A Lap of The Circuit
Before anything else, remember that
this circuit is 15 miles long. There are a lot of bends
and you will be mixing with all sorts of traffic. There
are some important rules you must obey. German traffic
laws apply during public days and they are enforced
quite strictly. Most importantly, you must only overtake
on the left. Ideally, wait for the other vehicle to
move and indicate right before you go. You should watch
your mirrors and if someone comes up behind you then
move right as soon as it is safe to do so, indicating
right to tell them you are happy to be passed. There
are lots of professional drivers and riders who test
there, and there is no shame in being overtaken. Also
note that bikes must be road legal in every way. Noise
testing is frequent and strict, and you run the risk
of getting an illegal can confiscated on the spot should
the test be run by the Police instead of the ‘ring
authorities.
So, leaving the toll gates you will
pass along a chained-off corridor before a traffic-calming
hard left turn. Then you are onto the circuit proper,
on Dottinger Hohe. Under the bridge as the track curves
left and drops down, climbing the other side into Hohenrain.
This is an armco lined right-left-right chicane which
marks where the old Southern Loop used to continue.
Sometimes the track will be blocked here and you will
be diverted right through the old pits. This normally
happens when an event is taking place that uses both
the old and new circuits. Assuming that you have carried
on as normal, though, you will go along a short straight
called T13 (named after the gantry or Tribune to the
right) before a downhill lefthander. This is sharper
and than it looks at first. The track continues downhill
through a couple of right handers and a left before
reaching Hatzenbach. This is a complex of lefts and
rights, but the first corner is very dangerous. The
left is fine but the immediate right catches people
out and they tend to hit the rather unforgiving armco.
Be warned. Exiting the complex after three more bends
there is another short straight before the right-left
of Hocheichen. This is horrible in the wet but satisfying
in the dry. The left part is quite sharp but the camber
is helpful. Watch for debris from cars that clip the
grass bank. A long, fast straight, over a humpback bridge
and slightly uphill, leads to Flugplatz. This is a long,
very fast double apex right hander that is beset treated
as one long curve. The left out of it leads to the fastest
part of the circuit where you could reasonably expect
to hit the speed limiter on a modern superbike.
Coming up very soon is Schwedenkreuz,
a fast but deceptive left hander that leads directly
into Aremburg. Aremburg is a long, slightly downhill
right with a gravel trap and a nasty reputation. There
is a large bridge crossing the track at the exit of
the bend. A good idea not to fall off there, then. On
into Fuchsrohre – a long downhill rush that you
can straightline on a bike. The left at the bottom tests
courage and suspension in equal measures but the uphill
that follows makes it easy to lose speed for the next
challenge. Adenauer Forst is a right-left-right complex
that catches many more people than it should. It’s
easy enough but build up to a good speed and stay off
the very slippery kerbs in the damp. If it all goes
wrong then you’ll find yourself heading for the
grass. Relax and ride it out. Perhaps stand on the pegs
but avoid any violent turning or braking and you should
be OK. Another straight with a fast but slightly scary
left hander partway along it leads to Metzgesfelt, a
sharp left hander going immediately into a right hander.
The track then starts to drop away
and enters Kallenhard, a never ending off camber downhill
right hander. Turn in late or you will run onto the
grass on the exit. Carry on downhill through Miss-Hit-Miss
(three right handers named for what you should do to
their apexes) and then be prepared for Wehrseifen. This
is a gentle, downhill right hander that leads instantly
into a hairpin left. No runoff at all. Nice. Watch for
highsides on the exit and again stay off the kerb if
it’s damp. Carry on downhill and you will see
speed limit signs as you approach Breidsheid. This is
the lowest part of the circuit, a left hander that goes
over a road bridge. It’s one of the less forgiving
parts of the track and there is an entry/exit point
as well to make things worse. If this is open the speed
limit signs will be the right way round and the limit
may well be enforced with radar. If the signs are reversed
then the exit should be closed and you can relax a little.
But don’t fall off here because the softest thing
you’ll hit is a line of concrete blocks.
Exiting Breidsheid you go steeply
uphill and right through Ex-Muhle where you can practice
big wheelies while trying to get straight before you
hit the barrier, then kink left through Lauda Links-knicke,
so named because this is the kink where Nicky Lauda
had his huge crash in 1976 and into Bergwerk. The only
hint I can give you here is turn into this long right
hander very late. The most common mistake is to turn
in too early and run onto the grass before the exit.
As the barrier is about 3 feet away this is a Bad Thing.
Now get on the power and prepare for
a bit of a roller coaster ride as the track gently weaves
up the long and very fast Kesselchen – 4km of
hill. Most of the corners can be taken flat out and
visibility is very good indeed. After a proper right
hander there is a short straight leading to Mutkurve
or Angstkurve – Courage or Fear Bend. This is
a fearsomely fast left hander with a very positive camber
that can mislead because again it goes on for quite
a long time. Beware the slight dip afterwards as the
track goes right into Klostertal, followed by a short
straight then the slower and very, very long Steilstrecke
Kurve. As you exit you’ll see some bumps sticking
out of the track each side on the way up the approaching
hill. Straightline the bumps, aiming for a large, solitary
pine tree.
The Karussel is probably the most
famous piece of track anywhere, and not without reason.
Don’t even attempt this steeply banked left hand
hairpin at more than 50mph, and watch the exit as getting
on the power too hard while the back is jumping around
can be a recipe for disaster. The concrete slabs are
grippier than they look, and you should aim to go around
just below halfway up and exit at the distinct ‘L’
just before the end.
Power up the rest of the hill through
a fast left hander that leads straight into the fist
part of Hohe Acht – a double apex right hander
that is the highest part of the track. From here on
it’s all down to technique and handling –
any more than 40bhp is wasted most of the time. Be careful
through this section as the trees can make it a little
slippery at times. Out of Hohe Acht the track runs straight
for a few metres before going right, dropping away to
the left and then going right again into Wipperman.
Another short straight followed by an uphill right leads
straight into the downhill left of Eschbach and the
sharp right of Brunnchen 1. There is a viewing area
here, so beware of distracting movement and noise. This
part of the track has been recently resurfaced and is
now grippy and smooth but very fast, especially as it
is steeply downhill. A short straight leads into Brunnchen
2 – a fast uphill right hander with a gravel trap
on the outside.
Almost immediately afterwards comes
Eiskurve, a challenging blind left hander that is slippery
in the rain and is one of the last places to dry out.
Watch for ice here in the off season as well. Now we
are approaching one of the most dangerous parts of the
track. Pflantzgarten 1 is a long and very fast right
hander immediately preceded by a jump. You must get
your braking over and done with before getting airborne
or you are very likely to run over the grass and hit
the barrier. Exiting Pflantzgarten 1 the track curves
left before dropping steeply away in Pflantzgarten 2.
Many people find themselves on one wheel here without
intending to. Be ready for it and be aware that you
will be accelerating hard down the hill so by the time
the front comes down you will be flying. Watch for instability.
The next section is a series of small
but blind kinks and ridges which need to be built up
to – the only fast way through is to know where
you are going. After this comes a very fast right hander
which climbs into Schwalbenschwantz – The Swallow-tail
– a sharp and unforgiving left hander followed
by a short straight and then a miniature version of
The Karussel. Don’t underestimate it as many people
have failed to negotiate this corner. Then uphill further
into the long, long right hander of Galgenkopf. Don’t
go wide until you can see the exit or you’ll run
out of track. Then back onto Dottinger Hohe for either
another wide open blast or a gentle cool down before
pulling into the exit by the cones. Again, watch for
the speed limit which is often enforced at the end. |
