.
I first went to the ring prior to it being in any games or before the internet (well youtube at least). I got hold of a VHS video of a Skyline lapping the ring with Dirk at the helm and watched it literally 100's of times before I went learning the circuit by heart. Obviously it's so far from actually doing it but just know which way every corner and blind rise goes really helps. Personally I think games like Gran Tursimo help you learn which way the corners go but obviously don't try to use the same speeds in corners and stay away from the curbs in the wet, and possibly in the dry depending on your skill level. This old classic comes to mind when thinking about taking a curb when you don't know the track:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvIARuAM6E0
Am I right in thinking that if you have a crash there and damage the barrier you are not only liable for the damage to the barrier but also lost revenue if the track has to be closed?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvIARuAM6E0
Am I right in thinking that if you have a crash there and damage the barrier you are not only liable for the damage to the barrier but also lost revenue if the track has to be closed?
Yes you are right, it has been known to happen but not everytime.
Also the point on kerbing, out of 170 kerbs there are only 3 that are anywhere near usable, but still not advisable.Just dont use any because quite a few WILL unbalance the car, possibly even damage the suspension/steering geometry-it aint worth it! There are quite a few drivers who probably wish they had'nt used some sections!!!
Just come and enjoy it, lap records simply dont happen after a handful of laps and besides, who takes any notice?
Also the point on kerbing, out of 170 kerbs there are only 3 that are anywhere near usable, but still not advisable.Just dont use any because quite a few WILL unbalance the car, possibly even damage the suspension/steering geometry-it aint worth it! There are quite a few drivers who probably wish they had'nt used some sections!!!
Just come and enjoy it, lap records simply dont happen after a handful of laps and besides, who takes any notice?
What do you think of using the inside kerb of the.. 2nd(?) right-hander in Hatzenbach? I've seen a lot of cars taking a lot of kerb there, and tried it myself, and I can't quite make up my mind whether catapulting the car over it and unsettling the exit into the immediate left-hander is worth any time or not.
I don't think any of the kerbs are severe enough to cause damage, it's more that taking the wrong ones will unsettle the car and make it difficult to control (more the inside kerbs) or be slippery (outside kerbs) and remove grip when you need it most.
As Terry said.. I can think of 2, maybe 3, corners where I can take a big chunk of inside kerb, a couple where outside kerbs are ok, and a whole lot where both inside and outside are best left avoided - a lot of them because the line doesn't actually go anywhere near them.
As Terry said.. I can think of 2, maybe 3, corners where I can take a big chunk of inside kerb, a couple where outside kerbs are ok, and a whole lot where both inside and outside are best left avoided - a lot of them because the line doesn't actually go anywhere near them.
Most people that i instruct think they have to exploit the kerbs before they have got anywhere near the limits of the tarmac that is available to them.
the other thng that makes people use kerbs is going too quick when they have no idea where the track goes. Rein it in and learn the lines.
the other thng that makes people use kerbs is going too quick when they have no idea where the track goes. Rein it in and learn the lines.
CamMoreRon said:
What do you think of using the inside kerb of the.. 2nd(?) right-hander in Hatzenbach? I've seen a lot of cars taking a lot of kerb there, and tried it myself, and I can't quite make up my mind whether catapulting the car over it and unsettling the exit into the immediate left-hander is worth any time or not.
A few years back I asked a similar question of an extremely well known German driver who just happens to know the ring quite well (lol)His reply was that Hatzenbach is one of those areas where "get the first one wrong and the third one will get you".This turns out to be very true, I'm sure quite a few will testify to that!.
However, its not worth being on the gas-braking-on the gas -braking etc.Far better to get your braking done before the very first left-righ kink-balanced throttle through and single arc out and back tight right before second left
.Then very tight to the left kerb before the last right-left having a very wide exit just about kissing the right exit kerb.Every turn being one application of lock (as indeed all turns on the Ring should be)
Because the car is ballanced all the way through, I think you might find it a bit smoother and therefore faster.
CamMoreRon said:
What do you think of using the inside kerb of the.. 2nd(?) right-hander in Hatzenbach? I've seen a lot of cars taking a lot of kerb there, and tried it myself, and I can't quite make up my mind whether catapulting the car over it and unsettling the exit into the immediate left-hander is worth any time or not.
Depends on your car. The GT3 rides it fine but I don't think that it makes much more speed for it. Lighter cars or ones with less power probably if anything lose a bit - especially if they don't have too much suspension compliance. There is no reason to be anywhere near it in a well resolved low power car like the R4R Swifts.TOYNEG said:
some of the roads nr the Ring are even more fun than the Ring itself IMHO. when i was there last in Sept I got up on the Saturday morning about 6:30 and went for a blast around the hills, didn't see one other car and it was driving Nirvana 
Even better when you really get to know them! LolTry the Acht road down to Rewe, or up for that matter, down is one of those "proper tests"its advisable to find out where you need to where you dont brake first though.
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