Nürburgring Visit

[madduffyx]

Morning all,

Myself and a friend are looking at going a trip to the Nürburgring later this year to do a few laps. Just wondering if anyone has been? If so, would you recommend it, any tips etc would be appreciated! Looking to go from Newcastle to Amsterdam on the ferry on a Friday, Saturday at the Nürburgring, staying over Saturday night before heading back to the ferry on Sunday evening. Is this cutting it a bit close for time or is it doable?

Cheers

 

[GTunney]

Just make sure what ever you do you cover yourself up to the eyeballs with insurance. God forbid you wouldn't want anything to happen to that new FR.

Also check, check and double check the insurance as some race day insurance companies exlcude Nurburgring from their cover because the track is so notorious for bad accidents.

 

[gamer555]

I can only encourage you to do this, it's something special. about the trip I cannot give any tips, as I'm not from UK.

as for the 'ring itself, first thing is to be prepared. read the details and rules on their website, try to understand what is going on over there. read about the risks, the insurances, liability (some pretty expensive toys all over the place on the 'ring) ,the eventual costs in case of trouble !

then for the ride itself, maybe learning the corners from videos, at least to know the dangerous spots. but be sure that on track everything is different, so don't push it in your first laps as it can lead to disaster.

personal experience: I did in total about 20 laps in several short sessions, but only one with my car. most of the laps with rentals (only good experiences with Rent4Ring), and let me explain why: first of all, those cars are prepared for track: proper oil, cages, stripped, tyres, brakes. with a rental I feel more comfortable pushing the car. if something goes wrong (not terribly wrong, like badly injuring myself) I can still go home with my car. I had friends with faster cars prepared with cages, tyres and brakes smashing the walls due to pushing too hard from the start (experience gained on playstation and not on the actual track).

 

[ma9mwah]

Have a read of this site http://www.nurburgring.org.uk, has lots of useful info on it. but take special note of the insurance page. Be very careful in finding out what cover you have.

 

[madduffyx]

Cheers for all the quick responses lads Yeh insurance seems to be the big one so I shall do my research on that. As it's a lovely new FR I own, it wouldn't be about hammering the car round the Ring to see how fast I could go but more about the experience and having a good weekend. As tempting as it might be, I've watched too many videos of people in lovely new cars thinking they're Lewis Hamilton before binning it into the barriers!

Gamer, renting a car is also a tempting option if I wanted to push things a bit harder

 

[madduffyx]

Have a read of this site http://www.nurburgring.org.uk, has lots of useful info on it. but take special note of the insurance page. Be very careful in finding out what cover you have.

Cracking link!! Cheers

 

[ZBOYD]

Just be aware that you'll need adequate insurance should someone else 'bin it' into you too.

Likelihood of it happening is of course pretty low, if you keep your wits about you and and eye on your mirrors.

But certainly ensure you have good insurance cover, normal motor insurance often does not cover it for use on the Nurburgring and even if they don't specifically add it to their list of terms and conditions, despite it being a public/toll road they will class it as track use rather than general road use.

 

[jc_boc]

You will absolutely LOVE it!! Be aware too that everyone overtakes on the left so if you see a car up your chuff indicate right and move over so they can pass. I went a couple years ago and thrashed the boc round the ring, best time of my life. Be prepared to shell out cash to the ring if you bin it too. I believe they impound your car till you have paid them for repair works that may need to be carried out.

 

[gamer555]

if you plan on driving "safely", pay attention and follow the rules (stay on the right, let others overtake, slow down on yellow flags) I don't think it is that risky to drive your own car on the 'ring. plus you will get some nice photos with you and the FR "in action" from the amateur photographers

but if you plan on driving against the clock, Bridge to Gantry, then the safe choice is a rental. you can get below 9 minutes BTG with a 125 hp suzuki !

 

[TimothyS]

I drove on the Nürburgring once with my own car (Megane Coupe 1.5 tdi 120ps).
Although the car was a bit too slow for the track, it was a lot of fun!
Just watch the mirrors for other cars and bikes coming in fast and get out of the way

 

[Kambo]

Pretty much as above

You can get insurance for the 'ring but its there own cover and its covers damage to there armco and I think recovery from the track to the start point (you will need to double check that bit) its about £100 a day

However as mentioned if you go into someone/someone goes into you then you are sorting it out with them directly, you wanna hope for a start they have insurance and they are not driving a two day old GT3 RS...

You also wanna hope the above is not a biker

Some people have tried to be clever and tell the person trackside to also say it happened outside the track somewhere to there insurance company when they get home, do you trust someone you don't know to agree with you? Two different stories get insurance companies nervous when its anywhere near the 'ring

And they have used photographers website in claims to confirm you were on track that day if you say you never touched the track during your trip to germany which just happened to be quite near the 'ring

I'm not trying to put you off but plenty of people have messed things up for others by trying to be clever, other than that it is fun, wholeheartedly recommend it

It is worth the trip, I think cameras are allowed now but keep the timers out the car, time the video lap when you get home if thats your thing

People who are driving well within there ability/limit can come a cropper by hitting some oil, its not nice and gamble what happens after

Mirrors mirrors effin mirrors, use them and keep an eye on them, faster car/bike catching then move over to the right and stick the indicator on, look ahead and give them the corner

Don't play cat n mouse with anyone otherwise one of you will end up getting your credit card out at the end of the lap...

Someone mentioned watching the vids - this, leave the playstation for games

Make sure you got a hi-vis jacket for all the car occupants and they are to hand and not locked in the boot! If you see an accident and its a solo car/bike then pull over OFF the track get the hi-vis on and help out, if someone else has already stopped (you will have to judge whether the other vehicle has stopped or is involved) then hazards on and go past carefully. All I will say is if it is a solo car/bike then do stop and not do what some have done and worry more about there lap time and carry on, if that was you needing help...

All the above I'm just re-iterating whats already been said or is in the links given, but no harm in going over them again

Its an awesome lap and unless your driving around like an idiot you will be fine, if you have never done a trackday before then don't worry, keep right and keep on the mirrors

Enjoy it

 

[weirdkerr]

I'd love to visit the 'ring too someday... I have been thinking about a road trip to Europe to the alps later this year to take in some alpine passes... so a visit may be possible on the way back...