Well, here we are at day number 14.  We’ve experienced many amazing things this holiday, but what we were going to do today was quite high on my list of things that I was looking forward to.  It was time to take on the Nurburgring!

After a lazy morning catching up on sleep and me checking all necessary fluids and pressures on the MR2, we set off after lunchtime to the Nurburgring.  The SAT Nav suggested a cross-country route avoiding the motorways, which we thought would be nice!  Well, we certainly got to see a lot of Belgium and Germany!  The route took us through many towns, but also over rolling countryside, which made a fantastic back drop to the (mostly) well surfaced roads.  As we headed into Germany, the smooth roads continued and we descended on the ‘Ring.  We headed straight to the Nordschleife entrance to get our bearings on where we were.  It didn’t open for nearly 2 hours, so we first watched some manufacturer testing on track, which included a couple of Mercedes’ and an Aston Martin that must have been pushing 170mph+ past us.  It was quite surreal seeing road cars travelling so quickly.

Next, we headed off to find a viewing spot for Lois to take pictures of me while I was driving around the ‘Ring.  The plan was for her to passenger with me for the first lap and then I would do the remaining 3 laps by myself, after dropping her off at the viewing location.  After several failed attempts to find a viewing spot, due partly to some very poor instructions and a dreadful map, we found a perfect spot that I’ve seen so many pictures and videos taken from on the Internet.

We then headed back to the track, where we found the gates to the car park had opened.  It was now around 5pm and so it was only 30 minutes until the track opened for the 2 hour evening session.  We managed to get one of the limited spaces in the car park and browsed the impressive machinery that was all around us.  There was all sorts of stuff here: big Mercs, purposeful BMW’s, stripped out track specials, tourists and even a Movano camper van! (see pics).

The atmosphere grew until, a tannoy message went out and everyone got into their cars and started their engines.  By now, there was also a long stream of cars out of the car park, around the roundabout and down the main road, waiting to get in to experience the track.

We joined the queue and were shortly at the barriers ready to go on to the 13 miles of the Nordschleife.  Here we go!!

Well, what can I say…it was just under 12 minutes of intense concentration, enjoyment, amazement and thrills!  The main thing you have to do as a ‘Ring newbie is watch your mirrors, as there can be cars approaching you at silly speeds at times and, although it’s all but a race track, you still have to comply by the road laws of Germany for Autobahns, meaning keeping to the right etc.  I don’t think the gradients and cambers of some of the corners can be felt or appreciated without actually coming and doing it, but to do it was an amazing experience.  The car performed well throughout the lap and the big brakes I’ve got worked sublimely also.

(Lois: I thought I should add my comments on the lap too – it was crazy!  Such a thrill to be travelling at those speeds and being flung round corners!  It’s quite scary when other cars go flying past and then brake hard into corners, but all in all the flow, camber and ups and downs of the circuit make for a truly amazing experience, and one I’d happily do again!)

After completing the lap, you file into an exit road and can either queue up for another lap directly, or you can choose to leave the circuit or enter the car park.  I went and dropped Lois off and after re-assuring her that I’d ‘take it steady’, I headed back to the ‘Ring.  However, when I got there, the circuit had been closed due to an accident.  This meant a long 45 minute wait while whatever had happened was cleared up, but suffice to say a recovery truck and an ambulance were seen.  It can become very costly to have a crash on the Nurburgring as you have to pay for all damage to the Armco and track, along with recovery trucks, emergency staff, track closure and that’s before you start thinking about repairing your car.

(Lois:  Me again!  While Tom was waiting for the track to re-open, I’d wandered along from the viewing spot we’d initially found, as I’d spied someone with a camera further down who seemed to have a better view.  When I got there, there was a sign on the fence stating that “no spectators were allowed”, but there was also a deliberately open gap in the fence and a couple of blokes by the track.  It could, potentially, have been rather a dangerous place, as you could actually wander straight onto the track from there, but I felt very safe sticking behind the tyres and right by the fence, ready to fling myself out of the way of any careering cars!  There was a good 45 – 50 minutes before the cars started coming round again, but the area by the track was teaming with flora and fauna, so I easily entertained myself clicking away with my carmera.)

Once the track had re-opened at just before 7pm, I jumped in my car to join the queue once more.  There were a lot of people pushing in and so it took a while to get back out onto the track.  As I was queuing up at the barriers, a young Dutch guy asked if he could ride a lap with me.  Now, I did first think about the extra weight being a hindrance, but soon changed my mind and welcomed him on board.  I thought it was a cool thing to do to give someone the chance to experience the ‘Ring.  I did explain to him that it was only my second lap, but he was just as excited as I was about going around.

The second lap was again an amazing experience, but there were a few hold-ups.  There were some Porsches that were seriously motoring – some people will come here most evenings when it’s open to practice and hone their skills, which isn’t a cheap hobby at roughly £25 per lap!  By the time I’d got round, there was a queue back into the car park area and by that time they weren’t allowing anymore cars on track.  I was a little disappointed to have only done 2 of my pre-purchased 4 laps, but it was a great experience overall.  The Nurburgring is somewhere that everyone should come to at least once, even if it is just to spectate from the viewing areas.

I then headed off to collect Lois, who’d managed to snap some great pictures of not only me, but also many other cars and some wildlife whilst the track was closed.

We then set off back to the cottage and enjoyed a fantastic drive with stunning scenery and a very special sunset.  When we got back, we cooked tea and enjoyed eating it with several lovely glasses of the wine that we’d bought just the day before from Eguisheim by a warming, raging fire (it’s been rather chilly here in the evenings!).  Tomorrow – pit walk at Spa Francorchamps!

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