have been playing a fair bit of project gotham racing 2 (xbox),where they incorporated the nurburgring as one of the tracks for the first time (in a console game anyways).

was wondering if anyone has driven round the real thing after (virtually) driving the course. how was it if you did? would really like to have a go one day (obviously i wouldn’t be fast though 😆

p.s for anyone who cares my best lap time is 6:47 something in a ferrari enzo 😉

It is NOTHING like the game – the amount of cars I’ve seen being recovered on there after the driver has stated “I know the track like the back of my hand – I’ve done thousands of laps on the PS3……”
You cannot begin to contemplate the elevation changes there are, along with the weather being different in one valley to the next!

Yup – several times now

The biggest difference is the elevation.

Video games help with letting you know what goes left from right, and what’s coming next – but I was approx 10% slower in real life in a like for like car (Renault Clio / SEAT Ibiza)

I’m too scared of the potential financial ruin to go anywhere near the place.

You have a slight off-road moment and dump a bit of oil and/out coolant on the track, which is subsequently driven over by a couple of Frankfurt banking bigwigs in their 911 Turbos who end up in the next bit of Armco tangled round each other’s steering column. That’s you now on the hook for track clear up, new Armco, time of track officials spent sorting stuff out, couple of air ambulances, medical bills and lost earnings.

I did it a few Years ago, during a cramped Euro road trip in a Z3 M Roadster.

I’d done it “virtually” a few times previously, but I’m not really into Driving Games so I spent a lot of time off the track or going backwards 🙂

(More than I did in Real Life anyway !)

Agree with the Flying Ox on the financials…. on my last trip in 2011 I decided that would be my last driving trip… Far too many crashes (brits mostly), too many dicks playing show off & to be honest it was so packed in the local area it was solid traffic.

Two of my friends have had crashes there, one a major multiple roll over event – horrendous looking results, but luckily he walked away

I used to know someone who drove around it for a living! (lucky git)

Would meet down in the alps to go paddling – my god he couldn’t half drive fast along those twisting roads…

Saw a guy on the telly describe a massive tank slapper om a motor bike
He thought he knew it but the game had failed to replicate changes in loading through dips and humps

Saw a guy on the telly describe a massive tank slapper om a motor bike
He thought he knew it but the game had failed to replicate changes in loading through dips and humps

cannot begin to contemplate the elevation changes there are

This. It’s crazy how much the real thing goes up and down, there are dips you bomb it down into and it’s like driving down at a wall of tarmac.

Far more exciting that driving myself was being driven a lap by a Peugeot driver that’d won his race in the VLN series the day before 😯 200bhp RCZ and he was destroying 911 gt3s, ferraris etc etc…. I don’t get that close to the car infront when I’m parking, let along drafting at 100mph+ ready to overtake!

if you go into photomode on gt5, you can see the elevation changes that you don’t see when you are actually driving. the camera is always parallel when you are driving so the hills never look very steep.

It’s the most amazing/tragic place both at the same time. Did some laps on my motorbike a few years ago, it’s mad to get overtaken on a corner by a skyline gtr going sideways. on my last lap saw no less than 8 crashes, 2 of which were other bikers right in front of me. One guy was alright but the other smashed his head into some Armco at the top of Hohe Acht and when I got there to try and help him his helmet had disintegrated and the front of his face was missing.. People die there all the time, the statistics get dumbed down.

Got carried away, in answer to the question the games do a good job of teaching you the lefts and rights but some of the elevation changes are unbelievable, the designers of that circuit must have been insane

Used to go a fair bit, on motorbike (mainly) and car (only a couple of times). I stopped going because of
Price – it was 12 euro when I started, 25 or so when I stopped (4 year period), so it was getting pricey and quickly.
Distance
Weather – only the 1st time I went did it not rain (and I only did 4 laps), I went 7 times in all+once it was closed due to weather.
Accidents – Some bloke went into the back of my bike on his bike, trying to dive up the inside on a corner of Adenau Forst chicane. Deemed 50/50 as its a 2 lane road and I changed lanes 🙄
Traffic – It gets really busy, especially weekends.

Vid games can help a little, knowing where you are on the track is useful. It takes over 20 laps to be pretty familiar with it otherwise.
As others have said, games do not help with elevation – and theres lots!

If you are in the area, definitely have a few laps. I used to buy tickets off ebay as plenty of people dont use all their laps by the time they leave.

Friends have been multiple times. These days tend to treat it as more of a tourist drive due to the liability/insurance issues. I’m going for the first time next year.

I used to hate it doing it on video games, as it stretched my ability to concentrate – don’t imagine that’s a problem in real life!

Been round it a fair few times over the past 10 years, in a variety of cars from my tuned VW’s, Mk2 Sciroccos, Corrados, MK2 Golfs at various VW meets, also a fair few laps in a mates ABT tuned 550bhp RS4, he won his class in the RAC rally back in the 90’s with his BDA MK2 Escort and we took one sighting lap wi tulip pace notes then built up for the second lap then on the 3rd lap he went for it, anyone who says you cannot get a RS4 to 4 wheel drift isn’t trying hard enough, not scary as such, he’s a very accomplished driver but there was a few “jesus f–k–g christ” moments from me in the passenger seat but the epitome of calm, composed and the occasional, “could’ve entered 5mph faster” from him. Had a 7min + lap in a very hot 400bhp+ MK1 Golf wi trevor reeves and wasn’t scared either, he’s a very-very good driver and the golf was humiliating £200,000 supercars, or rather the driver was.

Also saw some horrendous crashes at the circuit that has put paid to any further laps till i could compose myself enough to head back out, the sight of a mangled supercar soon puts paid to any thoughts of “pushing it that little bit faster”, it’s definitely not a circuit to take any chances on as others have said above as just about every corner is blind, every crest is blind as the track really is steep in places, there is no run-off at all, unlike many other tracks – if you leave the track it is going to hurt you, or worse. Every single lap you do there is another crash, another car lying mangled, every few laps you will come across a serious crash with debris scattered everywhere, and then you have to worry about oil or fluids on the track or on your tyres – to be honest i don’t think i’ll go back as there are umpteen other tracks that are just as good, if not better that are open to the public.

The nurburgring is fantastic fun, if you could be guaranteed a clear run on a debris and oil free track after a few sighting/familiarisation runs – otherwise go there and take your time and leave with your car and body intact.

And don’t bother wi the sticker 😉

Never been (although, as you say, virtually a thousand times)

I have a friend who took his bog standard golf 2.0 GTDi (or whatever) there. He had been round virtually lots of times too and on his first lap took it easy. he was astounded on that first lap on the height changes but also on how badly people drove. In a car with a mere 150bhp he said he was passing porsches and ferraris that had gone in too deep on every corner.

On his second lap he was passing supercars, superbikes and plenty of other cars that were all over the place. He has a video which I can’t find now of him passing about 3 or 4 911’s out on a roadtrip who had no idea how to take corners.

Drive round it in a Polo a couple of times. A mate who has done 400+ laps sat in the back telling me when/where to go faster or slower. I’ve driven it, don’t have the urge to go again. I had some passenger laps with a VERY fast driver and I’d do that again.

My mate crashed there and destroyed his motorbike (he was fine) and he’s quite careful, just a moment of inattention (touch too much speed into a corner) and that was it, almost brand new bike gone.

Then there are idiots like this

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4Qxic6qj3E[/video]

I’ve been there and ridden it on my motorbike. Was one of the worst riding experiences of my existence. So many people out of control, so many cars, so so so many blind entry corners, blind exit corners.. it was just pure hell.

Me and the boys are off there again this year, we’re doing a trackday at Spa with the trip, also the ‘Ring. I won’t be lapping the Ring.

I know the lads around there who are the bike lap record holders and are obviously proper quick… but i simply can’t get my head around the place.

I have a mate who lives in Trier and his tales of ringrats range from hysterical to tragic.

You just have to look at the garages on the way up to the ring and see all the smashed up cars to figure out how tricky it is.

I’m too scared of the potential financial ruin to go anywhere near the place.

5yrs I almost did. My insurer said no and everywhere was closed for spot-cover. After talking with someone at the ‘ring I realised that its a massive bill- not your cars write off, tow truck, clean up team… but also you are billed by the hour for how long the track is closed, repairs to barriers etc etc etc.

but i simply can’t get my head around the place.

My mate reckons it takes 50-100 laps to get you to 90% of your capability there. Given the closures, amount of traffic etc thats quite a few trips to the ring. I drove it but after having been there a couple of days with him and some other/new mates and hearing their stories and seeing the amount of smashed/crashed cars (and a fair few crashes too), I wasn’t excited enough to take the risk of driving it again (although I’d pop up to see friends). One of my other mates is one of the ring photographers, he has some interesting stories.

Might pop up there for rad-am-ring to ride it on the road bike though as it’s only an hour away (Trier is about 25 mins from here)

Its nothing like the game….I’ve been 6 times done laps in cars and on bikes, every time I’ve been, there has been multiple fatalities, its a great place to go, just be aware of the considerable danger.

thanks guys, you’ve put me completely off going… I had been toying with the idea of taking my car for a go, but now I’ll think twice. :o)

Do it! go!, a mate has been going for years, has a sub 8.30 lap as he’s rather fast.
As with any track it’ll be rather different than on a computer.
and watch out for the locals in ‘tweaked’ golfs they are considerably faster than they look 😉

“thanks guys, you’ve put me completely off going… I had been toying with the idea of taking my car for a go, but now I’ll think twice. :o)”

Probably no bad thing – on a good lap it can be the best bit of tarmac in the world but usually its hell – its nicknamed the green hell for a reason. Its both ends of the spectrum – one lap had me screaming out loud with adrenalin as my bike left the ground dropping into a dip, few corners later flying over a blind crest at 100mph and narrowly avoiding a VW Sharan with a family inside doing about 40.

After my experience I mention earlier in the thread, I would never, ever go round it on a bike again, no way Jose, especially as I now have a little daughter

Another friend on a bike got passed round the outside in the carosel by a Ferrari hold his horn down 😆 it was a zxr400 and was knackered so not too much of a surprise 😉

My passenger laps were in a PT Cruiser GT. Overtook M3s, M5s, Ferraris, a couple of 911s. I think the guy who took me around has over 1000 laps (and half a dozen crashes) to his name. When it gets down to it, the driver is the biggest difference.

I was driving it last night on GT5 and considering what I would do if I went there. I think I’d have to treat it like a fast country road that’s one way. Too much traffic, and way too much danger. Even from solely playing computer games it’s obvious that there’s no run off, it’s really bumpy and there’s places where your wheels aren’t always on the ground. At least in a souped up F430 🙂

I am not at all tempted to go there, partly cos it’s so long and so mental. I would be somewhat tempted to go to a normal sized racetrack with lots of gravel, but probably not in my own car with my own tyres on it 🙂

Do it

I have been a couple of times. You do need eyes everywhere when going round!!

It is great fun. The video game does give you indication of where you are on the track but as said no elevation.

molgrips – Member
I was driving it last night on GT5 and considering what I would do if I went there. I think I’d have to treat it like a fast country road that’s one way

It’s not quite that simple… think of it as a country lane with completely blind corners over the crests of hills while overtaking your grandad in his Corsa and being overtaken by a 911RS at the same time while wondering “This does go left over the top of this hill, doesn’t it ?”

I went this summer in a 1998 fiat punto 60sx. 60hp when new. it wasn’t new.

Coming back from an event at Hockenheim, thought it would be rude not to. Without doubt the most intimidating driving experience ever. The comment about tuned golfs is very true, loads of cars passing you at very high closing speeds (me doing 70mph, others a wing mirror distance away at 140mph+). There was a crash on the 1 lap I did, was enough to put me off doing another.

It was absolutely nothing like the games that I’d played to death: elevation, grip level, bumps, kerbs, visibility, traffic etc. There were a couple of corners where it was so wide I could have some ‘fun’ at slow speed with low grip, but a faster car would have been so much safe, counter-intuitively.

I did it for the experience and it was brilliant, exciting and still makes me giggle that a fiat punto 1.2 went round 2 up with luggage. Just go with your sensible head on, and be aware that you could be held liable for upwards of £10,000 of damage.

This does go left over the top of this hill, doesn’t it

Lol 🙂

In the game I just bounce off the barriers. Simples.

There should be a mode in GT5 where your score is based on your time and the number of times over you’d have been killed if driving for real. It’s about 5-6 times per lap for me 🙂

Two laps in 1996 in a Citroen AX GT, two-up with the luggage in the boot. It was fantastic. Best to go on a weekday methinks, and in a car.
If I want to go mad on the motorbike I do it at Cadwell, I can get a cab home from there if goes Tong 😉

Went in 2009 in my old 16v MkII Golf GTI and did a few laps. I love it but I’m quitting whilst I’m ahead.

Quite scary how you check your mirror one second and nothing there, then something expensive comes past you when you’re not expecting it.

My advice is take a passenger as a spotter to help let you know what’s coming up behind in addition to you checking your mirrors and trying to work out where the track goes 🙂

I did quite a few virtual laps before I went last year. It does help in that there are quite a few blind crests which if you don’t know where you are can be a bit of a concern, especially if you’re pushing on.

I think everyone should do it at least once though, its an amazing place. It was properly sobering when I was off out for my first lap and a properly bent Mk3 VR6 drove into the pits with the front end remodelled.

Just go mid week and concentrate on driving it smoothly rather than quickly. Regardless of how well you think you’ve learnt the circuit, either virtually or in person you won’t properly know it until you’ve done hundreds of laps. And regardless of how fast you think you’re going, a bloke in a knackered Jetta will pass you, probably multiple times

Echoing whats been written before – an intimidating circuit, long, bumpy as **** in places, verrrry fast, lots of weird cambers and random drivers doing even more random things. Did many laps in mid 90’s when it was quieter but stopped when a major one happened in front of me and the guy died. He was asking for it though but still it shook me to the core.

I’m inch perfect over multiple laps in under 6 minutes in GT5. Anything for real in over 7 minutes would be a massive waste of my time and ability.

Haven’t done the Ring, but I’ve done a couple of tracks irl vs in-game… Even when they’re seriously accurate, like Knockhill in the last TOCA game I had, it’s still like the difference between looking at a video of a road and driving it. Not useless as far as learning a track, but not at all comparable to driving/riding it either.