Nürburgring 2023

[C70R]

RSbandit said:

What Trackday is on today ? Some serious metal going around seem to be in groups of 6/7 cars a time .

From memory it's some kind of race licence test day. I'm heading over from Stuttgart (after the Porsche and Mercedes museums) this afternoon, and hoping to squeeze in a lap or two later this evening in the Z4 after being taken around in a GT3 RS.

[ringweekends]

It's a Sport Auto Perfektion Training course.

I've seen them all kicking around today too.

[Rowe]

Shame about the closures in the afternoon, but I had a really good morning. Love wet laps as it's an opportunity to learn, the car stays cooler and generally it's really quiet.

I somehow managed to do 23 laps, despite the hours missed.

There was some monstrous crashes during the trip. I believe everyone was ok, but it really does further reinforce my fear/hatred of TF

[C70R]

After a 5hr drive from Stuttgart yesterday afternoon, thanks to an accident on the 61, I arrived just in time to hop into the Getspeed GT3 RS for a TF passenger lap.

My mind was absolutely blown. I've had to completely recalibrate and re-evaluate what I thought 'fast' meant around the Ring.

He managed a 7m16s BTG time with traffic and tyres that he said were "past their best" (Cup 2 with "over 100 laps"). Meanwhile, I giggled like a schoolgirl as we carried more speed than I ever considered safe into some corners.

Phenomenal brakes, incredible grip, and a really smooth, tractable engine made for a rollercoaster of a ride. I didn't catch the older, German driver's name (or I did and it just disappeared out of my head), but he's one of the most talented drivers I've ever passengered with.

If you can stomach 350E for one lap, I can't recommended it enough. Utterly wild.

[RSbandit]

Had a similar experience a couple of years back with David Pittard (recent N24 winner) in the Apex GT2RS MR …mind blowing to say the least!

[C70R]

RSbandit said:

Had a similar experience a couple of years back with David Pittard (recent N24 winner) in the Apex GT2RS MR …mind blowing to say the least!

I went out in the Apex M3 with a young British chap a few years ago, and that was impressive enough. This was on an entirely different level of commitment and speed. I'm very comfortable in saying I'll never get close to his level of talent.

[Kev_Mk3]

C70R said:

RSbandit said:

Had a similar experience a couple of years back with David Pittard (recent N24 winner) in the Apex GT2RS MR …mind blowing to say the least!

I went out in the Apex M3 with a young British chap a few years ago, and that was impressive enough. This was on an entirely different level of commitment and speed. I'm very comfortable in saying I'll never get close to his level of talent.

Tim Morley

[C70R]

Kev_Mk3 said:

C70R said:

RSbandit said:

Had a similar experience a couple of years back with David Pittard (recent N24 winner) in the Apex GT2RS MR …mind blowing to say the least!

I went out in the Apex M3 with a young British chap a few years ago, and that was impressive enough. This was on an entirely different level of commitment and speed. I'm very comfortable in saying I'll never get close to his level of talent.

Tim Morley

That's the guy. Top bloke.

Some of the group I went with were out with him later in the day when the M3 shattered a caliper bracket/mounting at Brunnchen. That raised a few smiles in the crowd, as you might imagine.

[fridaypassion]

I had tuition for the first time in 17 years of visits to the Ring that was real eye opener im something like 20 seconds a lap quicker already always just been for fun before but decided to start going round properly. Ben Lake was the instructor absolutely great experience and Ben if you get chance to book him is a really good teacher we had a really fun day.

[C70R]

Well, tourist sessions are every bit as mad as I remember.

I held back from going straight out at 5pm to let the keenos blow off some steam, but I probably should have waited longer.

I only got as far as Hatzenbach before I came across some marshalls extracting a German BMW from the barrier. I slowed and put my hazards on, and a blue British Focus took this as instruction to dive-bomb me and tear past the marshalls.

I caught him back up just before Wippermann, where he'd tagged the barriers on both sides and was hurriedly gathering his belongings. Karma, perhaps?

No sooner had I accelerated, than I saw someone behind the barrier on the run down to Brunnchen waving a yellow vest. I came around the corner to find a Polo embedded in the barrier.

I was barely halfway around the park, and there were three cars in the wall already. People are actually insane.

I only managed a handful more laps before the circuit closed, but all were interrupted by three lots of barrier repairs.

[honda_exige]

Looks like weekend gone was absolute carnage, saw pics of both destroyed British M2s. The big one that burned up looks like it came a cropper at the Bellof-S.

Heard air ambulance called and occupants still in Hospital but on the mend.

Must admit on previous visits not looked into it too much but does someone have a answer if the average travel insurance covers medical treatment due to trackdays/TF?

Spurred me to apply for a GHIC card as a back up anyway.

[iguana]

Just back from a much needed week off out there, lots of social & beers with mates, & cycling & a lake swim & social lots of local roads driving & fair bit of TF mainly quiet evenings as wk end is mental, just 2 laps on Sun was enough, had pals on the Circuit days TD & more on the always awesome Destination Nurburgring Ringmeisters 2 dayer, shame tues TF was cut short due to the bike spank, so only got a couple of laps in.

Fastest lap I've ever been in 20+ yrs of going and some v quick guys on RM cracking the 6.56s

oh & I think it was Rs Bandit that tried his best to knock me off my pedal bike on Monday too! Waay too close dude. (black Macca on the RM days?)

Unplanned blown up Uk car to bring back, so mine stayed out prob plan a cheeky tf evening & get it back in a couple of weeks.

Edited by iguana on Thursday 6th July 23:50

[RSbandit]

Hmm don't recall any close shaves with cyclists! Whereabouts and when was that...yep I was in a black 600LT on RM.

[fridaypassion]

It will have been cyclists fault

[Adenauer]

iguana said:

Just back from a much needed week off out there, lots of social & beers with mates, & cycling & a lake swim & social lots of local roads driving & fair bit of TF mainly quiet evenings as wk end is mental, just 2 laps on Sun was enough, had pals on the Circuit days TD & more on the always awesome Destination Nurburgring Ringmeisters 2 dayer, shame tues TF was cut short due to the bike spank, so only got a couple of laps in.

Fastest lap I've ever been in 20+ yrs of going and some v quick guys on RM cracking the 6.56s

oh & I think it was Rs Bandit that tried his best to knock me off my pedal bike on Monday too! Waay too close dude. (black Macca on the RM days?)

Unplanned blown up Uk car to bring back, so mine stayed out prob plan a cheeky tf evening & get it back in a couple of weeks.

Edited by iguana on Thursday 6th July 23:50

Hey Alex, your MX5 is a disgusting colour, well done.

Karin is still grinning from the passenger laps, so thanks for that, she absolutely loved it.

RSbandit, if you were also with a white 911 cab, you stayed next door to my house.

As a little aside, we have noticed (me, a prehistoric ringer, and my wife, a ring photographer and occasional changer of Darren's Tena pads) a real influx of lunatics during TF this year. It's difficult to put your finger on why, but it's like someone has flipped a switch and there's a new breed coming over. So many crashes and a lot of people who are really clueless, racing through yellow flags and generally doing bloody dangerous stuff, on and off the track. It's actually pretty concerning.

[honda_exige]

Adenauer said:

As a little aside, we have noticed (me, a prehistoric ringer, and my wife, a ring photographer and occasional changer of Darren's Tena pads) a real influx of lunatics during TF this year. It's difficult to put your finger on why, but it's like someone has flipped a switch and there's a new breed coming over. So many crashes and a lot of people who are really clueless, racing through yellow flags and generally doing bloody dangerous stuff, on and off the track. It's actually pretty concerning.

Unfortunately it's the new generation of MSB, DMO, Officially Gassed, Matt Armstrong, TR Hamza fans.
Thinking they're driving gods because they can do donuts while shouting Jheeze and Cmon and therefore are ready to full send the 'Ring. When their chavvy Youtuber of choice visits the Ring you see an obvious uptick of their followers visit and drive like goons.

[braddo]

Adenauer said:

... It's difficult to put your finger on why, but it's like someone has flipped a switch and there's a new breed coming over. So many crashes and a lot of people who are really clueless, racing through yellow flags and generally doing bloody dangerous stuff, on and off the track. It's actually pretty concerning.

Is this a variety of nationalities or UK in particular?

[braddo]

C70R said:

Well, tourist sessions are every bit as mad as I remember.
....

Bloody hell.

And two destroyed M2s. Insane.

It sounds like TFs are on a trajectory towards getting banned or somehow more restricted. Multiple crashes and potentially an air ambulance every weekend isn't sustainable in anyone's book.

Something like banning non-EU cars (i.e. UK) on insurance grounds is where they might start. And a total ban on in-car cameras.

[honda_exige]

braddo said:

C70R said:

Well, tourist sessions are every bit as mad as I remember.
....

Bloody hell.

And two destroyed M2s. Insane.

It sounds like TFs are on a trajectory towards getting banned or somehow more restricted. Multiple crashes and potentially an air ambulance every weekend isn't sustainable in anyone's book.

Something like banning non-EU cars (i.e. UK) on insurance grounds is where they might start. And a total ban on in-car cameras.

Most people buy a ticket digitally online now - think it would be a good idea to have an enforced online briefing before being able to buy your first ticket every year - short video of what to do with a yellow, what to look for as signs of danger. Where the most dangerous points, how to overtake, specifying that it's treated as a public road and police WILL investigate accidents would do a heck of a lot to help.

[RSbandit]

The fact you can just roll up and buy a ticket without doing a briefing or having never driven on a track before is certainly part of the problem. Throw motorcyclists into the mix and it’s a recipe for disaster . Huge amount of UK cars there over the weekend guess it was a perfect storm CD on Fri , full weekend TF and then double DN following two days. Huge accidents every week ain’t a good look.