Nurburgring this week end
Discussion
As posted I was at the N'ring for the L Cup Europe. It was fun,. GP track is very pleasant (We used the short one)
The schedule was not perfect as we started the day on the fog at 8:15 for the first trainig session then waited to 12 for the second training and finally the "race" at 5:20.
That gave me plenty of time to visit the old N'ring.
I was disappointed, mainly by the lack of any rule, control...
Just buy you ticket (16€
at the machine, wait a bit in the line, open the barrier with your ticket and let's go. (If you intend to put your helmet , do it before because after it is too late)
Anyway, I did the lap looking as much front than rear, using more my right blinker as a white flag to everybody who wanted to race me. You ahve any type of car (I had carrera GT, Viper, GT3 RS, GT2, Turbo S, ........., M3, Glf GTI V, Audi, ...........and a 1995 Corsa with 2 children on the rear) .
If it was only that it would be quite OK, but you have to count with LOTS LOTS of bikes, these guys are riding very fast and as in the jams!! pass everywhere, right, left, inside, outside, and I hope not so often underneath.
Finally, I only did one lap and I believe the best would be to have a group so everybody may be pax for one or two laps, in order to recognise where you can push harder and where you can absolutely NOT. The distance (KM 1;, KM 2,...) are well indicated and my idea is to select the KM more easy and the difficult ones. So after you can be on the flow. My feeling is that in absence of any rules, I see 4 groups of people,
1, Fast cars and connaisseur
2, Fast car and good driver without experience of the track
3, Normal car doing is best
4 Absolute tourist driving as in a normal road (+ buses, vans,...)
It is a shame to have to admit I felt myself in the group 3 ... with so many parameters (new track, bikes everywhere, very fast cars popping at each exit of corner, ...) I was not able to use the full ability of my elise. I was just driving it even slower than on normal B roads. So I miss the sport flow. But you have to be very carefull, because I believe the driver is a lot more important than the car on this track, Armco are very close and the risk of overriding to follow a "looking normal" car is certainly present
The best point is that the place is absolutely superb. The track incredible with HUGE climbs and falls you even do not expect from GT4.
It is certainly an experience, not the best one of my week end but I wanted to share it with you
The schedule was not perfect as we started the day on the fog at 8:15 for the first trainig session then waited to 12 for the second training and finally the "race" at 5:20.
That gave me plenty of time to visit the old N'ring.
I was disappointed, mainly by the lack of any rule, control...
Just buy you ticket (16€
at the machine, wait a bit in the line, open the barrier with your ticket and let's go. (If you intend to put your helmet , do it before because after it is too late) Anyway, I did the lap looking as much front than rear, using more my right blinker as a white flag to everybody who wanted to race me. You ahve any type of car (I had carrera GT, Viper, GT3 RS, GT2, Turbo S, ........., M3, Glf GTI V, Audi, ...........and a 1995 Corsa with 2 children on the rear) .
If it was only that it would be quite OK, but you have to count with LOTS LOTS of bikes, these guys are riding very fast and as in the jams!! pass everywhere, right, left, inside, outside, and I hope not so often underneath.
Finally, I only did one lap and I believe the best would be to have a group so everybody may be pax for one or two laps, in order to recognise where you can push harder and where you can absolutely NOT. The distance (KM 1;, KM 2,...) are well indicated and my idea is to select the KM more easy and the difficult ones. So after you can be on the flow. My feeling is that in absence of any rules, I see 4 groups of people,
1, Fast cars and connaisseur
2, Fast car and good driver without experience of the track
3, Normal car doing is best
4 Absolute tourist driving as in a normal road (+ buses, vans,...)
It is a shame to have to admit I felt myself in the group 3 ... with so many parameters (new track, bikes everywhere, very fast cars popping at each exit of corner, ...) I was not able to use the full ability of my elise. I was just driving it even slower than on normal B roads. So I miss the sport flow. But you have to be very carefull, because I believe the driver is a lot more important than the car on this track, Armco are very close and the risk of overriding to follow a "looking normal" car is certainly present
The best point is that the place is absolutely superb. The track incredible with HUGE climbs and falls you even do not expect from GT4.
It is certainly an experience, not the best one of my week end but I wanted to share it with you
scary circuit when their are a lot people like in the weekends
its nothing like a race track...its huge and was it a left corner after this one or a right one
and then indeed some people can't drive so they can scare the living "green hell" out of you haha...also when you drive the Exige with no rear view I think its more difficult I think, because you can't see them coming easely because you need your eyes up front
and there are a lot faster cars then yours...but its a lovely atmosfhere with lots of cars to look at I think I go a lap or 2 in my car on the 21 of mai...hopefully I get no damages, though you can be ensured because its "just" a toll road, its not great to others that they have to close the track because of you...because the police have to see you first on that place you crashed...and after that you can leave, they clean the track and then opens again for others.
And indeed when you have a roll over cage better use a helmet
but its not a must there because its "just" a toll road, think I need new rear tires after that too and maybe new brake pads and fluid...(also the time for it by then) GTRene
>> Edited by GTRene on Monday 17th April 15:12
Cheers Ben - that was a really helpful summary for many folks planning to get to the ring over the summer. I will probably not do it this year.
BTW - you should consider signing up for the lotus on track day at Silverstone in August and meeting a few of us there. Open pitlane on what is always a memorable day. Maybe a second day at Snetterton on the return leg and a hop across the channel back home. It would be great to finally meet you.
BTW your 2200 km on 48's is not unreasonable if you only use them on the track - I will get about 2000 track miles from mine (including the commutes to the tracks).
Cheers
Andrew (at work over the entire weekend bar friday!)
BTW - you should consider signing up for the lotus on track day at Silverstone in August and meeting a few of us there. Open pitlane on what is always a memorable day. Maybe a second day at Snetterton on the return leg and a hop across the channel back home. It would be great to finally meet you.
BTW your 2200 km on 48's is not unreasonable if you only use them on the track - I will get about 2000 track miles from mine (including the commutes to the tracks).
Cheers
Andrew (at work over the entire weekend bar friday!)
rpm100 said:
Hi GTrene, i will be at the ring on may 21st, i will look out for you will you be in your m coupe?
Hey rpm100 nice to hear
and yep I'll be there in my M coupe on my profile...though I just recieved a bidding on my car(1 hour ago)...but I think thats not a real bid or person..the mail I recieved is from a @hotmail so...but who knows So I guess I'll be there in the M coupe, I still love it so no problem
would be nice to see you also there...I'm in yellow
your grey? GTRene
>> Edited by GTRene on Tuesday 18th April 23:18
GTRene said:
Hi GTrene, i will be at the ring on may 21st, i will look out for you
Hey rpm100 nice to hear
So I guess I'll be there in the M coupe, I still love it so no problem
would be nice to see you also there...I'm in yellow
GTRene
>> Edited by GTRene on Tuesday 18th April 23:18
That will be me, should be easy to spot as there will be 2 alpine gta's in the group! My cousin has a soft spot for M coupe's so he will probbrably dribble all over yours!
colin5577 said:
and there are a lot faster cars then yours...
No. There. Aren't.
ofcorse not your coming to then? its gona be a very busy day I guess on that Sunday...and maybe the next week I'll go again, just heard last Saterday that some people I know from a tire/tuning company are there too the whole weekend(a week later)
gona be a lot miles I make then, but it will be fun miles I hope.
GTRene
rpm100 said:
Hi GTrene, i will be at the ring on may 21st, i will look out for you
Hey rpm100 nice to hear
So I guess I'll be there in the M coupe, I still love it so no problem
would be nice to see you also there...I'm in yellow
GTRene
>> Edited by GTRene on Tuesday 18th April 23:18
That will be me, should be easy to spot as there will be 2 alpine gta's in the group! My cousin has a soft spot for M coupe's so he will probbrably dribble all over yours!
would be nice to see some Alpine gta's I've had a Renault Alpine Turbo V6 myself black
long time ago for that time a fast car only just like the TVR's above 200km/h not that fine roadholding(nothing like the M coupe anyway) Gona be a great day...I hope a dry day with a bit sun
and no accidents I'm there guess around 12h try to get on the parking place at the track mainport (BMW)
GTRene
I was there all weekend (Azure S1 elise)and couldnt believe the amount of crashes! Amazed me that they will let every tom dick and harry on in everything fron a moped to a coach but had a problem that my car didnt have a front number plate on..
Jamesmccall
Saw one azure s1 leave on the back of a recovery truck with a fairly bent rear end. was that one of you? did come over at one point to say hello and ask if you wanted to go out for a lap but you were all under the car so thought i wouldnt add to any problems..
Top weekend though and am planning to go back in a few months
J
Jamesmccall
Saw one azure s1 leave on the back of a recovery truck with a fairly bent rear end. was that one of you? did come over at one point to say hello and ask if you wanted to go out for a lap but you were all under the car so thought i wouldnt add to any problems..
Top weekend though and am planning to go back in a few months
J
Mr_C said:
I'll be there, 29th April for 3 days.
If you see a red S1 Elise, say hello!
Paul
Hi Paul, if you go better sign up on the Nurnburgring link...that way we can see who goes and when, just change my agenda and sign it in...thanks
GTRene
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=236309&f=15&h=0&p=3
None of us came off - So not us on the recovery truck, It was me under the car! The gear linkage circlips had broken so it took a few hours and a bike shop to find suitable replacements. None of us had front plates either - it never used to cause a problem but luckily we all had them in the boot so just gaffer taped them to the front clam.
jameshc said:
I was there all weekend (Azure S1 elise)and couldnt believe the amount of crashes! Amazed me that they will let every tom dick and harry on in everything fron a moped to a coach but had a problem that my car didnt have a front number plate on..
Jamesmccall
Saw one azure s1 leave on the back of a recovery truck with a fairly bent rear end. was that one of you? did come over at one point to say hello and ask if you wanted to go out for a lap but you were all under the car so thought i wouldnt add to any problems..
Top weekend though and am planning to go back in a few months
J
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