The Official 356Talk Forum

Happy New Year all,
In the future I hope to get to the Nurburgring to get some laps in and rent one of their cars.
Have any of you done this? What was your experience and or recommendations? Time of year etc.
I am leaning towards doing the Track Days as it will not be as crowded. They are running quite the business over there.
I do not have unlimited funds, so looking for value and a great experience.
Wide range of cars to rent and various prices.
They suggest first timers use auto transmission. Many of these cars are front wheel drive, I prefer rear wheel drive. Figure 220bph is enough for me.
If I budget myself up to $1500, that should cover car rental and say ten laps or so.
Any insight from personal experience is appreciated.
Regards,
Steve

Steve,
I did some laps a few years ago but we used our own car. (My Belgian wife kept a car near Antwerp.)
It was just a VW Polo, but as they say, "driving a slow car fast..."
We were definitely NOT the slowest car out there, believe it or not.

Anyway for a sports car guy it was an experience to savor.
Loved it and hope to do it again some year.

There are amusing YouTube videos of people doing the track days - it's definitely 'run what you brung.' Everything from race cars to camper vans.
The videos are mostly of people losing control of their car and crashing - sometimes spectacularly!

Check these guys:

https://www.rsrnurburg.com/

I recommend a taxi-lap, its a fun and safe way to explore the Ring.
When I was there it was raining one day and one "local" replied to question, "is it slippery when wet",
"yes, it's like driving on Teflon". It was quite slippery, they didn't let the bikes on track then.

It can and usually is crowded, but it varies. Can't recommend any specific time, sorry.
What ever you do remember it's not an easy or forgiving track, drive below your abilities so you have
fun and go home with positive memories. There are so many un-necessary crashes when people get
too exited and drive above their abilities.
And it's bad luck to put the Ring sticker on your car before driving!

Recommend this hotel, it's crowded, book early.

http://www.am-tiergarten.de

There are a lot of info on the web, like this:

http://nurburgring.org.uk

It's fun, go there!

Steve
I beleive Juha's recomendations to be the safest solution.
Buy a "Taxi" ride in a 911 GT3, https://www.rsrnurburg.com.
Before this I would recomend doing 2 to 3 laps in your rental car at normal highway speeds.
After the "Taxi" ride DO NOT go out on the Nurburgring for "just" another ride.........
That way you can say you have driven the 'Ring, and safely experianced it at "racing" speed.
Remember it is a one way Toll road that normal German traffic laws apply, if you damage it you pay and normal car insurance is invalid.
It is an experiance not to be missed, if done the correct way....
Spectating other peoples mistakes is also illuminating!!
KTF
John

Thanks for the input guys,
At about $475USD for a lap with driver in GT3 car at sub ten minutes, I will pass on that.
Really sounds like fun however that savings will net me at least a dozen laps on my own.
In the early stages of planning this out.
Figure I will spend two or three days there, a lot to see and the history etc.
Cheers,
Steve

I would love to get a ride around the track with Sabine - even though I know she would terrify me at 3/4 speed. I've stood with me knees against the guardrail at the outside of the Karrusell (a press pass is a wonderful thing) and the Nurburgring is so unlike anywhere else I've ever been - just amazing. We just missed the chance to get a ride around the track back in 1978. The track closed for the day just as the press officer located our would be chauffeur who was going to take us around the track in a BMW sedan.
I was so star struck I forgot to take a picture - it was Ronnie Petersen. This was just a few weeks before his crash at Monza. I did meet and talk to Bobby Rahal there as he was racing a Formula 3 car at the Ring that weekend. The Nurburgring is definite bucket list stuff - enjoy it.

Unfortunately Sabine is not doing anymore taxi rides, this is what I was told.
Some of us are so good drivers that they don't need a taxi ride, but many of
us probably can't drive the ring at speeds these guys and gals do.

Here is a funny video when Sergio Kun Agüero has a taxi ride with
Nico Rosberg at Donington Park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXGfzJTOzsc

This video really captures the feel of the experience and the track. Although the guy is hauling $%^$ way faster than I did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abAogAUyoTE

Check the car keys in the video Dan linked.

And here is with 919:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQmSUHhP3ug

You can drive either the old course ( North ) or the current F1 track( South). The North Course is 14 plus miles long and requires planning ahead as it is only open certain days and hours. The South Course is open most days and you just show up and buy tickets for the lapping sessions. I had a Peugeot turbo diesel sedan that we had rented to tour Europe. It was still a lot of fun. The only warning we got was if we crashed we had to pay for any damage to the track and for whatever time the track lost in the clean up. So be careful.

Hey gang,
Still planning a trip to Germany etc in early October 2020. Want to spend 2-3 days at the Ring. Doing early research regarding the best way and value to access a decent car to put on the track for like 5-12 laps. I cannot use a rental car from the Frankfurt A/P so I have been told. I can rent cars at the track but they seem expensive for the nominal laps I would like to do. I make a modest living so cannot go balls to the walls no expense sparred.
Any suggestions on the best way to go about doing this?
Wonder if there are any Porsche 356 or ?? enthusiasts near the track that might meet me for a day and perhaps use their car. I can give money towards the use.
Want to avoid the really busy days and times when everyone and their mother is on the track. Maybe mid week or ??
Regards,
Steve

How times have changed. I regularly went down to the Ring in the 60's and as I remember it cost 5 DM at the time to do a lap. The exchange rate then was quite good as it was 11.20 DM to the English pound and 3 DM to the US $. I only had a VW 1200 but it was a lot of fun to thrash around in, though if truth be known I was probably risking life and limb of myself my wife and kids, but we were young and the cold war meant we took far bigger risks than one would if the threat of instant extinction had not been a constant. Attached is a souvenir of my last trip there. If the picture does not load in the correct orientation as I suspect may happen just right click on it and open in a new window.

Hi all and Happy Holidays,
Well just curious if we have any members or friends that live near the track at Nurburgring.
Perhaps I might meet up with them for a day or two at the track. Never been there always wanted to go.
Make a new friend and car enthusiast to enjoy this historic venue with maybe even give them some money to share their car on the track.
Thinking of going in early October 2020, non public day, maybe a few laps, take the tour of the history of track maybe spend one night at the hotel on track.
Hope to hear back from people. Still trying to figure out best cost effective way to get some decent wheels on track as they do not let airport rental cars on track and the cars they do rent can be pricey.
All the best,
Steve