Great drives: The Nurburgring

[Express]

Great drives: The Nurburgring


Why the green hell is heaven on earth for car enthusiasts.


David McCowen
21 November 2015


See the link below for video


Famously known as "the green hell", the nickname bestowed on Germany's Nurburgring Nordschliefe circuit does not do it justice.

Though undoubtedly treacherous, the snaking route through Germany's Eifel Mountains is closer to heaven-on-earth for motoring enthusiasts. It combines every type of corner you could hope to find in the real world – and some you would hope to avoid – in a 20.8 kilometre roller coaster that represents one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences a driver can hope for.



The Carousel is the most famous bend on the Nurburgring. Photo: Supplied


Here are five reasons the Nurburgring can't be beaten.


The history

The Nurburgring Nordschliefe is in elite company as one of Europe's great circuits. Opened in 1927 following a construction program that employed 3000 people, the 'ring stood out from the beginning as the world's toughest racetrack.



Several manufacturers, including BMW, use the Nurburgring to develop road cars. Photo: Supplied


Long, fast and unforgiving, the circuit has played host to first-class motorsport such as Formula 1 and the World Endurance Championship, though those categories have outgrown a circuit that punishes mistakes with fearsome results

It's the scene of a crash that almost killed former world driver's champion Niki Lauda, and a place that cemented the legend of the late racer Stefan Bellof, who set times at the track decades ago that are never likely to be beaten.

More recently, the circuit has become an infamous proving ground for car makers looking to test their wares. Many of the world's top brands – for performance cars and regular models – use the circuit as the ultimate torture test for mechanical components.

A fast lap at the 'ring is the measure of a complete car, one that can go, stop and handle the most challenging circuit in the world. Companies ranging from Nissan and Renault to Porsche and Pagani have used the track to prove the capabilities of their cars. It has attracted professional drivers, tourists and spectators from around the world for many years, and looks set to do so for years to come.


The accessibility

There are plenty of iconic race tracks around the world, but gaining access to them can be difficult. Australia's Mount Panorama is a public road closed for racing just three times each year, while world-class facilities such as Victoria's Phillip Island, Italy's Monza or Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps offer limited opportunities for regular drivers to get on and have a go – usually for a fairly steep price.



Motorcycles and cars share space at the Nurburgring.


The Nurburgring takes a different approach, allowing tourist drivers to take "touristenfahrten" laps of the track on most non-racing days for just $40 per lap – or more at a bulk discount.

Drivers – and motorcycle riders – simply purchase tickets or have laps loaded onto a pre-paid card, then drive up to circuit toll booths and have a go on the world-renowned circuit. Nowhere else in the world allows motorists to simply arrive and drive in the same casual fashion, though there are plenty of rules to adhere to.

The circuit is officially treated as a one-way road, which means slow cars must give way to faster machines by moving over to the right, and that overtaking can only be completed on the left side of slower traffic.



Holden tested its VF Commodore Ute at the German circuit. Photo: Supplied


Damage to circuit infrastructure such as metal guardrails must be paid for – and the track can also charge for closure time, making prangs particularly expensive. Blend that with the fact that some European rental and insurance companies specifically exclude Nurburgring damage from their coverage, and caution becomes key. Drivers are forbidden from racing other road users or timing their best laps, and are encouraged to be courteous to faster and slower traffic.


The setting

Located south of Cologne and west of Frankfurt, the Nurburgring offers plenty of charm. There are the picturesque Nurburg and Adenau villages, a medieval castle and plenty of motorsport-themed pubs and restaurants worth visiting.



Porsche's 918 Spyder is the fastest supercar around the Nurburgring.


Simply driving to the 'ring is an experience in itself. Unrestricted autobahns allow you to cruise at speeds over 200km/h where conditions are appropriate, and plenty of the roads surrounding the circuit have a sweeping, hilly nature that keen drivers welcome.

It's a pretty place, with lush hillsides, quaint architecture and a petrolhead vibe reinforced by the throng of performance cars and bikes milling about in warmer months.

Many of the hotels are well-equipped to support race track adventures and some, such as the Hotel An Der Nordschleife, offer workshop facilities including car lifts and tools to help visitors prepare for a tilt at the circuit.

The most convenient trackside petrol station is an enthusiast's treat. Located on the Dottinger Hohe straight, customers can top up with fuel, browse through several rooms of model cars or racing merchandise and buy a racing helmet, gloves and boots on the way back to the circuit.

It's good to start a track session with a full tank of fuel on board, as cars consume far more of the stuff when pedalled at speed than cruising on public roads.


The cars

Anyone can drive just about any car – or motorcycle - on the Nurburgring. Race cars with slick tyres are banned from public sessions, as are quad bikes and any vehicles incapable of cruising at 60km/h or more.

Most of the track has no speed limits, and motorists drive to their own discretion. Some are content to trundle along at a sensible road pace, while others push the limits of physics in hardcore machines such as Porsche's 911 GT3 or Nissan's GT-R. Most drivers take their own personal car onto the track.

It's no surprise that the majority of machines are geared toward enthusiasts – cars such as Volkswagen's Golf GTI and BMW's M3 are commonplace, and there are plenty of exotic models too.

For Australians considering a trip to the 'ring, driving a hire car from the airport onto the circuit is a bad idea. Most hire companies in Germany specifically exclude the Nurburgring from their insurance arrangements, and some will require customers to pay for new tyres and brakes for models that have been taken to the track.

The better option is to hire a car at the circuit. Several groups such as RSR Nurburg and Rent Race Car offer sporty cars such as the Toyota 86 and Renault Clio RS for hire for around $100 per lap – usually for a minimum of four laps. Experienced drivers can hire anything from performance-oriented BMWs and Porsches to a McLaren MP4-12C supercar. The latter currently costs around $4000 – for four laps, plus $30,000 for a security deposit and worst-case-scenario insurance excess of well more than $200,000.


The challenge

There's a reason insurance excesses at the circuit are high. It's an incredibly challenging circuit with numerous opportunities for disaster.

There are dozens of corners, each with their own opportunity for trouble. Learning the 20.8 kilometre route can take years of experience, though a little bit of research can go a long way.

New visitors can pay a professional tutor to talk them through the course, and there are many ways to do your homework beforehand. YouTube is full of guided laps with instructors talking through the right approach to each section, as well as crash compilations that depict what not to do.

Video games can also help drivers prepare for what lies ahead, though only insofar as memorising what bend comes next. Taking the Fox Hole's 200km/h left-hand depression flat in Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport is one thing, but replicating the same feat in real life requires serious commitment and a strong degree of familiarity with the car of choice.

There are many technical elements to the circuit.

There are the jinking, tightening esses of the Hatzenbach early in the lap, the crested uphill straight that encourages cars to catch air before Flugplatz and the twin right hand bends – descending and ascending – formally known as Brunnchen, or colloquially as "YouTube corner", as it is a common crash site.

The most famous bend on the track is the banked, 180-degree Karrusel that turns back on itself, inviting drivers to use cambered concrete drainage plates to hook through the corner at speeds not possible on its flatter top surface.

Like anywhere else on the 'ring, it's easy to get the Karrusel wrong.

Nailing the bend is an incredible feeling.

Linking all 73 together at pace is one of the greatest challenges in motoring, one that keeps people from around the world coming back, year after year.

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