Real Life Ring

[RichardF]

I've been to the Ring 3 or 4 times. The last time on a open pit track day, which comfortably the best experience of my life outside of bedroom antics and having kids.

3 of us shared a 180BHP E30 3 Series, stripped to about 1100kg and best lap was around 9.15 - mine and I'm pretty proud of it. Funny how actual real trees and armco make you less brave!

Question I've got for you, has anyone else here done the real Ring and did they find having done loads of laps on GT4/5 an advantage. Cause I was 30 seconds quicker than the other guys who haven't played it all day long. Have to admit, that played a large part in it being such a good day

 

[mekonrider]

The place is much more of a rollercoaster IRL than it appears in-game.

I have no fear of the GT5 one but plenty of the real one!

 

[RichardF]

You're right, forget to mention that the game just can't give the real sense of the rises and falls in elevation.

But fear is the key difference!

 

[killer tiller]

You're right, forget to mention that the game just can't give the real sense of the rises and falls in elevation.

But fear is the key difference!

That's exactly right, same goes for Bathurst. Standing up at skyline and looking down the hill is an awesome sight to behold.

As for the OP, i would love to drive the ring one day. Are rental cars allowed on track? Lol

 

[Bushby_23]

Well, I do recall reading somewhere that when Kaz was'nt driving in the 24hr Nurburgring race, he was practicing in game, and trying lines that he had discovered in game on the track an vice versa.

I also recall reading an article in an Australian magazine called "Motor" in an issue from a few years ago, where they took a MKV Golf GTi round the ring as part of a "motor enthusiasts ideal holiday" and they stated something along the lines that driving the car in game helps with learning where the track goes, and how relatively fast to go through certain sections.

Based on those two instances, I would say that yes, driving the track continuaslly in game helps with driving it in real life.

 

[RichardF]

That's exactly right, same goes for Bathurst. Standing up at skyline and looking down the hill is an awesome sight to behold.

As for the OP, i would love to drive the ring one day. Are rental cars allowed on track? Lol

Rentals are allowed. On public sessions its still just a one way public toll road.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Rentals are allowed. On public sessions its still just a one way public toll road.

Rentals are allowed, however take car with insurance, most renting firm wont assure you if you go on a racetrack, you have to either take a special insurance when you rent the car, or rent a car, specialy for tracks use.

Both are kinda hard to find also. Not sure if you can rent a car on the ring itself, since I always went there with friends cars.

From where to where is the 9m15s time ? I'm really curious, 9m15 is a really really good time for a casual drivers on the nurb, specialy on a E30 with 180 BHP and traffic. I call it BS unless you have proof or you're actually a real racing driver. On Fifth gear they are doing around the ring lap with casual driver, and the best time is like 9m24, wiht the track closed for them only and Tiff next to him to show him the "real" line. And they are using a Jags with a 5L V8 outputting 550 PS.

 

[avens]

You're right, forget to mention that the game just can't give the real sense of the rises and falls in elevation.

But fear is the key difference!

that's a general problem of GT5.

 

[Goshin2568]

From where to where is the 9m15s time ? I'm really curious, 9m15 is a really really good time for a casual drivers on the nurb, specialy on a E30 with 180 BHP and traffic. I call it BS unless you have proof or you're actually a real racing driver. On Fifth gear they are doing around the ring lap with casual driver, and the best time is like 9m24, wiht the track closed for them only and Tiff next to him to show him the "real" line. And they are using a Jags with a 5L V8 outputting 550 PS.

Yes but in many cases, playing a game like gt5 with a wheel for a few years and being decently fast automatically makes you a faster "race car driver" in real life than 90% of the world.

It has nothing to do with natural talent, its just whether or not driving fast is something you've learned how to do. Its a learned skill. Its like riding a bike. If very few people in the world learned to ride bikes and you are one of them, that doesn't mean you have special skills or you are super natural talent. You've just taken the time to learn to do it.

The OP has probably learned the skill, while I'm going to take a guess that the "casual driver" from the fifth gear episode was just that. A casual driver with no experience learning to drive fast.

 

[Loskey1]

Richard f what track day were you on? I did DN4 in July and it was the best day driving ever!

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Yes but in many cases, playing a game like gt5 with a wheel for a few years and being decently fast automatically makes you a faster "race car driver" in real life than 90% of the world.

The OP has probably learned the skill, while I'm going to take a guess that the "casual driver" from the fifth gear episode was just that. A casual driver with no experience learning to drive fast.

Nope the one that did it in like 9m30ish was a sportsman (I dont remember who now but I can check easy) and the others people trying did it in 10m30 11m. I also been to the ring, and even if I have more than 300 laps on it on GT/forza I can tell you that been at the real thing is totally different. Also from the times I've been to the ring, you could never do a full lap of it, nor any sort of full lap, because you encounter bus, 2wheeler, slower car, faster car, etc..

I dont want to sound like an ass or anything honestly, if he did the time he claim then good for him, but honestly i wont believe him.

And no playing GT5 doesnt make you fast, it makes you believe you're fast, then you crash onto the wall the first time you break like in Gt5.

 

[speedthrill]

@ Rx7

I do believe him, because he is totally right about the GT5 thingie making you better at driving fast, thinking forward and having reflexes.
But you need to play it with a wheel.

You definately can be fast with such a light car with around that HP as a driving fanatic...

5th gear is still just 5th gear.

Originally made by an english bloke who loved the nurburgring and made monthly trips to germany with his mx5, later porsche and now they share a golf gti mk2 overthere... He recorded every trip on internet for over half a decade and eventually his site became the official ring site: http://nurburgring.org.uk/


His own reports are not directly linked but i found them overhere. Check those out patiently Mr. Rx7 (i myself read them yrs ago and i actually read them, took me weeks if not months)...
http://nurburgring.org.uk/trip_reports/index.html

Clearly shows you how he grew (wasn't a gt5 nor 4 etc racer) and suddenly dropped tons of time (around trip 10 i think) when he started to know some regulars and got tips and shotgun seats with them...

A carlover can do anything with a good car.
And a 325 e30 with a good driver and like he said stripped weight is perfect in such a lap time! You've gotta feel the love first, instead of the jealoussnes...

PS, sorry for my bad english!

 

[Vaxxtx]

that's a general problem of GT5.

No, its a problem with every game/sim. You cant feel GForce and elevation changes.

I dont want to sound like an ass or anything honestly, if he did the time he claim then good for him, but honestly i wont believe him.

And no playing GT5 doesnt make you fast, it makes you believe you're fast, then you crash onto the wall the first time you break like in Gt5.

Do they print tickets of your times like at a drag strip? If I made that time my first time there, I sure as heck would post proof, like I used to at amateur drag nights.

I do believe any game can help you learn a track to some degree, but I also agree with you, it doesnt make you fast.

Even a not so accurate version of a track in a game can "help" someone learn what turns are coming up, and a general layout. That could help compared to someone that has never seen a track before...but thats about it. Nothing more.

@ Rx7

I do believe him, because he is totally right about the GT5 thingie making you better at driving fast, thinking forward and having reflexes.
But you need to play it with a wheel.

If you really believe that, you would LOVE the movie "The Last Starfighter". No, seriously.

 

[BrosifDuder]

@ Rx7

I do believe him, because he is totally right about the GT5 thingie making you better at driving fast, thinking forward and having reflexes.
But you need to play it with a wheel.

You definately can be fast with such a light car with around that HP as a driving fanatic...

5th gear is still just 5th gear.

Originally made by an english bloke who loved the nurburgring and made monthly trips to germany with his mx5, later porsche and now they share a golf gti mk2 overthere... He recorded every trip on internet for over half a decade and eventually his site became the official ring site: http://nurburgring.org.uk/


His own reports are not directly linked but i found them overhere. Check those out patiently Mr. Rx7 (i myself read them yrs ago and i actually read them, took me weeks if not months)...
http://nurburgring.org.uk/trip_reports/index.html

Clearly shows you how he grew (wasn't a gt5 nor 4 etc racer) and suddenly dropped tons of time (around trip 10 i think) when he started to know some regulars and got tips and shotgun seats with them...

A carlover can do anything with a good car.
And a 325 e30 with a good driver and like he said stripped weight is perfect in such a lap time! You've gotta feel the love first, instead of the jealoussnes...

PS, sorry for my bad english!

👍

 

[Mac K]

Go to a website called Bridge to Gantry, theres an article on there called "Playstation Heros" and a lot of you are reminding me of it.

 

[speedthrill]

i do believe that...

Why not? i do mid 10's with a 318 IS e30...
I'm not pro, just love to casually race instead of drive...
And play Gt since i realise it was gt...

Gt can do more to openminded carlovers in the long term then most of those out there can think off... Especially on the long term!

 

[speedthrill]

Let me post it here for you:

Take a look at the Nürburgring video here. Pretty cool stuff, right? It's GT5 vs real life. Both in Nissan GTRs with near identical laptimes. As you might already know, I *love* a good race on GT5. Only on GT5 can I race all my mates, pick any car I want and not have pesky consequences to worry about. BUT what's really important to remember is that GT5 is only a game.

It doesn't matter how realistic this game gets (and it's pretty damn good, let me tell you) when ever you can press 'quit' or 'restart' then it's ONLY a game. Sounds bleedin' obvious, right?

Well, apparently I should re-iterate this as more and more people take to the track with no concept of what really happens when you oversteer an automobile at 60mph/100kph. Let me give you a clue - you don't tap the otherway on the joypad.

In my career here at the Nürburgring I've been directly involved with a couple of 'PlayStation Heroes' (as we call them). These are people who have 'learnt' the Nürburgring Nordschleife on a game (doesn't matter if it's Forza Motorsport on the Xbox, Rfactor on the PC or GT5 on the PS3). Let me tell you, no matter what you think, YOU HAVE NOT LEARNT THE NORDSCHLEIFE THROUGH A COMPUTER GAME.

You have merely learnt a representation of the Nordschleife on a computer game.

One chap springs to mind, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up reading this at some point. I'd like to think he'll look back at that day, two seasons ago, and know that he took a step away from childhood and a big step towards manhood. But honestly, he had one foot in the grave that day and it was only some clever engineering by Renault's safety boffins and a bit of good luck that saved his life.
By playing GT4 on the PS2, and I do quote, "for thousands of laps", this guy believed he had learnt the 'Ring. Instead of going steady on a sighting lap, taking a look at everything, he entered the Foxhole at fullspeed... Imagine that. Having never driven the circuit before, having the confidence to enter a blind section of track at full speed on your first ever lap! That was a real eye-opener for me - and it's something you'll be warned of any visit to the Nürburgring by a dozen different locals. Confidence in a computer game should not translate to confidence in the real thing... enjoy the games for what they are; GAMES

Yup people like that will tend to get out of the ring wrecked true!

But:

read the link of reports on what i posted above and you'll see a different side, if you go to the ring with the respect it deserves you'll totally not do what those playstation heros did... Luckily the "GTP heros" are all still intact... Makes you think doesn't it?

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Speedthrill : It's nothing about beeing jealous or not. I couldnt care less if he can run that time or not actually but what you dont seems to understand it's the difference between a game and real life. And it clearly exist it would be obvious if you already went to the nurb. It's not a track with much space for error or even braking late. Also there's traffic like I said, traffic change everything and on track day there is definitely traffic. Also you're saying the after the 10th times he gets better ok, but the op talk about beeing there 3-4 times.

Again it might be true, but I'll say it again I dont believe it (i can believe what I want right ?)

Vaxtxx : When I went (not open day but regular day at the nurb) we bought 4 run and we didnt had any timing. You can use a stopwatch to know a bit where you are but you can't even make a full lap. You exit a bit after the banner on the last straight. I dont know about track day and how it works tho.

 

[Mac K]

GT5 or any game for that matter might simulate quite well, but it doesn't simulate G Forces, and above all else, crashing your car in GT5 nothing happens, crash your car in real life, you risk your life, someone else's, and not to mention your car.. I would love to go to the Ring some day, and I'd love to drive it, but it'd be scared as hell to go even moderately fast my first few times out, theres a reason it's called the Green Hell. The most GT5 or any other game/sim can do for someone is just knowing how the course is laid out, that's it. I don't want to be a killjoy, but it's true.

 

[speedthrill]

but what you dont seems to understand it's the difference between a game and real life. And it clearly exist it would be obvious if you already went to the nurb.

It clearly states that i said that if you go to the ring with the respect it deserves... Imo that word respect is full of all the things you mean and all the others: the DIFFERENCE between game and real life...

Read what i typed carefully and i tell you that, but with a defence in favour of GT because it will never be YES or NO in terms of that. There is allways a grey zone with loths of depths of grey next to black and white...
GT helps racers, carlovers to get better in what they want...

Stepping on throttle in firste corners on first time EVER on the ring IRL will just kill you.

RESPECT?!

 

[Vaxxtx]

GT5 or any game for that matter might simulate quite well, but it doesn't simulate G Forces, and above all else, crashing your car in GT5 nothing happens, crash your car in real life, you risk your life, someone else's, and not to mention your car.. I would love to go to the Ring some day, and I'd love to drive it, but it'd be scared as hell to go even moderately fast my first few times out, theres a reason it's called the Green Hell. The most GT5 or any other game/sim can do for someone is just knowing how the course is laid out, that's it. I don't want to be a killjoy, but it's true.

👍👍👍

It breaks many hearts of some arm chair racers, but its the truth.

 

[Mac K]

Exactly, the real Ring needs your upmost respect.

 

[Vaxxtx]

Exactly, the real Ring needs your upmost respect.

Any track does. Saw a 19 year old die when I was younger on a local 3/8 mile dirt oval in a legends racecar. It was his 3rd lap, first time on the track, too much gas got sideways, flipped, was breifly knocked out, caught fire, and died from the smoke.

 

[Mac K]

Any track does. Saw a 19 year old die when I was younger on a local 3/8 mile dirt oval in a legends racecar. It was his 3rd lap, first time on the track, too much gas got sideways, flipped, was breifly knocked out, caught fire, and died from the smoke.

Proving my point even further. I can understand why Sim Racers would be upset with my previous post, but that's reality, and your post is a wake up call. That being said, like 80% of this forum, I'd love to get into motorsport, but I'm not gonna get there by playing GT5(unless a miracle happens with GT Academy). I use GT5 for fun, it allows me to drive cars and tracks that I can't even get close to at this point in my life, and isn't that the whole point? To have fun? Like I said, I wish to get into real motorsport, whether I take some kind of apprenticeship, or even make contacts( I already have contacts within various Canadian teams) then I can go places hopefully but GT5 will keep my hunger to be around cars and motorsport satisfied until then.

 

[NeuroticVows]

I am originally from Germany and I have gotten the pleasure of riding along my mom and uncles on that track. My Uncle's 1986 BMW M3 (white with blue stripe), my mom's 1989 Mercedes W126 (black) and most recently My other uncle's charcoal grey Ferrari F40 (it was in a junk yard and he restored it and re-painted it)

 

[QB1o]

The 'ring on the PS3 is an excellent source of pace notes, and definitely helps to let you go quite quick after a lap or two.
No matter how many PS3 laps you've done you'll still get a bit anxious at the blind corners and fast sections, and while passing bikes and ferraris and porsches.

I can see how overconfidence could have you buying armco though, the real 'ring is not a toy.

 

[Goshin2568]

I never said playing gt5 will make you fast, all I'm saying is that it sure as heck lakes you faster than someone with 0 racing experience, sim or real life.

 

[Herman79]

Went there for the first time in May 2009.

Had numerous laps on GT4 and was amazed how diffrent the actual track is compared to the game.

As mentioned before all you learn in the game is the basic layout and wich way the track turns.

Did a 9m 12sec on my 6th lap in a totaly stock Saab 9-5 Aero.

 

[Mac K]

I never said playing gt5 will make you fast, all I'm saying is that it sure as heck lakes you faster than someone with 0 racing experience, sim or real life.

Oh definitely, you can't argue that, but it doesn't help much beyond what your saying, at least in some aspects anyway.

 

[CSLACR]

I've been to the Ring 3 or 4 times. The last time on a open pit track day, which comfortably the best experience of my life outside of bedroom antics and having kids.

3 of us shared a 180BHP E30 3 Series, stripped to about 1100kg and best lap was around 9.15 - mine and I'm pretty proud of it. Funny how actual real trees and armco make you less brave!

Question I've got for you, has anyone else here done the real Ring and did they find having done loads of laps on GT4/5 an advantage. Cause I was 30 seconds quicker than the other guys who haven't played it all day long. Have to admit, that played a large part in it being such a good day

First off, I'll take a trip down the Ring over bedroom antics any day of the week.


Second off, I guarantee virtual laps that taught you the track helped you quite a bit. It's not to be compared to real life experience on the track, but going there blindfolded vs having learned the track in GT5? The guy who already knows what's up ahead has the clear advantage.