Tips for driving on the Nordschleife?

[SlowInFastOut]

More than anything else, learn your braking points, and how fast you can take certain corners, the more you drive it the more comfortable you will get from start to finish.

 

[Calundanni]

A couple of things to improve time....

- AMG Event is the best place to start. Learn the different sectors of the track.

- Find a car you're comfortable with (BMW M5 is my fav, but I usually go for cars with 500PP) and go to the Pratice area and drive as much as possible.

- Get to know the sector times
- Learn breaking points
- Do laps where you risk everything, so you'll know what's possible and what isn't. Don't just drive safe. And don't restart, there are plenty of things to learn even if you make an error in a sector.

- Drive without SRF, if possible...

- Make it fun, drive at night, in rain, with really slow cars etc. Find new ways to drive and experience the Ring.

- Do your own time trials with different cars that have the same PP. (Helps learning sector times).

And that's about it I guess.... I love the Ring to bits, best track ever. I've driven it so many times now, that I feel know it and the best part of it is that I don't.... You'll never stop learning the track!

 

[LeoStrop]

I think every one here has said something important: practice, drive different cars to understand how the track works at different speeds, some things can go unnoticed driving only one type of car, especially driving a great handling car like the S2000.
Another thing, watch onboard laps(real life) on youtube, that was how i learned the track back in the days of GT4.

But, you asked about specific tips, so i will give mine. I don't have a clue of your level ass a driver on GT, so don't be mad if everything i said was already of your knowledge.

http://media.fastcar.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/nurburgring-cornering-map-guide-download.jpg

Follow the map. The line inside the track represents the gear, i will use that as a reference to each section(represented in green)

> After section 4, we cross the line(2KM), try to put 2 wheels on the pit exit road while braking to the first corner, this can give you a better turn in, and exit speed.

> After section 4, 3 to 4 on the reference line, we have that first long right corner. Try to approach it as close as you can on the left side, turn in early and try to be very close to the inside curb without going over it. Use the concrete part on the outside, but be careful because you can hit the grass with the outside rear wheel on the limit. Some cars you will just have to lift a little bit the throttle.

> On section 5, use the left inside curb(just after number 3 on the reference line) making an almost straight line in between that 3 corners.

> Section 6, Flugplatz. That special corner, very fast, brake after the bump and make 2 apex on that corner. Hit slightly the curb on the inside, let the car opens to the left side, and go in again to hit the curb one more time.

> After section 7, Schwedenkreuz. Try to brake and turn in before that small bump in the middle of the corner, it tends to throw you out.

> Section 10. fuchsröhre. Fast left corner coming up hill, use the inside curb, and don't be afraid to put the 2 inside wheels on the air.

> After section 17, after the bridge. Going uphill to the right hand corner(3 on reference line), use the inside curb, and use less bake than expected, that corner holds you good.

> After section 18, Bergwerk. You have turn in very late on that, this is for me, the most technical corner on nordschleife. Bake the car to the middle of the corner, then come hard in to enter that uphill part with speed.

> After section 20, Klostertal. Very fast right hand corner, i never brake on that, hit hard the curb on the inside.


Well, the rest i think you will have to develop your own tips, it gets very technical and hard to explain here. Hope this was useful to you. I think it's better if you point the corners that gives you a hard time. Watch onboards!

 

[Thomasss95]

Thank you very much LeoStrop!
I watch a lot of videos on YouTube of the Ring and it helps indeed.

I have little time now to read all the tips closely, but tomorrow I will go on the track in-game and look at the sections with your tips next to me!
It will help a lot I think.

Thanks again!

 

[LeoStrop]

Thank you very much LeoStrop!
I watch a lot of videos on YouTube of the Ring and it helps indeed.

I have little time now to read all the tips closely, but tomorrow I will go on the track in-game and look at the sections with your tips next to me!
It will help a lot I think.

Thanks again!

Great to hear that. Ask if something was not so clear to you, after you do the laps. Have fun 👍

 

[MrWednesday]

A couple of particularly difficult spots... (speeds in MPH)

Flugplatz is a corner where you have to experiment to find out how fast the car can take it. I've seen anywhere from ~110 in a car with no downforce and tending toward understeer to over 130 in a race car with soft tires. At least you can usually catch it mid-corner if you take it too fast. Most cars that need to slow for the turn, I can brake after the car clears the bump, but there are a few where I have to apply the brakes before the bump.

It's similar for Schwedenkreuz, but you won't know you're taking it too fast until you're already gone... best case is, you can sort of check up in the grass and be out of the sand trap quickly, worst case is you're going hard into the barrier on the right-hander. Start slower (most cars can take this turn over 125-ish), turn in just as you're reaching the hump, and if you can hug the inside curb all the way through, go faster the next time. Keep that up until your track-out takes you to the outside curb (or give yourself a little safety margin to miss your turn-in point). In race cars on RH tires, I can take it at 160+.

Bergwerk is a tough corner to get right, but with the long uphill straight afterwards, it's critical to a fast lap time. I personally have a tendency to turn in too early, I've found that I can do better about nailing the turn-in by using the little stretch of cobblestones on the left as a reference. My turn-in point is right around the end of them, maybe a hair before.

 

[Kitten]

here's a tip. Drive [Hoonigan]Style.

 

[Third Reign]

There are tons of adept racer who know the Ring inside out. There are tons of onboard camera videos of VLN race laps and record attempts which can be found on Youtube. Try studying the line that these racers take. The Ring isn't a track where its important to enter the turn as fast as possible, but to carry a lot of momentum from turn to turn.

Marc Basseng driving the Zonda R
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPd0ATqvoJM
the Zonda R makes a good choice since its in game

Sabine Schmitz in a 911 GT3R
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUnQ5RVdGss

 

[ZR1fan]

Most important tip I can give you is just practice constantly, take a car you know well so it wont bite you too hard for mistakes, don't try to push 10/10ths, just take it up a step at a time gradually. Be courteous as well if you are online to faster drivers on the track, if someone is coming up on you give them the right of way.. Courtesy on your part will be met with respect from them if you find you need tips on how to execute a certain part of the track. Most important just have fun and don't over think it, once you run it enough times it will eventually come to you naturally. Be careful especially around flugplatz, flugplatz. Wwas mentioned above will bite you and bite you hard if you take it too fast. Don't try tuning until you can master it with a stock car first, as each tuner car behaves differently from the next. It's best to try with a stock car first because relative to tuners they have the most compromised grip limits and such, if you can get them right, then you can for sure master a race car later on.

 

[MrWednesday]

For my money, Schwedenkreuz is much scarier than Flugplatz. You'll be rubbing the armco and lose three or four seconds if you screw up Flugplatz, you'll be hard into the barrier in the middle of a gravel trap and lose ten+ if you screw up Schwedenkreuz. Plus, you have a chance to back off in Flugplatz if you're going to fast, but you don't really know if you've missed Schwedenkreuz until you're already gone.

 

[Morgoth_666]

For my money, Schwedenkreuz is much scarier than Flugplatz. You'll be rubbing the armco and lose three or four seconds if you screw up Flugplatz, you'll be hard into the barrier in the middle of a gravel trap and lose ten+ if you screw up Schwedenkreuz. Plus, you have a chance to back off in Flugplatz if you're going to fast, but you don't really know if you've missed Schwedenkreuz until you're already gone.

Running with full damage accentuates this even more. If you get Flugplatz wrong you have a good chance of escaping unscathed. Mess up Schwedenkreuz and you'll be lucky if the car is even driveable after you recover.

 

[ZR1fan]

Good point.. Schwedenkreuz is ugly too, forgot about that corner.. It's good to brake right before the crest of the uphill right before it, if you brake at the crest in a car without downforce you're gone. Also when running race cars if there's a street car in front of you you will get a serious run on him blasting out of there, so be ready with the brakes if necessary. Also, make sure you have eyes on the map/rear view when braking for Aremberg, because if someone hoses Schwedenkreuz behind you and gets sucked into the grass. Depending on his speed, the grass might not let him go, if you don't see him coming, hell take you with him when the grass spits him out and he goes across aremberg into the gravel on the other side. This is more typically a problem in packs of 3 cars or more, the third guy behind typically fixates on car #2, overshoots the braking point and screws the whole corner, dont let his wreck fool you, yes the grass slows him down relative to you, but when he comes across Aremberg he hasn't slowed down for the corner like you have, so he will typically get to that same spot in the track at the same time you do and take you out.

 

[Venymous]

For me, I'd say Flugplatz is more difficult to get right than Schwedenkreuz (and more important) since it's a high speed double apex with an unsettling hill/ramp in front it. If you get the line right through Flugplatz you can carry more speed down to Schwedenkreuz.

Schwedenkreuz is a more straight forward single apex corner, albeit with the track falling away from you slightly. Hug the right side of track before entry and take a smooth line to just kiss the inside curb and you are golden.

In race conditions no one is going to pass you at Schwedenkreuz since there is only one safe line through the corner, making protecting the racing line easier. If you screw up Flugplatz and the car behind you doesn't, you can easily get passed in the fast section between the corners. That's why this is one of my favorite sections of the track. If you nail it you can have a nice gap by Aremberg and crucially break the draft zone.

 

[ANNIHILATOR90]

If you simply enjoy driving on the Nordschleife, all the rest will follow in time, and you will only enjoy it even more then.

I would personally suggest to "drive" (relaxed) on the Ring, rather than to really "race" and push it. Start slow and build it up, instead of the other way around. It'll be a lot less frustrating also... I think.

A couple of particularly difficult spots... (speeds in MPH)

Flugplatz is a corner where you have to experiment to find out how fast the car can take it. I've seen anywhere from ~110 in a car with no downforce and tending toward understeer to over 130 in a race car with soft tires. At least you can usually catch it mid-corner if you take it too fast. Most cars that need to slow for the turn, I can brake after the car clears the bump, but there are a few where I have to apply the brakes before the bump.

It's similar for Schwedenkreuz, but you won't know you're taking it too fast until you're already gone... best case is, you can sort of check up in the grass and be out of the sand trap quickly, worst case is you're going hard into the barrier on the right-hander. Start slower (most cars can take this turn over 125-ish), turn in just as you're reaching the hump, and if you can hug the inside curb all the way through, go faster the next time. Keep that up until your track-out takes you to the outside curb (or give yourself a little safety margin to miss your turn-in point). In race cars on RH tires, I can take it at 160+.

Bergwerk is a tough corner to get right, but with the long uphill straight afterwards, it's critical to a fast lap time. I personally have a tendency to turn in too early, I've found that I can do better about nailing the turn-in by using the little stretch of cobblestones on the left as a reference. My turn-in point is right around the end of them, maybe a hair before.

I'll add my 5c; for Caracciola Karussell, stay on the inside for pretty much the entire turn, and try to keep the throttle steady. I always go rather slow as I've spun out a lot here myself, still do sometimes. You never really see/feel it coming (when you spin out).

 

[ZR1fan]

For me, I'd say Flugplatz is more difficult to get right than Schwedenkreuz (and more important) since it's a high speed double apex with an unsettling hill/ramp in front it. If you get the line right through Flugplatz you can carry more speed down to Schwedenkreuz.

Schwedenkreuz is a more straight forward single apex corner, albeit with the track falling away from you slightly. Hug the right side of track before entry and take a smooth line to just kiss the inside curb and you are golden.

In race conditions no one is going to pass you at Schwedenkreuz since there is only one safe line through the corner, making protecting the racing line easier. If you screw up Flugplatz and the car behind you doesn't, you can easily get passed in the fast section between the corners. That's why this is one of my favorite sections of the track. If you nail it you can have a nice gap by Aremberg and crucially break the draft zone.

Yeah I understand, I know you can't pass in schwedenkreuz, I never meant that to say he was trying to pass, it's just I've had that happen before where I've been in the braking zone for aremberg and a guy a second or two behind me has hosed schwedenkreuz and nearly taken me out when he comes across aremberg, his average speed when he hoses it is much higher than mine through that section because he can't slow down once he gets sucked into the grass, whereas I have to brake for aremberg, so I'm always watching the map when I come to the section to know if I need to check the rear view for a wreck. I'm not going to lie though it's kind of funny when a friend of yours doesn't see the guy who wrecked and you do, so you hit the brakes harder (on account of the out of control car you know is coming) and he doesn't and he gets demolished by the guy who wrecked, I've seen that happen a couple of times.

 

[Venymous]

I know exactly what you mean with that. I've been taken out numerous times by kamikaze's blowing the turn and sailing through the grass to collect a few cars. If I'm in or behind a pack of cars going into Schwedenkreuz I will always back off anticipating a massive crash. Then drive through the dust cloud to net a few places. Though I've had it happen where a line of cars makes it around Schwedenkreuz and then someone completely blows the Aremberg braking point and plows into you anyways.

At least if someone goes off at Flugplatz they only take themselves out.

 

[nowayback]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2511327/Guide-to-the-Nordschleife
also shows which curbs u can ride and which not.

for me,,i rarely get fast left-hand bend at the end of the long Kesselchen uphill straight right..i can be between 145 and 185 km with gallardo 550...also important to get good rythym with turns after karousell..if i get the beginning of them right the others just flow smooth and fast till the finish. Finally it comes down to knowing the track like the backof your hand

 

[Morgoth_666]

The Schwedenkreuz-Aremberg section is full of problems because the line is so fast and narrow.

It is correct that Schwedenkreuz itself is a horrible place to pass but that doesn't stop a lot of people from trying to do so, which of course causes a lot of problems. Other problems are caused by people who understand that you can't pass there, but think they are superior enough from the driver in front to make a pass into Aremberg when they really aren't. There are also of course people who aren't trying to pass or do anything particularly silly but just manage to get it wrong and find themselves in the grass wondering what to do(and sometimes not wanting to give up on racing to stay out of the way).

Other problems are caused by people who get excited about the fact that they managed to nail Schwedenkreuz and don't realize that carrying an extra 10-15mph of speed through there means that they have to brake earlier for Aremberg. Combine these issues together with people's tendency to not realize that if you are going to go side-by-side into Aremberg you can't take it nearly as fast as you can by yourself and it gets worse.

The bump just before the brake zone for Schwedenkreuz further complicates matters because if you come off of it slightly off-line you will have a much tougher time coming into the corner. You can even get squirrely just from driving over the crest if you hit it wrong.

Then we can add the overpowered slipstream in GT5 to make more problems. We also have the fact that most races at the Ring online are only 1-lap affairs resulting in much shorter races than people tend to run elsewhere(which are already plenty short) meaning everyone wants to capitalize on every gap they see.

Throw in an idiot like me driving around with no ABS and you've got one great recipe for chaos.


Of course all of this is regarding racing, not just driving. For driving a solid lap Flugplatz is for sure the more important corner, as you want to maximize your exit speed there. Schwedenkreuz is far less important to lap time as unless you're driving a stock Miata you'll be braking for Aremberg as soon as or even before you're fully settled down from the corner. Schwedenkreuz is the more dangerous corner, not the more important one... so it's more important to simply make sure you survive it without any issues so you can be set up to exit Aremberg as fast as possible.

 

[HP]

Well said Morgoth 👍

I would add for the OP that I would be careful about taking the advice to cross the pit exit blend line, in a race it is not acceptable to breach the blend line and can cause accidents so I would be, ahem, steering clear of such advice even when practicing alone as it can develop into a bad habit real fast.

The Nurb is a dangerous yet amazing race track and you can get all the advice in the world on how to tackle it but that won't matter if you haven't the confidence to get out there and 'give it to her'. I suggest getting your tunes right, keep to the natural driving line (NOT the blue one) as much as possible and develop a feel for the road that will give you the confidence required to string together fast and clean laps... I think then you can truly start nailing some great times 👍

 

[ZR1fan]

I tend to find that much of the problem with people getting Schwedenkreuz wrong comes from when you put two tuner cars together, his setup relative to yours may be way different, as such, your car can take Schwedenkreuz at a certain pace that his cant match, when he finds out the hard way.. thats when he wrecks. My tuned NSX has caused this problem more than once, I free run alot with Ring buddies, Id be a bit ahead of the guys I am running with, wed all come up to Schwedenkreuz, the NSX (which corners like its on rails its set up so nice) would fly through the corner and the guy behind me would try to match me, but his car wouldnt be able to hold it and the grass sucks him in. Once youre in the grass youre gone, you can barely slow the car down or turn, so whether you like it or not you end up getting spat across Aremberg, and you may take out a guy in the corner along the way by accident, hence why I always check my mirrors after Schwedenkreuz, so I can anticipate it if my car is about to be demolished. I find if you can if you got a guy on your bumper heading into Aremberg, pull a little more to the right in the braking zone if your car is holding steady, its slower yeah, but if the guy behind you is about to blow it at least he wont take you with him.

Flugplatz can take out multiple cars at once, its rare but it depends on where the guy who actually wrecks ends up once he stops, just the other week I was running with some guys and one up ahead (that I was running down) wrecked at Flugplatz and ended up with his car stopped perfectly sideways just around the blind right hander afterward, I then came around that corner at about 120 miles an hour and with nowhere to go was forced to T-bone him full tilt.

 

[byegad]

Do the Lupo race lots of times and don't try to overtake everyone for the first few goes. The other cars will show you the way. Don't worry if you drop off the back of the stream of cars, just complete the lap and try again. I love the 'Ring'.