2014 Nurburgring "tourist" driving

so who's lapping the Nordschleife?

After a 7 year hiatus I'll be back at the 'Ring at least once in April and/or July.

Staying at Berghotel Hohe Acht, for the 15th or time. My mom and dad stayed here in 1967 for the German GP, and said it hasn't changed...

Here's a vid from an earlier trip. Man kann ich nicht warten!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMfDfDGyZvI

 

I will definetley try my first lap this year, but I don't know when yet.

 

First week in June for me. Tried it last year for the first time, and got completely addicted

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Hoping to make my first visit this year. Done thousands of laps on the PS3, I take it it's nothing like that in reality?

 

nah PS3 is great for learning the lefts and rights of the track, you'll just be shocked at the ups and downs of the real thing

Don't even think about lap times for a good while, keep a sharp eye in front and behind you, be smooth and thoughtful about any overtakes (done by or on you), take in the history and majesty of the track and surroundings (early morning laps are the best for this IMO) and you'll be hooked for life....

 

I know what you mean...

What were you driving? Was it on an "open" day or a course like Scuderia Hanseat?

Open days can be really crazy with traffic both on and off the track. On holiday weekends especially, even 7+ years ago, you could expect there to be numerous track closures for crashes. That's why I always get to the parking lot ~30 minutes before opening, drink a coffee and walk around chatting with the few other early birds, and can usually get in 2-3 virtually clear laps (which take a total of ~20-30 minutes even back to back) before it starts getting packed.

 

Cool
Unofficial schedule:
Nurburgring calendar and opening times 2014
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Not the fastest lap but quite amusing
http://youtu.be/2o96xcZtaVI

 

TF on a weekday evening - I had decided that would be safer than a weekend.

I was there in my Cooper S Works

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Sweet.
I test drove a CS Works in 2007 or 2008 and nearly wet myself flooring it on a twisty road.... very rapid little car!

Reports from Easter weekend so far are as expected: Track opens. Track closes. Open. Closed. Open. Closed. Selection of pics here: https://www.facebook.com/Frozenspeed?ref=br_tf

I picked up a rental car this morning and am now in Antwerp visiting friends until Sunday evening. The selection at Sixt in Duisburg wasn't great, to say the least... I had reserved a "premium, compact" or as described a BMW 1er, Merc A-Class, or VW GTI. None of those were in stock upon arrival but the clerk gleefully offered me a VW Tiguan. Ugh. How about a C-CLass wagon? No thanks, at least not until the next model comes out in a few months.

OK then how about an A3 combi? That's better at least.... It's got the 1.8L turbo gas motor, 7-speed DSG box, adjustable steering modes, and front wheel drive. On the road I haven't pushed it yet to see how bad the understeer is, but I assume it'll be there.
Fairly light and tossable, nice steering wheel and decent site-lines though i.e. my kind of NS car for public days.
Plus it's silver.

The only other Auto Union... I mean Audi I drove on the NS was an A3 hatchback in 2004 with a TDi and manual box, and it was pretty boring. This one at least has a gearbox I've never driven on the 'Ring (have done reg automatic in an SLK, auto-manual in an Alfa spider, sequential in Smart Roadster Coupes, and of course many with 3 pedals). OK I guess there's still a CVT, but I won't be too sad to miss this one.

So Monday morning 8AM I plan to be at the gates to hopefully get in one or maybe 2 relatively clear laps, then hook up with friends and spectate until mid afternoon.

Anyone else going?

 

My plans have now changed - JCW staying at home, taking the 550 to Lake Como and then Maranello for the tour instead. No Ring for me until 2015 now sadly

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Hire companies don't have a clause saying 'no use on the nurburgring'?

 

Be interested to hear how this pans out too

I heard of a significant worldwide customer who got a complete ban from one major hire company for taking a regular rental onto the track

 

Yeah, that doesn't sound fun at all
Start up a thread during or once you're done, should be an incredible trip!!!

Ones close to the 'Ring in Koblenz, Cologne Frankfurt etc yes they likely do, but once you go outside of the region a little bit the contracts typically don't mention the 'Ring (technically a public one-way toll road as far as regulations go) by name.
Nonetheless, I consider driving on the NS a "you break it you buy it" proposition. Helps to sharpen me up and rein in some of the temptation to be a hero

Yup, heard of this too. I've never gotten one from any of the ~6 car hire companies who have kindly rented me cars that I've taken around the NS over the past 16 years though. Such a letter would be a badass decoration for the garage wall

On the contrary, after my 1st trip in the Opel Speedster I returned it to Autohaus Geissler in Goerlitz with a 'Ring sticker on the back, and to this day a framed photo of me driving it on the NS hangs in their showroom.

 

On the contrary, after my 1st trip in the Opel Speedster I returned it to Autohaus Geissler in Goerlitz with a 'Ring sticker on the back, and to this day a framed photo of me driving it on the NS hangs in their showroom.

Good on you, hope you have a fun few days.

 

Thanks!

The story about the Opel Speedster just reminded me of something else. Back in the day when I was going to the NS 2-4 times per year and meeting up with a great group of UK/US/Netherlanders/Jersey/ex-pats/locals those of us who took regular hire cars out would usually stick our used lap tickets into the car's service manual somewhere in the section where mechanics would stamp or record 10k, 20k etc services. Hopefully made at least some of them smile

 

Ha love that, as somebody once said "the fastest car in the world is a rental"

 

Hope to make it there this year, but I say that every year....

Also a Gran Turismo veteran on the circuit. Of course nothing like the real thing, all the games do is give you a sense of which corners are where and what comes next.

I have been advised to stay completely clear of TF on weekends. My friends whom at times stay at the 'Ring for several weeks have told me how they do other things on the weekends as the Nordschleife is crowded with maniacs in hatchbacks and BMW Compact's.

It's so irritating the the Nürburgring is so hard to access via public transport. Train/bus there is nearly impossible. Having to rent two cars (one to get there and another to drive on the circuit) is both expensive and uneeded extra hassle.

Say what you want, but if you crash a regular rental at the 'Ring you are screwed. Or worst case, you crash and injure someone. All on you, and easily six figures.

 

Ay, all the more reason to abide by the #1 rule of driving the Nordschleife: Do not crash on the Nordschleife.

 

Dang it. I just wrote a long and nice post about The Ring experience but it disappeared as I failed to log in properly.
Stay at Lindner. It has a small casino which can be fun at night and sorta attached to a convention center which has several racing shops that sell everything from TheRing stickers to racing suits.
I have been there three times in recent years, most recent being less than a year ago.
I will answer all your questions as soon as able if you want. I am in Cabo with my family and driving out to Chilean beach right now with the kids.
Highly recommend Rent 4 Ring and it's staple of small Suzukis. No need for an m3. You may kill yourself. Perhaps try a Suzuki for few laps first and if you can do better, switch to higher HP cars.
R4R gives you a classroom brief which will be valuable for your life.
Have fun.

 

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Bwah! How much carbon fiber did you leave in Karussel?
Toll!

Well I've done 2 laps and now relaxing with a spiked coffee. No desire to lap more in the playstation-like A3 (even the gear lever is the same), may try to blag a pax lap in something quick but if not I got my NS fix.
First lap at 8:01AM was brisk and cautious as I re-aquatinted myself with the track (love the new pavement at pflanzgarten!) and the car, then on the second lap pushed harder. Saw the white 911 RSR in the mirror after Hatzenbach, but he surprisingly didn't get much closer until all the way to Breidscheid. Indicated right after mutkurve then he pulled away as expected up kesselchen, but there he is again after the karussel.... From then on kept him in sight until the end, and had a good chat afterwards in the car park. Older guy out in his sighting lap.
Even with something like 160hp the little Audi approached 200kph before Schwedenkruez, which believe me feels pretty fast in a narrow tired, softly sprung car leading up to one of the most dangerous curves in the world...
Will post more pix later, it's a bee-you-tiful day here in the Eiffel region time to do a walkabout!
Cheers
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Cooling down in the carpark.
Track has been closed for the last 30 mins, Red Cross car and police just went out, hope it's not too bad.
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Wish my car had a bit o that Chevy power for hauling us up Kesselchen... Could barely hit 160kph
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Weather looks good