Date : May 2008
Car : Porsche 996 GT3
The 1st time I reviewed this circuit from my perspective was 3 years ago and all of what is said, about how dangerous and thrilling the venue is and will always be true.
The big difference over 2005 is that I arrived after having (1) specific tuition on the circuit by a Ringer, thanks to Fergus 'Big Bird' (2) driver training time via Sean 'Supercup' Edwards, (3) driving a track prepared Manthey 911 GT3 (4) Just over 100+ actual driven laps over the last few years. Which has enabled me to make a few steps forward in my approach and pace to the circuit.
I now understand why race drivers go over pace notes, circuit details and go over and over and over aspects of tracks to fine tune their abilities. As there are so many details to miss, that makes all the different over the 12 miles from the bridge to gantry, details that I do indeed miss. There are parts to the track that I still completely miss and drive Like Miss Daisy, at which point I realise whilst on track "is that on that page in that book, if only I could check that now...." If only they had Nurburgring Sat Nav..."easy left, fast over crest 90..."
I've been advised that driving the circuit in my head actually helps, turn in points, changes in camber, gear selection, braking, etc etc etc Haven given it a go, I am still a long way off, there are sections that I am starting to know very well, but I know there are sections later on they are waiting to greet me with open arms to the Armco Tax system.
What I have managed to learn, Trail Braking in a 911 is key to a quicker lap at the Nurburging, in order to turn the nose of the car around, after learning this via Yoda Master Sean Edwards, I now trail brake almost every corner. The difference is another step forward, although those Manthey slide settings keep me aware that the rear of the car can still make up it's own mind. (the part I curse, as Olaf Manthey likes a bit of slide when he drives his 911 around the ring for a quick time, which is reflected in the Manthey Ring GT3 settings, but actually here is a surprise, I actually don't!). Of course if I could improve my heel and toe down-shifts that would improve things even further but for now it's more like I'm auditioning for a west end rerun of "Riverdance" with all those corners, so it's actually a lot easier sometimes to change up/down early or just leave it in gear and focus on the rest, as there is a lot going on.
When the rear does snap, the hardest things is not holding the slide but keeping your right foot committed on the accelerator pedal, which is the part I still struggle with. Not exactly the most natural thing is to keep your right foot planted on the Accelerator pedal when the rear of a 911's snaps, when ever sense in your leg wants to jump on the brake pedal.
A classic feature of the Ring is the run off area is none existent, it's not like the width of Silverstone where you can spin off at 60mph and still end up on the circuit or 90mph and into the kind kitty litter. I always wonder if it's some special German Tax system, as each section of Armco costs something like €1000 a metre and they have those short and slippery run off areas ideally placed to collect more local Armco tax. If you do manage to come off and not hit anything, consider that one more of your nine lives used up.
Every time I have got comfortable with a section at the ring it reminds me who is the boss. At the end of the Wipperman section (a part of the track that is lethal in the wet under the trees in the VLN races, just before the main viewing part at Brunchen) there is a section of 'paving' that you can effectively straight line what is the left-right corner. I must have done that 50 times before, no problem but on one instance the car came bouncing along is classic 911 style, over the paving and in a split second I was sideways across from the right to the left of the track, by some miracle as I reached the other side of the track it had straightened out, which was a good thing as at that point it was time to turn right and I was still steering left. It must have been over in a few seconds but scared the **** out of me, so on the next time around lap (after a good break) I recalled how I cruised through that section in fear the Ring Reaper making another unexpected appearance..
That was the reminder that all of the 4 points at the top mean nothing when faced with an armful of opposite lock and a pending visit from the collector of Armco tax. The Nurburging is always waiting to bite back if you want to take on the beast, especially for all of us "recreational" drivers.
Oddly enough, one of the benefits of those Manthey tuned Horses is that I am able to get past cars with the sheer power of the car, which makes a huge difference to my Ring experience as opposed to being stuck in lines of traffic or the usual bunch of sight seeing bikers. Which is now a good thing as the Ring has been a Mecca for more "Max Fast Banzai Power Car" gathering that I can ever recall which makes me wonder who reads such magazines when some of those cars are sadly driven on the Ring by either Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles.
As for actual lap times, I consider myself to be a solid 9'59, I have never timed myself and for those that have on the public events, they are most likely to be rewarded with the Armco Tax. All I know is that every time very time I come around to spot the Gantry I breathe a sigh of relief at surviving another 12 mile rollercoaster, knowing the fear will get me back on another lap until my ring ticket runs out or I run out of luck.
Of course one can always cruise around, enjoy the theatre and it is sheer theatre, immortalised in our modern age, I almost believe that the modern day gossip 'Heat Magazine' could do an entire issue on the Nurburging, with all of it's drama, tears, glamour and glory.