N24 "Green Hell" Track Guide Part 1

All, for those taking part in “Green Hell” 24 Laps of the Nordschleife this weekend, I have created this track guide –

Run from the mini start and finish straight (pit exits)

I have used thank to contacts on racing forums a BMW track from 2003, broken down into different sections, use google earth and look up the track sections to follow, remember “green hell” needs respect any dangerous passes will endanger you and your fellow competitors.


[b]START/FINISH TO HOCHEICHEN[b]

1 - The left bend after the starting line is the first challenge: before the initial braking zone there is a crest where the car can become slightly unsettled. So always brake before or after the crest. The braking zone itself has many small bumps. Because of the narrowing left-hand exit to the bend, it is better to turn in late so as to be able to unwind the steering lock again immediately after the apex
and then progressively accelerate out of the bend. In so doing, ride well towards the curb though avoiding any contact. Insensitive acceleration is particularly fatal in wet conditions with rear-wheel drive: this second-gear bend is as slippery as soap. It can be taken in third gear, depending on axle ratio and drive concept, but rear-wheel drive cars in particular will quickly tend to understeer because of the lack of punch.

2 - For speed freaks, the first test of courage occurs only 500 metres after the starting line. The ultra-fast Hatzenbach curve is highly demanding. Braking as you approach will be lighter or harder, depending on engine power. When braking, care must be taken to ensure that the car is standing as straight as possible – this facilitates finding the ideal turn-in point. Because this is an off-camber turn with rough bumps making things very unsettled from the apex, the driver has to gently ease the car into the fourth-gear bend. Coming out of it again, ride well out and then accelerate very early. Caution is essential in heavy rain: wide rivulets form right across the track!

3 - After a short high-speed passage at just over 200 km/h, we go into one of the technically most demanding sections of the Nordschleife, the Hatzenbach-Geschlängel. Entering this can be treacherous as the pace is reduced in two stages, as it were: in the undulating braking zone at the end of the straight you should brake short and hard and shift down from fifth to fourth gear. At the end of the first left-hand bend there is then the second deceleration for the long double right, taken in almost all cars in third gear and with a fixed steering angle. Since being given a new layer of asphalt, the double right bend has lost much of its horror: many a car used to get stranded in the tyre piles here due to the dangerously slippery surface.

4 - Part two of the Hatzenbach-Geschlängel is for drivers with feeling. After accelerating evenly out of the double right, hold your accelerator pedal and your breath: the left-hand kink is taken at the far right-hand edge of the track so as to use a wide radius and under constant throttle, i.e. with a fixed accelerator pedal position. Experienced Ringers will be mindful of the treacherous bump at the apex, largely eliminated since a new asphalt layer was added. The advantage is that you no longer have to clip the inside curb to keep the car stable. Between exiting this bend and going into the final S of the Hatzenbach- Geschlängel, sensitive and carefully
controlled deceleration work is required: with soft suspension settings, the car will tend to rock on a fast change of bends. If this tendency is reinforced by abrupt braking, the result is counterswing and departure into the nearby Hatzenbach crash barriers.

5 - The exit of the Hatzenbach passage turns out to be a treacherous stopper at the end of quite a fluid bend combination. The final
left corner in particular tightens very nastily. For this reason, speed has to be perfectly regulated coming into this tightening left:
either do the brake work when turning into the final S or brake down again slightly before the last left corner. Come out of the bend as far to the left of the track as possible so as to open the radius for the tight bend. The steering is kept hard down and then unwound so as to be able to gain optimum acceleration and not understeer and clatter up onto the curbs. You then change immediately to the left of the track to position for braking into the Hocheichen bend. The new road surface provides good grip even in the rain.

6 - One of the characteristic and most fascinating passages of the Nürburgring Nordschleife bears the name Hocheichen: the S following on from the Hatzenbach bends nestles wildly and awe-inspiringly in the topography of the surrounding Eifel landscape. Before the new asphalt was laid, the entrance was so slippery that even experienced drivers frequently misjudged. Even now, especially in the autumn when fir needles cover the track, the runup to the right kink can still turn into a slide: with road tyres, even 70 km/h could mean the end. Because the right-hand kink leads up to a blind crest which is off-camber from the apex, speed control is absolutely crucial. Here, less is usually more otherwise turn-in understeer can get you into quite some trouble. The broad left arc as you come out of Hocheichen is simply amazing: the steep downhill slope gives the driver a sense of being on an oval race track and you have to really hit the acceleration as early as possible on the long subsequent straight. Racing cars with tight suspension tend to jump and shift a little here. Tip: run wide, even as far as the cobblestones - here you can already change into fourth gear.


[b]QUIDDELBACHER HÖHE TO AREMBERG[b]

1 = After the tight and technically demanding Hatzenbach Geschlängel and Hocheichen, we head on for Quiddelbacher Höhe at full
tilt. The track is very narrow and uneven and the old surface is very slippery. The bridge over the B 257 is as narrow as the eye of a needle, and cars tend to get caught up with each other here in heavy traffic. If the path is clear, you take the right bend over the bridge from the middle of the track and allow yourself to run out to the left, so as to be ideally positioned for the double right at Flugplatz. The climb to Quiddelbacher Höhe is so steep, it is like going up a take-off ramp. You should always keep left here, overtaking on the right is risky at best: the enormous bump is even higher there, and the ensuing flight therefore longer. Powerful
cars should be tempered with sensitive braking on the crest to stop them from lifting off.

2 = The Flugplatz separates the men from the boys: depending on your car, you will come flying over the crest of the Quiddelbacher Höher in fourth or fifth gear, brake short and hard mainly to stabilise the front axle before turning in, and allow yourself to fall into the dramatically fast double right kink at high speed. The two curves should be combined to a single bend with a turn of the steering wheel. On the first curve section keep close to the inner curb. Between the first and second curve there is a lengthy bump which
gently lifts the car out of its springs for the second section: for this reason, it will tend to drift on all four wheels as you come out of the double right. Here you know you can’t go much faster! Be careful in wet weather: deep puddles await you as you exit!

3 = The section between Flugplatz and Schwedenkreuz is often underestimated: the two left curves are quite gentle and the line on the left hand side of the track and the following dip before the Schwedenkreuz are not a problem if you are familiar with the circuit and conditions are dry. However, this section is hellishly fast – fifth or sixth gear, depending on your car – and the peaceful scenario changes dramatically in wet conditions. The second left-hand bend before the deep dip is particularly nasty in rain: the aging surface causes understeer in front-wheel drive vehicles and sudden oversteer in rear-wheel drive vehicles when you turn in at full speed. At the appropriate speeds here of well over 200 km/h, this kind of stunt can easily end in a write-off.

4 = This is one of the Nordschleife’s real tests of courage: Schwedenkreuz. At this treacherous crest there is a cross from the 30 Years War - and even today, car, driver and track can find themselves at war with one another at this point. The approach is awe-inspiring: you fly over the first crest at top speed. The car gets lighter, the suspension has to settle a little after landing before you can begin initial braking on the right-hand side of the track. Because you turn in blind for the left-hand bend over the crest, the release point has to be just right: if you turn in too early, you have to make a correction around the apex, if you move away from the righthand side of the track too late, you will easily find yourself on the soiled outside lane. Taking the Schwedenkreuz bend is always
a balancing act because the car is completely derailed on the crest at the apex and thus very unsettled. In order to
get the subsequent brake manoeuvre right, do not allow yourself to ride out too far at Schwedenkreuz itself. It is also important to build up gradually to possible speeds: anyone flying into the Schwedenkreuz at 200 km/h should be fully aware of what they are doing!

5 = The Aremberg bend actually begins in the Schwedenkreuz Section: you fly towards the braking point at least 200 km/h, with many bumps making deceleration difficult. Shifting down rapidly on the left-hand side of the track over bumps often causes the wheels to block: so do not brake too late and leave some room at the left-hand side, as most cars tend to shift dangerously when braking here!
Although the Aremberg bend has an even radius, the line is quite angular: for this third-gear bend you turn in quite late and hard so as to shift the apex towards the bend exit. The advantage is that you can unwind the steering lock earlier and accelerate out faster, so you can slingshot into the Fuchsröhre.

[b]FUCHSRÖHRE TO METZGESFELD[b]

1 = The section between the Aremberg bend and the Fuchsröhre looks simple but can be very nasty. The passage dips down a steep
slope over bumps, a rough surface makes it difficult to maintain your course at a high speed. Basically, you try to combine the left-right-left combination into a straight, so you approach the passage from the Aremberg bend on the right-hand side and then speed through on a straight line down to Fuchsröhre. In doing so, you keep close to the curbs but never clip them! It is also important to find a sensible shift rhythm: if you shift up at the wrong time, the car unsettles. This section is tricky in the rain: the surface is as very slippery in the area of the first left-hander! A possible surprise: if you are training in the early morning, watch out for deer crossing

2 = The dramatic end of the downward slope goes by the name of Fuchsröhre and is as spectacular as it is fast. In dry conditions, with confidence on the accelerator and not too much power, the bend can be taken at full throttle in most cars – but beware: if you
overestimate yourself here, you will end up in the Eifel brushwood. The key to mastering this passage lies in rhythm and faith in your car. Stay well to the right as you approach, then turn in gently – never jerkily. If you want to reduce speed before Fuchsröhre, you
should definitely do so before the dip, but never brake in the dip! Always come into the Fuchsröhre in top gear, keep on the inside at the apex of the dip, then allow yourself to ride to the right as you exit. A deep undulation unsettles the car at the braking point – especially dangerous for vehicles with ABS. Since speeds can be well over 200 km/h, it is important to explore potential intelligently here!

3 = After the Fuchsröhre dip, you decelerate short and hard over the subsequent ramp in order to settle the car and reduce speed for the left-right combination between Fuchsröhre and Adenauer Forst. It is not necessary to shift down before the left-hand bend since rear-wheel drive cars in particular tend to break away suddenly at this point when the clutch is engaged. Instead, let the car roll through swiftly on trail throttle. It is one of the disputed Nordschleife questions as to whether the curb should be avoided completely,
clipped or actually ridden. Coming out of the bend, don’t run out too far in order to be able to find the optimum approach to the right-hand bend going up to Adenauer Forst – often difficult in the heat of battle. A point of caution: the braking zone has many small ripple
marks so never brake too hard. On the fourth-gear right-hander, hug the curb and stay to the right in order to position yourself for the blind and tight left-hand corner at Adenauer Forst.

4 = Spectators stand here for a good reason: after the ultra-fast Fuchsröhre and the fluid left-right combination, a crest at Adenauer Forst blocks the driver’s view of the subsequent section. It is easy to overlook the entry to the left bend and clatter straight ahead into the dirt. The left hairpin is easily missed, very slow and also tightens. With rear-wheel drive and a little more smoke at the tyres you can also approach the left hairpin more centrally – which would be a more competitive racing line to block out unwanted overtakers. With more power under the bonnet, the exit is more important than the approach, so approach the right exit bend cleanly in a broad arc on the left-hand side so as to be able to open up the radius and accelerate early. Rhythm is crucial at Adenauer Forst: if you mess up the approach, you have problems exiting since this error will stay with you. This is why it is better to take the initial left more slowly, use the optimum line on exiting and pick up speed early on. Never ride the curb as you come out of this section!


5 = If you make a good exit from Adenauer Forst, you will not have to fear any overtake onslaughts up the straight to Metzgesfeld. If traffic is light, the leftright curve after Adenauer Forst is combined to a straight. There are two options for the approach to Metzgesfeld: since the turn-in point is hidden behind a crest with a previous left turn, you can keep the line left of centre and take the crest head-on. The advantage is that the car is straight for braking on the bumpy ridge. With a powerful car, this line would be first choice. With less power, you can move over to the right earlier on, but you have to steer slightly left to the turn-in point. The advantage here is that the turn-in manoeuvre for the Metzgesfeld left-hand bend is less tight and hard. If it is raining heavily, small rivulets flow across the track from right to left – very dangerous! The fifth-gear left-hand curve is fast but nice because the radius is very even. If you take this bend perfectly, you finish up exactly on the white sideline as you exit.


[b]METZGESFELD TO WEHRSEIFEN[b]

1 = The left-right combination after the fast Metzgesfeld bend is tricky, starting with the braking. In fifth gear, you enter at speed well over to the right, brake hard and shift down to third gear. The car drifts slightly because there is a slight dip going into the
bend. The initial left is heavily cambered, so you take the car in very fast. The radius is relatively constant – which always promotes over-confidence. If you want to get a perfect exit, keep close to the inside curb on the first left-hand corner. The opening right over a crest at the end of the combination is tricky: the driver approaches the bend blind and has to make perfect use of the space available. This is why it is a good idea to keep as central as possible so as to be able to open the radius perfectly for the right-hander. Be careful: just before the apex of the right-hand bend there is a large bump which can cause sudden understeer. Inexperienced drivers will tend to release throttle and the load change takes them into the crash barriers. In the rain, all this is even more difficult: even the initial left is very slippery, so never turn in too fast! The second part of the combination is much more awkward when wet as the car has to be settled at constant throttle on the driving line, and abrupt steering movements have to be avoided at all costs. Under no circumstances should you launch into the exit right-hander too fast – you will either understeer and plough into the field or veer off to the right straight into a solid verge.

2 = The Kallenhard bend takes you blind around a large promontory: you keep left till late here, braking at the last minute and turning in very late. Since the bend tightens like a knot at the exit, set the apex well over to the exit so as to gain optimum acceleration
coming out. The first half of the heavily cambered bend is taken on trail throttle: don’t start to accelerate again until you can see the curb at the exit, and then only carefully. Front-wheel drive cars will tend to understeer heavily here – dramatically so in rain - while rear-wheel drive vehicles can be beautifully guided out with the throttle. At the exit you will have to move over quickly to the right-hand side of the track.

3 -There are points on the Nordschleife which leave even experienced drivers speechless: the nameless downhill left-right combination after Kallenhard is certainly one of them. Since the car gains speed rapidly after a steep downhill passage, you reach the S combination in fourth gear at over 160 km/h. Even though nothing is hidden, it takes a lot of courage to take it at speed: varying surfaces provide changing grip conditions, particularly at the entrance, and extreme caution is required here in rain – also because the track is heavily off-cambered at the turn-in point! The initial left is approached from the far right-hand side, in most cars a dab
on the brakes will be required at this point. There is a sudden dip at the apex of the left-hand bend: in cars which are old or have soft suspension, the bodywork will buckle so badly that the doors will even be forced open slightly. The deep undulation on the initial left-hand bend runs through to the right-hand exit bend, where the track again has adverse camber. The result of this tectonic displacement is literally a crest: if you are really going fast, you will actually jump – but the steering wheel has to be straightened up again! A faulty estimation of turn-in speed can have catastrophic results in this section: if the car is not guided perfectly through this fast, narrow passage, the curbs become a series of jumps.

4 -Unfortunately, the triple right before Wehrseifen has seen better days: with the old surface it was a huge challenge – especially in the rain. Since re-asphalting the only remaining challenge is the correct choice of line and the right turn-in point. This is still difficult enough, since this fourth-gear passage takes you around the hill in three blind bends. Many drivers fail when braking on the approach: if you start too late, you will be doubly punished by the undulating surface. Aim for the centre of the curb as the first apex, then move to the outside and come in very close to the second curb. The trick is to sweep through the passage calmly with an almost constant steering angle – then the car lands exactly on the white line on the left-hand side as you exit.

5 = Whether it’s the 24-Hour Race or the long distance championship: the Wehrseifen section always attracts lots of fans – and their interest is usually rewarded since many drivers get the speed wrong here and hit the hard little wall at the edge of the curve. In fourth gear, you brake into the first blind righthand corner on a steep descent keeping well to the outside left. Before turning in, you hit the throttle again and guide the car tightly along the curbs through an off-camber bend. Co-ordination has to be perfect here: if you are still on the brake when turning in or having to take your foot off the accelerator pedal mid-corner, things will look bleak. The car will suddenly unsettle and there is very little space for correction. Since the subsequent left hairpin tightens to the extreme,
you will usually take it wide and turn in to the left very late – preferably in third gear, saving yourself a shift during the transverse acceleration phase at the exit. It is unwise to come in tightly on a competitive line since the track slopes off on the inside like a ramp
all your wheels could easily come to a standstill as you brake on the approach. Understeer is the last thing you need as you come out of Wehrseifen – but unfortunately almost all cars do understeer here! So always allow for some room for manoeuvre and don’t race
too fast into this tight hairpin. Beware: the right curve coming out of the passage towards Breidscheid is dangerously
slippery in the wet.


[b]BREIDSCHEID TO BERGWERK[b]

1 - The bridge at Breidscheid marks the lowest point of the Nürburgring Nordschleife and the lowest point of brake performance, since the long downhill stretch from Metzgesfeld to Breidscheid heats up the brakes considerably. This should be taken into account at least in regular road cars when flying towards the bridge – and wall - at 180 km/h. Always brake after the initial slight right-hand bend. Turn in late to the third-gear left-hander over the bridge, approximately when you are level with the high fence on the right. Take the left-hand bend wide, using the entire width of the bridge, and allow yourself to ride well out to the right. Most cars easily understeer in the dry and this tendency is reinforced in the rain. In order to approach the subsequent Ex-Mühle bend as cleanly and as straight
as possible, you have to stay on the outside of the bridge in Breidscheid for a long time. A hard bump just after the bridge unsettles the car even more.

2 -No sooner have you mastered the lowest point of the Nordschleife in Breidscheid than you are literally catapulted back upwards: the righthand Ex-Mühle takes you around the hill as if on a ramp. The task here is to find the optimum entry speed: if you overdo it, you understeer and slide up onto the high curb, if you are too cautious, you will hardly make it up the steep climb, especially with a less powerful car. Approach Ex-Mühle to the left of the track, give only a short, hard stab of the brakes, and keep close to the
inside curb at the apex. Beware: at the exit, front-wheel drive vehicles will tend to understeer heavily, rear-wheel drive cars will oversteer – so be sure to accelerate early and cleanly, but never too hard.

3 -The left-hand bend before Bergwerk is one of the Ring’s more famous corners: Ferrari driver Niki Lauda had his spectacular fire accident exactly here in 1976 – an accident which marked the end of Formula 1 history on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Christened the Lauda Bend by fans, it requires true courage especially in a powerful car. In fifth gear at over 200 km/h, you head
straight for a huge promontory. The track surface is old and bumpy, the passage itself rather shaded and thus somewhat damp in the morning – so be sure to check conditions on your first lap! Turning in is not a problem since the track cambers heavily at the apex, providing the load-bearing outer wheels with excellent support. Problems often occur at the exit. With plenty of speed, you literally
shoot out of the little dip at the apex and the track slopes heavily to the right of centre as you exit, so the car can become extremely unsettled with the wrong choice of line. As you exit, never ride out too far to the right but work some magic to get the car back under control again. Taking this section in a pack or a competitive race is particularly hair-raising. Speed differences on the approach
to the Lauda bend can be quite significant, depending on engine size: no more than two cars fit through, but only if the drivers involved know exactly what they are doing and leave space for each other. Due to the high speed, the Lauda bend is very risky in the wet. Be particularly careful as you exit: high speed understeer is no fun here!

4 -The shady Bergwerk bend has a considerable influence on lap times, marking the beginning of an uphill high speed passage at least two kilometres in length. If you make an error on entry, give away space or fail to pick up sufficient impetus, you will lose a lot of time. This is why it is extremely difficult to take the bend cleanly in one and without applying tricks of driving dynamics. Braking on the
approach in fifth gear, keep well to the left. The fact that the turn-in point and further course of the track are difficult to judge tend to make drivers brake a little early here anyway. Since the bend tightens up somewhat at the exit, turn in late so as to open the radius for optimum acceleration as you come out. This is not an easy task, since this third-gear bend takes you blind around an enormous promontory, so you don’t see the exit until very late. Your main concern at the Bergwerk bend should be optimum
acceleration: thanks to positive camber, the driver can start accelerating again well before the apex. But be careful: if you accelerate too hard and too early, you will have to cope with nasty understeer and may have to release throttle again at the exit because of a lack of space. These are precisely the errors which will be punished with a considerable loss of time due to the long straights which follow. Be careful in the wet: this section has been reasphalted but because it is almost always in the shade, it stays damp longer than anywhere else on the track. In the rain, be even more sensitive with the accelerator pedal or understeer will send you straight into the curb and the crash barrier.


[b]BERGWERK TO KARUSSELL[b]

1 -The passage after Bergwerk bend looks simple on the map – but it isn’t. You take the three wide left-hand bends in fourth gear, ideally with an almost constant steering position up to the so-called dip left. The more power you have under the bonnet, the faster you complete the section – and the more radical the passage changes from the driver’s subjective point of view: it might be straightforward to blast through in a Golf, but in a Porsche it will be a test of nerves. The triple left after Bergwerk also has a few unpleasant surprises in store: the section is almost always in the shade and thus dries very late. There are several points to watch on the actual dip left itself: you enter at a considerable pace and you don’t see the radius until very late because the
fast left-hand bend is hidden behind a high crest. In most cars you will change into fifth before the crest and turn into just after it. The car hits an undulation right on the apex, but all other tectonic depressions have been almost entirely eliminated by a new coat of asphalt. Be careful in rain: there is still a danger of sliding!

2 -Nordschleife veterans talk respectfully of the guts required to take the super fast left-hand bend at the end of the long Kesselchen uphill straight. Even the approach is quite tricky in powerful cars. At well over 200 km/h, you first have to take a gently curving right-left combination. The asphalt has recently been renewed, so the surface no longer slopes off to the sides as much. The bumps and terrible grip in rain are also a thing of the past. The real test of nerves is the left-hand bend itself: approach on the far right-hand side as the turn-in point comes late – at the end of the cobblestone rumble strip on the right. If your name doesn’t happen to be
Schumacher, you will enter too slowly: it takes many practice laps to find the right turn-in speed here. The car is carried a long way towards the cobblestone rumble strip on the exit, and there is some slightly adverse camber at the end of the curve, too. In most cars, the driver will brake gently into this fast left bend, in rare cases it will be necessary to change down too. If you position yourself correctly at high speed, you will fly out of this bend only millimetres from the cobblestones on the right hand side – but it is imperative to avoid going over the curb. The rain intensifies the dangers of this bend even further: since the track at entry is off-camber, rear-wheel drive vehicles struggle with sudden oversteer, whilst front-wheel drive cars can be subjected to a treacherous alternation between understeer and oversteer.

3 -For many drivers, the Klostertal bend is amongst the greatest challenges on the Nordschleife, despite its peaceful-sounding name. If you head into the undergrowth at 200 km/h here, you will definitely get hurt – a number of tragic racing accidents over the years bear witness to this fact. For the ambitious hobby driver, the classic rule of three applies on the Nordschleife: 1. Familiarity with the track, 2. Ideal line, 3. Speed. This is the only way to get successively – and safely – faster on the Klostertal bend. On the short section between the last left-hander and Klostertal, first change from the right to the left-hand side of the track. There are no shifts to be made, but initially at least there is some braking to be done: since the turn-in
point for the Klostertal right is almost exactly on the ridge of a crest, it is a good idea to stabilise the vehicle slightly with a dab of the brakes. The reason is that many cars will tend to high speed understeer on turn-in because the weight on the front steering
axle is reduced. Just a few metres later, the front wheels regain optimum load and traction – but now the bend is heavily off-cambered up to the apex. Depending on the design of the vehicle, this means that you can expect an extra dose of understeer
or oversteer after the turn-in understeer. Anyone who is really fast here has probably not braked and has very neutral and hard suspension settings: the result will be a slight four-wheel drift exactly on the white line at the curve exit. The satisfaction
of going fast here is enormous – but then so is the risk.

4 -After working your way up Talkessel at more or less full throttle, you enter one of the slowest passages of the Nordschleife: the right hairpin before the legendary Steilstrecke is very narrow at its entrance, the radius of the bend changes from increasing to decreasing – and the fact that you don’t see the exit as you turn in is virtually standard on the Nordschleife anyway. In the braking zone on this steep bend, there is also a slight left which is hidden - which is why you either have to correct the steering slightly while on the brake or take it slightly wider from the middle of the track, straighten up and then brake. Since the apex
is very late, you turn in late and head for the exit of the U-shaped curb on the inside, from then you can then unwind steering
lock and accelerate increasingly. It is better to approach the initial narrow part of the curve more slowly: too much entry speed causes powerful understeer! However, it is important to pick up plenty of speed as you exit for the uphill stretch to Karussell. But beware: if you accelerate too vigorously, you will understeer again – costing impetus and in particular time.

5 -The 180 degree steep Karussell bend is probably the most famous section on the Nordschleife: with at least 30 degrees of banking, the Karussell winds its way through a large spectator area. There are two problems for the driver here: firstly, it is difficult to find the perfect approach and entry, secondly the radius decreases so much in the final third that you are always in danger of being removed from this motor racing rollercoaster. On your approach, use the big larch as your guide: head straight for it and that will give you a perfect position. The choice of the correct braking point depends to a large extent on the driver and the car: many will brake as they come onto the concrete strip, but the reduced friction can mean that wheels block more easily! The second-gear bend
does not allow high speed, though the banking does provide solid support for the outer wheels. Be careful on the exit: if you accelerate too much on the bend, you will be forced out in the final third. Be especially careful in the afternoon: a low sun blinds you on the approach.



[b]KARUSSELL TO ESCHBACH[b]

1 -Blind corners are treacherous: if you cannot see the course
the track takes, you have to know it perfectly. Only then will the timing
between turn-in speed and turn-in point be perfect. Also remember:
the higher the pace, the more dangerous the whole undertaking. A good
example is the fast uphill left after the Karussell. Here’s the scenario: fourth
gear, over 160 km/h. There is a slight right before the fast left-hand bend: if
you come away from the right-hand side of the track too early you will come
completely unstuck. To pick up as much speed as possible on the steep
uphill stretch and open the radius at the same time, you have to stay right
for a long time – almost to the end of the curb. In not-so-powerful cars you
can take the left-hander at full tilt, with more power you will have to release
throttle or even apply the brakes. Since the exit of the left-hand bend continues
in an arc, over-confidence in the right foot is punished by a spell on
the grass. Funnily enough, the driver only knows in the last tenth of the
bend whether he has done everything right: only then does he see the white
of the line and the green of the field. A point of caution: be sure to avoid
load change on this bend!

2 -The entry S to the Hohe Acht is for precision artists: it is not
easy to find the rhythm and the limit here. Because the
ideal line of the second section is determined in the first section,
the following points must be observed: the left-hand bend has
a wider radius than the right-hand arc at the exit. there are also
some very nasty curbs not dissimilar to ramps. The problem on
the initial left is understeer: on the one hand you want to pick
up plenty of impetus as you have a steep uphill climb. If the driver
is too fast and thus too far right coming out, he is badly placed
for the subsequent right – which climbs steeply. Any error
here will cost dearly in terms of speed. The switch from left to
right is also tricky: there really is no room for any kind of turnin
understeer here! So it is better to go a little slower into the
initial left and take a little extra height into the subsequent
right.

3 -At the highest point of the circuit, you theoretically have a great view - though only in your
rear mirror and only very briefly, since the bad visibility at the Hohe Acht requires the driver-
’s full concentration. From the left-right combination there is 100-metre straight, then a short and
hard brake manoeuvre is required – you will be in third gear here or will have to change down into
third, depending on the car. The right-hand bend opens slightly, but tightens again at the very
end due to the subsequent minimal left-hand curve. The track layout itself does not essentially pose
any problems, and with constant steering lock and a good portion of load on the rear wheels you
can take the Hohe Acht in one. Depending on the type of car and its construction principle, you will
have to allow for either understeer or oversteer at the exit since there is some adverse camber in
the last third. This minor detail can have dramatic consequences in the wet, however: if you apply
too much throttle in a front-wheel or rear-wheel drive car here, you can expect a much larger portion
of understeer or oversteer. In particular, Porsche drivers with rear engine should be patient: apply
careful trail throttle through the bend, and remain cautious even when you think you’re there.
After all, the off-camber track is only the first stumbling stone, the second one comes in the subsequent
left-hand curve: there is a ridge which takes the load off the powered rear axle considerably.
Things are complicated by the fact that you will normally shift from third to fourth gear exactly
at this point. The interplay of topography
and driving dynamics – steering
lock, load change, ridge – has
plunged many a Porsche 911 driver
into a duel with his car. In this kind of
duel, it’s usually the crash barrier that
wins.

4 -Right, left, right, varying speed, adverse camber, ten possible lines at the exit – there can be now
doubt we are talking about the Wippermann S. If you have no power to speak of under the bonnet,
the Wippermann S is the benchmark of driving technique on the Nordschleife. The section goes
downhill, power is not the main concern, so courage and vehicle control are what count: you can pass
a Porsche in something smaller and you’ll be grinning from ear to ear. To get fast on the Wippermann
S takes many hours of practice. You enter in fourth gear and dive into a dramatic off-camber right-hander,
introduced by a short, hard stab on the brakes. The greater the wheel camber angle and the harder
the suspension, the more fun it is. You are so fast at the exit that you can hardly stop the car before
the next double left! To brake, straighten up briefly and then turn into what is initially a wider,
and then a gradually decreasing, radius around the double left. You know you’ve got it right if you are
very close to the curb on the left-hand side of the track as you shoot out. In terms of the choice of line,
you should remember that it is important not to ride too far out on the left, otherwise the radius
of the exit right is too tight. If you have sufficient height for the last right you save yourself having to
clip the cobblestone strip at the right-hand side. Generally speaking, cars with tight suspension don’t
like the being tortured over the curb anyway but it is alright to try it occasionally with road cars. Taking
the wheels over the red and white inside curb on the inside of the bend is recommended, since
this dampens the impact of the bump at the apex. If you go into the last right too straight, the steering
has to be corrected at the exit – resulting in understeer and a loss of speed.

5 -You only get safely through the blind crest right-hander at Eschbach if you
temper your courage with prudence. The recommendation here is to observe
the experts at work in the long-distance championships. You will see that
there are many lines as there are drivers: nobody dares use the full track width
right up onto the cobblestone strip. Drivers say it is not necessary, and that the
bend can be taken quickly enough with slicks on the tighter line. They also say
that you save yourself the switch from left to right, facilitating braking into the
initial left before Brünnchen. Whatever the arguments, you should ideally hit
the brakes hard on the short straight coming out of the Wippermann S so as to
decelerate into the right-hand bend. Many people brake very late – some waiting
for the rise into the right-hander. Others prefer to be back on the accelerator
at this point. There are various theories on the choice of entry line here, here
Generally, you should keep the turn-in point for later so as to have something
in reserve at the exit. The bend leads you round a ridge which is quite impressive,
you drive and drive and drive and there’s still no sign of the exit. With road
tyres, you will need the entire track width. Specialists won’t be happy until the
car is rumbling across the cobblestones at the exit! Here again: there are as
many opinions as there are drivers. In the wet, the entry into the right-hand
bend is no longer a problem thanks to the new asphalt layer.

Highlights of the lap for me - Hatzenbach, Flugplatz, Schwedenkreuz and Adenauer Forst. Four ballsy pieces of track one after the other.. You'd be surprised at just how much fun this track is in a Touring Car.

SO MUCH READING!! and its so easy to get lost reading this without seeing something... where did u get this Duncan?

Well f@ck me pink I love this track. Myself and Bullet are going around here like the clappers (very very fast).

I have no clue what that was about. Lolz

He said you've got the clap, as in chlamydia. Sorry to hear it... JK.