I'm sure I once read in Evo mag that Dicky Meaden learnt the Nords on the PlayStation
It's just such a bonkers place. Even though the straights are purgatory for a Cat I still loved my time there this year, and I'm still dead excited to go back.
I can still remember my first trip to the Ring in my first Crossflow engined 7, almost 20 years ago.
As I headed out under the barrier with an equally terrified mate in the passenger seat, the fog had lifted but the drizzle remained.....
On the second lap it absolutely siled it down. My job was to look forwards, backwards through the centre mirror and driver's 'door' mirror- my mate kept his eyes glued rearwards through the passenger door mirror.
After what seemed like an eternity, we returned to the paddock area and took cover in the coffee shop.
After about 5 mins of stunned silence, my mate turned to me and said "what the f£&k did we just do?" :)
I have subsequently returned in more powerful 7s, but I now more concerned with just how popular the Touristfahrten have become. I now reckon I'd prefer to revisit on a proper Trackday, albeit at a much higher cost.
If you do want to do the Touristfahrten days then pick an evening early in the week, well away from public holiday weekends.
TF get's a bad rep from crash compilation videos (that the Nürburgring now does well to keep off YouTube). It really needn't be that scary and the stereotypical GT3 coming past 100kph faster, they're not the cars to worry about. The drivers of those car normally know what they're doing.
As long as one remains aware of their surroundings, keeps an eye on the mirrors, and remembers that German road rules apply, everything really will be fine.
To relieve the nerves, as others have said, driving the track on a game will help enormously. Knowing where the track goes is half the battle and watching on-board videos will do that if gaming isn't your thing.
Aaah Misha, yes I've been following him since his 'boosted borris' days. As well as Apex and Robert, Tim Morely et al. I had a trip booked before Covid to Apex but it never happened. But would love to go with a gang of Seven's. I've really enjoyed my club track day this year...
So completely agree with you @ptr_drvr, TF probably doesn't deserve its rep. Still...
A SIM sounds like a good shout. What SIMs would people recommend? I don't have a PC or console but I do have a powerful iMAC
My TF comments have nothing to do with YT videos- just based on visiting the place, either in the 7, or calling in on "ahem" business trips :)
Back to my first trip when my mate and I were rather shocked to see a Land Rover Discovery complete with roof top kayak, head out down the latter part of the Dotinger Hohe straight. The attendant marshals having given said kayak a cursory 'wiggle' to check all was secure :)
krisfl - if you can still Bootcamp the Mac you could run Assetto Corsa on a Windows partition. That's exactly how I started (before the sim racing bug took hold and I bought a dedicated "rig")
Thanks @mph, will look into Bootcamping... I see Assetto Corsa and also be used online/streamed? Perhaps a PS3/4 is in order, though I think you can't download all the track mods (so all the extra UK circuits)?
I haven't been back since our first and only visit in 2004 and that was on a TF day, also in our x/flow. SWMBO also managed a lap. The best bit for me was that a biker from Norway asked if he could have a ride in the 7 and when I explained I was a complete novice at the 'ring he said he and his mates were regulars each year so he got them to provide an escort convoy of about 6 riders in front and a few behind. I stayed a safe distance behind the guys in front but was able to watch their positioning and speed which helped tremendously. No doubt this would have been my quickest lap.
Yup, totally that
I'm sure I once read in Evo mag that Dicky Meaden learnt the Nords on the PlayStation
It's just such a bonkers place. Even though the straights are purgatory for a Cat I still loved my time there this year, and I'm still dead excited to go back.
--Mark
--
R400+ | YouTube
I can still remember my first trip to the Ring in my first Crossflow engined 7, almost 20 years ago.
As I headed out under the barrier with an equally terrified mate in the passenger seat, the fog had lifted but the drizzle remained.....
On the second lap it absolutely siled it down. My job was to look forwards, backwards through the centre mirror and driver's 'door' mirror- my mate kept his eyes glued rearwards through the passenger door mirror.
After what seemed like an eternity, we returned to the paddock area and took cover in the coffee shop.
After about 5 mins of stunned silence, my mate turned to me and said "what the f£&k did we just do?" :)
I have subsequently returned in more powerful 7s, but I now more concerned with just how popular the Touristfahrten have become. I now reckon I'd prefer to revisit on a proper Trackday, albeit at a much higher cost.
If you do want to do the Touristfahrten days then pick an evening early in the week, well away from public holiday weekends.
Rog
--
R400+ | YouTube
TF get's a bad rep from crash compilation videos (that the Nürburgring now does well to keep off YouTube). It really needn't be that scary and the stereotypical GT3 coming past 100kph faster, they're not the cars to worry about. The drivers of those car normally know what they're doing.
As long as one remains aware of their surroundings, keeps an eye on the mirrors, and remembers that German road rules apply, everything really will be fine.
To relieve the nerves, as others have said, driving the track on a game will help enormously. Knowing where the track goes is half the battle and watching on-board videos will do that if gaming isn't your thing.
I'd highly recommend Misha Charoudin on Youtube, here's a great recent video of his about "How to survive the Nürburgring traffic"
Pete
Fancy a club Nürburgring trip in 2023?
Aaah Misha, yes I've been following him since his 'boosted borris' days. As well as Apex and Robert, Tim Morely et al. I had a trip booked before Covid to Apex but it never happened. But would love to go with a gang of Seven's. I've really enjoyed my club track day this year...
So completely agree with you @ptr_drvr, TF probably doesn't deserve its rep. Still...
A SIM sounds like a good shout. What SIMs would people recommend? I don't have a PC or console but I do have a powerful iMAC
My TF comments have nothing to do with YT videos- just based on visiting the place, either in the 7, or calling in on "ahem" business trips :)
Back to my first trip when my mate and I were rather shocked to see a Land Rover Discovery complete with roof top kayak, head out down the latter part of the Dotinger Hohe straight. The attendant marshals having given said kayak a cursory 'wiggle' to check all was secure :)
"On yer go son" ..or the German equivalent:)
Rog
krisfl - if you can still Bootcamp the Mac you could run Assetto Corsa on a Windows partition. That's exactly how I started (before the sim racing bug took hold and I bought a dedicated "rig")
--
R400+ | YouTube
Also check out Scott Mansell's videos on learning the Nordschleife: https://driver61.com/circuit-guide/nurburgring/
Thanks @mph, will look into Bootcamping... I see Assetto Corsa and also be used online/streamed? Perhaps a PS3/4 is in order, though I think you can't download all the track mods (so all the extra UK circuits)?
I haven't been back since our first and only visit in 2004 and that was on a TF day, also in our x/flow. SWMBO also managed a lap. The best bit for me was that a biker from Norway asked if he could have a ride in the 7 and when I explained I was a complete novice at the 'ring he said he and his mates were regulars each year so he got them to provide an escort convoy of about 6 riders in front and a few behind. I stayed a safe distance behind the guys in front but was able to watch their positioning and speed which helped tremendously. No doubt this would have been my quickest lap.
http://c7cat.com/Ring.htm#NB
Member since March 1998