Our Ring Trip

[NorthloopCup]

Was mid april last year IIRC as I was working in india so couldnt make it.

Bit of a lottery for rain but at least it wont be likely to be snowing, lol.

I dont mind the rain though TBH on trackdays

Well having experienced spa last year for the f1 in August, I can safely say I would rather drive through the night to get there, do the trackday then drive back home rather than stay over night! Granted we camped out for the f1, but I have a decent 4 seasons sleeping bag and that couldn't even keep me warm!! Lol! I think it went down to 2-3 degrees at night. In August ffs!! Lol

 

[Chip-mk1]

Id sooner hotel than camp

 

[Mr Burns]

Done both camping and hotels there... I love the place, I'll be there again next year

 

[cat171]

Seeing things like the pr*ck in the Evo make me not want to go there, there seems to be too many idiots there now.

 

[NorthloopCup]

Seeing things like the pr*ck in the Evo make me not want to go there, there seems to be too many idiots there now.

Don't let the video put you off going there! That's something more of a one off tbh mate. It's the first and hopefully the last time I ever see something like that on the 'ring again. It was totally irresponsible. Also, you get idiots on uk trackdays. It's just more expensive if you bin it over there!

 

[Mr Burns]

Don't let the video put you off going there! That's something more of a one off tbh mate. It's the first and hopefully the last time I ever see something like that on the 'ring again. It was totally irresponsible. Also, you get idiots on uk trackdays. It's just more expensive if you bin it over there!

+1

Have you ever Googled 'motorway crash'? ...Yet we think nothing of travelling on them.

As long as you don't try to be a hero you'll be fine, and the slower you go the more time you have to enjoy the experience and keep out of everyone else's way.

 

[GrahamS]

Good to see you went round in your car mate. Thought you were going to be renting a swift maybe.

I watched hours of videos of crashes, had hundreds (maybe 5 or 6) of people telling me I'm going to die because of all the horror stories they hear. It was the best experience I've ever had in a car and likely will never be topped. People never come on-line to say positive things do they now

Quick stat, only 4% of accidents in the UK occur on motorways

 

[NorthloopCup]

Good to see you went round in your car mate. Thought you were going to be renting a swift maybe.

I watched hours of videos of crashes, had hundreds (maybe 5 or 6) of people telling me I'm going to die because of all the horror stories they hear. It was the best experience I've ever had in a car and likely will never be topped. People never come on-line to say positive things do they now

Quick stat, only 4% of accidents in the UK occur on motorways

Tbf mate, I'd say that the majority of the deaths that occur from the nordschliefe are bikers. I saw one being air lifted off the track on my last visit, and witnessed the death of another biker on my first ever trip over there.

 

[Mr Burns]

I've only been twice, and the first time there was a biker fatality then too.

 

[Martin.]

Good to see you went round in your car mate. Thought you were going to be renting a swift maybe.

I was going to do both. But because of the rain I didn't bother with the swift and got as much time on track in the Clio as I could. Think I did about 10 laps all in.

Some VERY wet, some damp and some with a slight dry line forming. Had a nice little spin too

 

[kevin_172]

Good to see my name is still on the track where the EVO shat itself

 

[cat171]

Don't let the video put you off going there! That's something more of a one off tbh mate. It's the first and hopefully the last time I ever see something like that on the 'ring again. It was totally irresponsible. Also, you get idiots on uk trackdays. It's just more expensive if you bin it over there!

Thanks, I'd probably only ever want to go as a passenger, no way I'd want to drive round it.
I think now it's more of a fashion thing so it seems to attract a lot of idiots who think it's race, that's my perception.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Thanks, I'd probably only ever want to go as a passenger, no way I'd want to drive round it.
I think now it's more of a fashion thing so it seems to attract a lot of idiots who think it's race, that's my perception.

I think that you trying to ascertain the feel of the place from youtube videos is a mistake.
Ive been there a couple of times a year most years for the last decade, and Ive not noticed any difference, anyone who does turn up there with the wrong attitude before they get on the track tends to come off it with a bit more respect anyway, its a very intimidating place and quickly demands respect from you.
Some people get c**ky a few trips in, but if you do it quickly bites you and you learn from it. (I learned the hard way myself!)

 

[Matt W]

Thanks, I'd probably only ever want to go as a passenger, no way I'd want to drive round it.
I think now it's more of a fashion thing so it seems to attract a lot of idiots who think it's race, that's my perception.

As soon as you went out for a passenger lap you would be gutted that you didn't drive. You don't have to drive fast.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Best way to enjoy the ring is drive it at 8/10ths while trying to perfect the lines not get the ultimate corner speed IMHO.

Thats what I do these days, and I happily enjoy going around it about a minute slower than is actually possible in the same car!

 

[Advikaz]

Yep, if you drive it fully lit you're asking for trouble.

Doesn't matter how quick you think you are, it's a tough track to learn & you really don't know what's round some corners.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Yep, if you drive it fully lit you're asking for trouble.

Doesn't matter how quick you think you are, it's a tough track to learn & you really don't know what's round some corners.

Especially in terms of fluids on the track, or even damp patches where its in the shade which is what caught my mate out in his RWD Cossie powered Focus. He came round "showboat" and on the exit the track was damp, even though the rest of the lap had been dry!

 

[Mr Burns]

I don't think the Forza/Gran Turismo training works either. Sure it'll help you learn some of the lefts and rights, but there's no way it teaches you the track before you get there.

 

[Chip-mk1]

I don't think the Forza/Gran Turismo training works either. Sure it'll help you learn some of the lefts and rights, but there's no way it teaches you the track before you get there.

I totally disagree with you.

When I went in 2005 with a mate of mine, Id done about 50 real life laps at that point, he'd never been before but had logged 2000+ on the playstation.

He knew the lines FAR better than me.


Dont get me wrong, you need to still get a few laps in before you go hell for leather as you need to feel the gradient changes etc which make the car go light in ways you dont notice on the game, but in terms of learning the lines its an epically useful tool!

 

[Advikaz]

As long as you don't take the games as gospel you'll be alright.

 

[Chip-mk1]

As long as you don't take the games as gospel you'll be alright.

Yes I would strongly recommend against "I had a 96mph entry speed to this on the game so I will use that as the entry speed in real life"
But it teaches you the lines in a way that only years and years of regular vists at the track could compete with.

Ive done 100s of real life laps but dont know the lines the way a gamer does.

 

[Mr Burns]

I totally disagree with you.

When I went in 2005 with a mate of mine, Id done about 50 real life laps at that point, he'd never been before but had logged 2000+ on the playstation.

He knew the lines FAR better than me.


Dont get me wrong, you need to still get a few laps in before you go hell for leather as you need to feel the gradient changes etc which make the car go light in ways you dont notice on the game, but in terms of learning the lines its an epically useful tool!

Must just be me then... I've been twice and regularly drive it on Forza and I still don't know the track lol.

 

[NorthloopCup]

I don't think the Forza/Gran Turismo training works either. Sure it'll help you learn some of the lefts and rights, but there's no way it teaches you the track before you get there.

I agree with chip on this one. I learnt the track on a ps2 and found it very good for knowing what corners were coming up and roughly what lines to take. What it can't teach you however is the gradients, actual real life corner speeds, little humps and bumps that throw you off line and the compressions that can wind you! Lol! Had that happen once at the compression at the bottom of foxhole.

Must just be me then... I've been twice and regularly drive it on Forza and I still don't know the track lol.

I've been going for 10 years at least now and completed over 350 real life laps. I actually find forza harder to get on with as I don't find it as graphically correct as gran turismo is for the corners. Gt is nigh on perfect imo.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Its the GT version my mate used.

IIRC its accurate to within half an inch of real life!!!


Certainly when Ive had a couple of goes on the game Ive found it to be exactly as I remembered the track from real life.

when I first went though I'd not seen a video or played a game or anything, first time I saw a full lap was driving on, that was quite an experience as it was way more hilly and worse vision and less runoff than I expected! (10:16 was my first ever lap time despite that, which shows I was probably trying too hard right from day one!)

 

[NorthloopCup]

Its the GT version my mate used.

IIRC its accurate to within half an inch of real life!!!


Certainly when Ive had a couple of goes on the game Ive found it to be exactly as I remembered the track from real life.

when I first went though I'd not seen a video or played a game or anything, first time I saw a full lap was driving on, that was quite an experience as it was way more hilly and worse vision and less runoff than I expected! (10:16 was my first ever lap time despite that, which shows I was probably trying too hard right from day one!)

Yes that's true about GT as well. It was Ex Muhle that made me think, 'f**k! It's not like that on the game!' Lol! It was the tarmac, sky, trees then tarmac again! Doesn't do that on my sofa!

First lap for me was a 9:52. Moved on a bit from there now - as you know chip!

 

[Mr Burns]

I need to try the GT version by the sounds of it!

 

[Chip-mk1]

Yes that's true about GT as well. It was Ex Muhle that made me think, 'f**k! It's not like that on the game!' Lol! It was the tarmac, sky, trees then tarmac again! Doesn't do that on my sofa!

First lap for me was a 9:52. Moved on a bit from there now - as you know chip!

9:52 with all that game practice first?

I expected more from you, lol.

 

[Chip-mk1]

I need to try the GT version by the sounds of it!

Well worth doing if you want to learn the lines, in fact IIRC its even possible to turn the racing line on as a helper in the game!

 

[Mr Burns]

I'm going again next year, I'm even buying a new car especially lol.

 

[Advikaz]

What times do you get in your clio Chip, i've only ever done a few laps myself (wasn't in the clio)

 

[Chip-mk1]

What times do you get in your clio Chip, i've only ever done a few laps myself (wasn't in the clio)

In the mrs one the only vid I took was 9:40something, that wasn't pushing mega hard though, sub ten is easy.

that was with big ash as a passenger.


In porkies on the old spec I was soon just under 9 with a lighter passenger.


thats the only clios I've driven there.

 

[NorthloopCup]

9:52 with all that game practice first?

I expected more from you, lol.

In my defence I was in a mk3 Astra gsi so I should be praised for a monumental effort! Fpmsl!

 

[Chip-mk1]

In my defence I was in a mk3 Astra gsi so I should be praised for a monumental effort! Fpmsl!

Depends, if it was an ecotec one then well done, if it was an XE then must try harder, lol.

 

[Tutuur]

This is my lap with the dci back in September:

http://youtu.be/LHkcQsCMCFM

10th lap i've ever done and the first with this car. 2000+gt5 experience too.

I don't look at laptimes, just have fun! Long straights i'm only doing 80's as i don't feel the need to go all out. (Dci probably won't go much faster uphill anyway )

 

[NorthloopCup]

Depends, if it was an ecotec one then well done, if it was an XE then must try harder, lol.

Nah it was one of the original (and best) gsi's on a J plate. Still got it! It had the let in it as well. Managed to eventually get it down to 8:56. Went the following year in the cup and pissed an 8:53. The Astra never got used again after that! Had twice the hp of the cup but just couldn't carry the corner speeds.
Now breaking it after 4-5 years of zero use.

 

[Chip-mk1]

It's surprising with such long straights how much the ring isn't a power circuit in some ways!

 

[GrahamS]

I agree with chip on this one. I learnt the track on a ps2 and found it very good for knowing what corners were coming up and roughly what lines to take. What it can't teach you however is the gradients, actual real life corner speeds, little humps and bumps that throw you off line and the compressions that can wind you! Lol! Had that happen once at the compression at the bottom of foxhole.

I know the track like the back of my hand on Forza. Exactly the comment I made about the gradient though, it's just a completely different beast. I also found the track felt far narrower than I expected.

 

[NorthloopCup]

I also found the track felt far narrower than I expected.

It's the same when you watch videos on YouTube tbh mate, or at least that's what I find.

 

[Stu172cup]

I get bored on rhe xbox though..................

 

[Mr Burns]

Serious question... I'm selling my 1.25 Fiesta for a cheap(ish) daily that will be fine for a trip to the 'Ring in May. Some people think I'm bonkers looking at 182's saying they'll break/won't make it/too old/French tat blah blah blah...

To those of you who've done road trips to Germany in your Clios, how do they cope? Any issues? Any recommendations in terms of special preparations? I've owned both a 172 and 182 but both were nearly new at the time, so buying an older French car concerns me slightly!