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 bits
sticking out of the track each side on the way
up the approaching hill. Straightline the bums,
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. |
