Nurburgring Guide

[glendog74]

Hi all,

As i've been to the Ring a few times and seeing as many first timers will be going there at some point this year, i thought that i'd put a 'Sticky' guide in here so as to provide some insight into the 'Green Hell' and some gratuitous photo whoring, as well as answer a few noob questions that some people may find helpful...

I won't go into mega detail as there are other sites that can provide loads of info:

http://www.nuerburgring.de/en.html
http://www.nuerburgring.de/fileadmin...m/magnify.html
http://nurburgring.org.uk
http://forum.nurburgring.org.uk
http://www.wetter.com/deutschland/nu...DE0007130.html

WHEN TO GO

The Ring is open pretty much all year round except for the usual public holidays and during race weekends that use it. Hours of operation are reduced during winter months and there can unplanned closures due to snow/ice during winter. The best months for track condition are obviously the drier summer months but these can be very busy times. 'Off peak' visits can often be the most rewarding for track time and reduced numbers of vehicles.

Full timings for 'Touristenfahrten' (tourist drives) can be found here:
http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/angebo...dschleife.html

Ring times are usually published by the end of January each year but can take a while to appear on the website. You can also find timings for all other events here - which can help you to de-conflict with race weekends.

HOW TO GET THERE

There are several ways to cross over to the Continent and many routes to take. Prices vary and can be dirt cheap if you travel at off peak times. I always cross at Dover and have used ferry and Eurotunnel. I found P&O and SeaFrance ferries to be old, overpriced and with very cramped car decks. If i travel by ferry it is always by Norfolkline, whose ferries by contrast are newer, cheaper, and more spacious.

Norfolkline


The Eurotunnel is obviously rather quicker to get over and it has many more crossings per day. The prices, although more than the ferry, can be had at a good deal if you book a '5 Day trip' return ticket.

Norfolkline ferry price: circa £60 return during day.
Eurotunnel price: circa £75-£100 return on a return within 5 days deal.



The roads to the Ring are in the main rather boring and unpleasant - particularly through Belgium! I tend to go via Brussels and Liege before heading South East, passing the Spa F1 track (Malmedy), and then entering Germany for the final hour of fun 'A' road drive. One note of caution, be careful with your speed whilst in Belgium as they have radar traps set up!

Average drive time from Calais/Dunkirk to the Ring: 4.5 hours.

WHERE TO STAY

There are loads of places to stay, from 'Gastehaus' (B&B) and hotels to even camping if you prefer. Prices vary of course from around €50 to €120 per night. I have stayed at the following places and would recommend them all:

http://www.ringhaus.com/hotel_en/public/
http://www.am-tiergarten.de/en/home/
http://www.hotel-an-der-nordschleife.de/

Ringhaus


THE TRACK

The main reason for going there is the 20.8 km of track with its 73 corners! I wont talk in detail about the track, rather more about the domestics of driving there. A really useful BMW driver guide can be found here though:

BMW Nurburgring Guide

Here is a 'Beginners lap guide' video with commentary for those who are Ring virgins:
http://bridgetogantry.com/2/index.ph...&Itemid=300060

You pay to drive on track by the lap or by multiples: 1/4/8/15/25/Unlimited. Here are the prices for 2011:

1 lap: € 24,00
4 laps: € 89,00, incl. € 10,00 food/drinks voucher for the Eifeldorf Grüne Hölle*, 1 ring°werk ticket
15 laps: € 310,00, incl. € 20,00 food/drinks voucher for the Eifeldorf Grüne Hölle*, 1 ring°werk ticket
25 laps: € 470,00, incl. € 30,00 food/drinks voucher for the Eifeldorf Grüne Hölle*, 1 ring°werk ticket
Season ticket: € 1.350,00, incl. € 100,00 food/drinks voucher for the Eifeldorf Grüne Hölle*, 2 ring°werk ticket

The track is still classed as a public toll road and as such all cars must be road legal and conform to all the usual laws. They do noise testing on occasion and i have seen the Police doing random spot checks on vehicles in the parking areas.





The track itself can be daunting if its your first time, with cars, bikes and even busses on track - all at varying speeds! In general you should watch your mirrors like a hawk and indicate and move to the right to let faster cars pass you on your left side. Experienced 'Ringers' will fly past you at first and it is tempting to try and stay with that Suzuki Ignis that just mullered you!



Just keep your wits about you and learn the track as quick as you can, building confidence and therefore speed gradually. If you can, get someone to show you the lines or grab a 'Pax' lap in another car - this can help a lot! I tend to do 2 or 3 laps before coming in for a break - you need to know when to come in off track - especially at the end of the day. Don't fall into the 'just one last lap' trap!

There are several viewing areas around the track where you and the rest of the public can watch the cars passing. The main ones are:

Brunnchen




Pflantzgarten


Professional photographers also frequent these and others and will be snapping your car as you drive round. Most sell photos online afterwards. Here are a few of the best ones i have bought photos from:

http://www.frozenspeed.com/
http://www.ring-bilder.de/
http://www.mw-sportfoto.de/

This site lists pretty much every photographer that frequents the Ring and updates regularly:

http://www.ringportal.nl/enhome

There are a few parts of the track that many will have heard of before, namely:

Fuchsrohre (Fox Hole)


Adenauer Forst


Karussell




Schwalbenschwanz (mini Karussell)


INSURANCE

You must ensure that you have European cover as part of your car insurance policy and you should carry your certificate of insurance with you. Few 'standard' insurance companies will now cover the Ring - in fact most specifically exclude the Ring as being covered... A few specialist motorsport insurers offer specific Ring cover, I have used this company in the past:

http://www.moris.co.uk/

If the unfortunate should happen to you on track it can prove expensive! You will be charged for recovery and be held liable for any armco or track damage incurred. If the accident necessitates closure; they will charge for that also - lots of €€€!



WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO?

2009 saw the opening of the new 'Ringwerk' exhibition centre and motor museum. Additionally, there are a few shops and restaurants and a nightclub as well as a roller coaster...!



Of course there is also the Southern loop F1 Grands Prix track which opens for 20 minute tourist drives slots every now and then. The GP track is definitely well worth a blast!



You can also walk around the track to get the full trackside experience:



A few other local sights:

Adenau


Cochem


OTHER DOMESTICS

Fuel can be found close to the track at the 'Tankstelle' at Dottinger Hohe and in the town of Adenau. Prices tend to be on a par or slightly higher than here in the UK. You can also get 100 RON fuel at any Aral branded station. You might have to queue though...



You should have a warning triangle, first aid kit and luminous vest in the car. If going during the winter you need to consider what tyres are fitted to the car too - the Police can charge you for having the incorrect winter tyres fitted! You should have 'GB' displayed on the rear of the car, whether that be on a sticker or on your number plates. European breakdown cover is also worth considering!

Other things to consider taking are some consumables for the car like oil, brake fluid & brake pads, as well as a basic tool kit. I also take a jack as i generally take a set of spare wheels. Crash helmets are optional on track although i tend to wear one more often than not. Gloves are also something to consider as you tend to find that you get rather sweaty paws after 10 minutes of driving!

If you do have a mechanical issue, strangely there isn't a BMW garage that is local unfortunately. There are a few specialist garages however, like Nurburg RSR locally in Nurburg, as well as Raeder Motorsport, Tom Schirmer and Black Falcon a few miles further afield.

Finally...

I hope this guide helps, please feel free to add any further help or observations for the benefit of others.

Rob

Brilliant report Rob, that must have taken ages!

I enjoyed the pics as well

[AlexGTT]

Nice write up Rob. That should help a few guys out.

[phat///M3]

Very good write up

[TMAQ]

good pix and write up Rob

[northernjim]

excellent work rob


maybe you could add that you can hire cars, and instructors, should you feel the need from the likes of rsr nurburg, they have an enormous fleet of cars with a couple of exotica....GT3.... they even have a csl you can abuse...


and if you like a bit of sideways action you can always book a passenger lap in the M5 ring taxi driven by strangely alluring sabine [book well in advance to ensure satisfaction...]

[Mark CSL]

Thats cool Rob good info for the first timers
No pictures of the stake on a stone

[shimmy]

EXCELLENT!


now please can you do one of these on Hatfield B&Q car park please

[s.mac]

nice one Rob

a bit more info from what a mate posted on another forum, prices may have changed but good info like Rob's

The information contained in this guide is for educational purposes only. And is nothing to do with Evotechnik, its just a thread I have put together which are my own words and snippets from other ring websites to help you out by putting it all together in this easy to read thread. While every effort has been made to provide useful and up-to-date information, there are no guarantees stated or implied as to the accuracy of the information contained herein. You assume the responsibility to verify the information before employing it in any activites that are described in this guide. In other words: I'm trying to help you out, but if you go to the Ring and roll your M3 seventeen times, it's not my fault. Take responsibility for your own actions. And have fun. cheers, Doc

Where?

N 48° 56.775' E 007° 34.090' (Old fashioned grid ref: UV36470/88779)

Directions from Calais?

A16 (E40) Dunkerque/lille
A10 (E40) Brussells
E40 Aachen
E40 Exit 38
(Some EvoT'ers go a different route, but this way is easiest for me to type )

How long does it take to get there?

4 hours at 100mph, 5 1/2 hours with a few fill-ups and snack stops, colon clearances, 3 1/2 hours if youre following the Doc, Raj and Peppernick

Where to stay?

The Tiergarten

The Tiergarten hotel is an excellent hotel for the first-timers. Located about 1km from the Nordschleife entrance, the Tiergarten is the most convenient of the major hotels in the area. It's clean and reasonably priced.

Tiergarten's website

Hotel An Der Nordschliefe.

Just inside the bridge at Breidscheid. Slightly less expensive than Tiergarten. You can see this building in the background of most current racing games...it's the large tan building on the right as you approach the bridge.

An der Nordschliefe's website

Hotel Goldener-Anker

The most expensive of the three and a regular place for the EvoT ballers. Modern rooms, bowling alley, restaurant buffet and a bar open till very late with your host Rappin' Rodney.

giffels goldener anker Website

What are the main things I need to take with me?

You
Your Car
passport
money
credit card
driving license

Do I need to get extra insurance for the ring?

Its up to you, but £250 a day 'track' cover is gonna cost you especially with excesses of 5k with maximum payouts of around 20k . Most of us remain uninsured, which makes you drive a little more accordingly

What else should I consider before travelling.

A "Green card". Your insurers will provide this, it gives you fully comp cover whilst in Europe. Without a green card you are 3rd party out of the UK. Direct Line charged me about £12 for mine.

European Breakdown cover. I've just paid £23 for this weekends cover

Holiday insurance. About £21, Even if you are not bothered with taking out holiday insurance. Do it for your parents/family. In case you die, your parants won't have to fork out the 7k in return carriage costs

"GB" Number plates or if not you will need a GB sticker for the back of your car.

E111 card. A free card issued by the NHS, gets u reduced medical fees, say if you get toothache and need to get the fekker ripped out.

Warning triangle
First aid kit
Hi Viz vest (Now compulsory for France)

How much is this whole thing gonna cost me then?

Say about £130 for the tunnel (Cheaper for the ferry)
£50 to £70 a night for accomodation
And about 4 to 5 tanks of fuel in total depending on rapeage

If you share a room with someone then it saves some cash!

How much do laps cost?


Single lap €21 £14.56
4-lap ticket €70 £49
8-lap ticket €135 £93
15-lap ticket €235 £163
25-lap ticket €370 £257

What do I do when I get there?

Park your car up, have a walk round the car park, take a dump then go for a passenger lap with someone who has been before, try again with someone else. Don't feel cheeky asking for a lap, we LOVE giving laps, especially me because even though you think I know the course, I actually haven't a clue, LOL. Then buy yourself a ticket, maybe 4 laps to start then enjoy yourself

Are there any rules I have to abide to on the track?

Move over safely to the right if someone is coming up fast behind you. Indicate right to tell them they can pass.

When you see a yellow flag, slow down. If you don't see a crash, it could be a huge fcuk off oil spill. nasty stuff Save the office number into your mobile +49-2691-302215. You may need it if you crash and need help or a marshall to warn others of an obstruction.

Is there tea/coffee/food at the ring?

Yep, not the cheapest but a good variety of stuff, plus you can buy me a coffee for me spending an hour putting this together.






For other questions and answers visit the ultimate ring website by Ben Lovejoy



I've tried to cover the basics guys, anything i've missed?

[s.mac]

Great pics Rob

so glad I booked now