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Great Tracks – Nurburgring

I have been to the Nurburgring 3 seperate times over the space of 2 years. Each time I’ve gone in my own car (GTI-6) which was my only form of transport at the time and therefore couldn’t risk driving flat out as the car needed to get me to work on my return! Since then the GTI-6 is a weekend toy due to a company car therefore my next ring trip (2010) will be a lot more fun!

The Ring was built in the 1920s and was used for Grand Prix racing up until 1939 when it was deemed to dangerous. Since then the Ring has been used as a testing ground for car manufacturers and as a track by the paying public. Today it is extremely popular with car and motorbike enthusiasts. BMW even operate a Ring taxi where you pay to be driven round in a new BMW M5 full pelt by a racing driver.

My first trip to the Ring was a real eye opener. I’d driven the course on the Playstation 2 a million times but nothing, absolutely nothing, prepares you for the track. Firstly its much narrower then you’d believe, the barriers seem so close to the track. Secondly, the track is massively off camber in places and full of bumps that your totally unaware of or phased by on the PS2. Thirdly, theres traffic, lots of it and no matter what car your in, if somethings behind you, MOVE!!! You could be in a Zonda F and have a VW Polo come flying up behind you, but just swallow your pride and shift out the way! This Polo I speak of seems to be a regular and is massively quick even though it looks a nail!

On my first lap I took it extremely gently, so gently infact that I decided to do the last half of the course paying for half a lap. This I found useful as its full of off camber corners which gets you in the frame of mind that the Ring IS a dangerous track and easy to make a mistake on. The Karrussell is particular crazy, you can enter at massive speeds which forces the car into the ground. However, enter to quick and come out the pitched corner and you’ll spear straight into the barrier.

Don’t let me put you off though, the Ring is a magical place, the worlds most demanding track and once you’ve been you’ll want to return, a lot. It takes years and years and years to master this track which is why its such a fantastic place. The track runs through mountains, entire villages, past castles and is so picturesque that theres even bus trips that run round. Yes you can get on a massive bus and head round the Ring. Not great if your doing 140 and a bus gets in the way!

If you’ve never been, plan and book now, you won’t regret it!!

Safety Advice

Search on Youtube for the 7 second Ring King, this is a legendary video and highlights the dangers of driving all the way there, thinking your a driving god, then stacking it after 7 seconds! Please DO NOT drive flat out, drive within your own limits. If you decide not to listen to me, remember this. Should you stack it into a barrier, not only do you loose your car, you are also liable to pay for any damage you’ve caused to the track which is thousands of Euros for barriers, you liable for the recover truck charges AND you are liable for lost earnings if the track must be closed.

Therefore, 1 little off and cost thousands. I video’d a UK Merc spinning into a barrier, the total cost was over 5000 euros BEFORE the cost of the car repair, crazy!!!!