Nurburgring 2019

[baronbennyt]

Hello fellow Ring lovers!

I started a Nurburgring thread this time last year (Nurburgring 2018) which generated some really great advice, camaraderie, photos and video, so I thought I'd do the same again for next year. The two clubs I almost always sign up with - I've been going to the Ring annually for over 10 years and can't recommend them highly enough - are 'Destination Nurburgring' and 'Circuit Days'. The Ring dates they have announced are as follows:

- Tuesday 23rd April (Circuit Days)
- Monday 20th May (Destination Nurburgring)
- Monday 22nd & Tuesday 23rd July (Destination Nurburgring)
- Monday 30th September & Tuesday 1st October (Destination Nurburgring)
- Monday 14th October (Circuit Days)

For more details on 'Destination Nurburgring' visit (http://www.destination-nurburgring.com/) and for 'Circuit Days' visit (https://circuit-days.co.uk/).

I might go for the Monday 30th September & Tuesday 1st October (Destination Nurburgring) event since I can combine it with a trip to Spa-Francorchamps with Circuit Days on Wednesday 2nd October. I just have to hope the weather gods are smiling on me that week!

I've also posted my favourite photo at the Ring (even though the Mac was my least favourite to drive at the Green Hell)!

[baronbennyt]

Absolutely true about Ringmeisters Prime, you get what you pay for: less cars, super competent drivers and two days of trouble free lapping without a single incident, certainly if this year was anything to go by. The only downside, and I can't believe I'm saying this, is that practically everyone was in a 911 GT3 / GT3 RS! A bit of variety goes a long way...thank goodness Nigel's VW was there to break up the monotony

[baronbennyt]

Thanks, that’s very kind of you to say. l loved the colour combination of my 12C (dark blue exterior and tan interior) but that was about it at the end. It blew a coolant hose on the main straight and almost had me off. The palaver of getting it and me back to Blighty was the final straw!

I really enjoyed the GT4 too but I found its gearing too long, even for the Nurburgring. I don’t keep cars very long so I chopped it in for a very different car - a Jaguar XKR-S GT, which I’ve recently sold!

I now have a 599 GTB (see pic below). It’s the first Ferrari I’ve had so I intend to keep it a while to see what all the fuss is about. It reminds me very much of the Vantage V12S I had before the 12C. Lovely character and stunning engine. Gearbox is a bit old school, however.

I won’t be bringing the 599 to the Ring so I’ll have to find something else by September...

[baronbennyt]

RSbandit said:

that's a beaut ideal for long Euro roadtrips but don't rule it out for the Ring just yet it would certainly be a unique proposition round there!

I don't think I could bring myself to hammer the 599 around the Ring. I might need to check out the PH classifieds for something a little more suitable..still my favourite after many years driving different sports cars around the Green Hell was a Paragon prepared Porsche Cayman R with Pirelli Trofeo R tyres. That thing was like a go-kart. Yummy!

[baronbennyt]

Yes, around 15 laps per day is absolute max, for me at least. Also, I don’t bother with insurance - I’ve been going for 10 years and not needed it once, except for a breakdown recovery (of a previously owned British built car)!

[baronbennyt]

Nurburgring2019 said:

Hello!

Looking for a bit of advice really..
So..complete novice at this Nürburgring malarky, but my boyfriend has always wanted to go, ideally to take his own car but as this is going to be a surprise i’m not sure how i’ll wangle that one.. anyway..i’m basically trying to organise a trip to the Nürburgring for his birthday in november. Looking for suggestions on places to stay, are cars still available to rent in november, etc?

Any help would be much appreciated.

N x

I would recommend hotel Zur Burg, which is just next to the Nurburgring circuit and opposite Rent-4-Ring, where you can rent a Suzuki Swift (great fun) or a BMW 125i (faster) and other cars. All their cars are race prepared, plus they speak English!

Hotel Zur Burg - https://www.nuerburgring-hotel.de/index.php/en/

Rent-4-Ring - https://www.rent4ring.de/en/

You can search for when the Ring is open to the public here - http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/fans-info/info/openi...

Just remember to search TOURIST DRIVES NORDSCHLEIFE - tourist drives means public opening.

[baronbennyt]

My new Nurbugring weapon has arrived. Not in its natural habitat for now admittedly but roll on Destination Nurbugring in September...It’s an ex Jonathan Palmer Sport BMW M3 V8 E90. Fingers crossed it’s reliable!

[baronbennyt]

New brake pads, racing brake fluid and engine oil for the GT3RS. Bring on #DN22!

[baronbennyt]

I found the Ring extremely challenging this week due to the mixed weather conditions but it was an invaluable experience and the GT3RS performed flawlessly.