Germany 2022 V2.0 - Spa and the Nurburgring
 

Hi everyone,

The German A8 Treffen sadly isn't taking place this year either, so we have taken it upon ourselves to organise a road trip in September instead, taking in the two greatest racing circuits in the world:
Spa Francorchamps, and the Nurburgring. Not just visiting, but driving them both :cool:

The trip will start on Monday the 19th of September where we will catch a ferry from Dover to Calais, and make our way to a hotel (tbc) near the Spa Francorchamps circuit.

Tuesday the 20th starts with a leisurely breakfast and then we head to the circuit for the Public Driving Experience. This is a public open-track day for road cars only - no timing, no slicks, no racecars, be sensible, go at your own pace. Mike and I are booked in Pack C which starts at 11:30, to allow for late arrival on the Monday. This comprises four 25 minute sessions split roughly an hour apart, for €319. Alternatively, there is a single run of 25 minutes at 16:00 which is €100.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1651847277

From here we then have three days of touristing - a Schloss or two, likely a Rhine valley vineyard and wine tasting, and hopefully a trip North to catch up with Vera and Dean. We are hoping that this will encourage spouses and partners to come along for a mini-break rather than it just being all petrolhead stuff and us having to drive 2000 miles on our own in our 8s! Its much more fun with a wingman / wingwoman +++

This is Cochem. There's a great handbag shop along the front here, and the castle does excellent cake, although its a bit of a hike up there.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1651847277

After touristing, we head to the Nürburgring for the weekend Tourist Drives sessions. Given my history of the track being closed whenever I go there, we're allowing Saturday and Sunday for track time. I'm planning to get out very early for the first laps on one or both days while the track is quiet, as currently it is expected to be open from 08:00 - 19:00. It is likely to get quite busy during the day. Each lap of the 'ring is €30 and you can buy as many as you like.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1651847277

We plan on finding something else to do during the busy times on Saturday as well, so its not all going to be track time (unless you want to). There are lots of places to eat in the area, and spectating areas if you fancy that. There is also Nürburg Castle to explore nearby.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1651847277

Sunday morning may well see a few more laps of the circuit, and then we'll set off mid-late morning for the sprint home, expecting to be back late Sunday night.

Hotels and ferry details are all still tbc, depending on numbers and what we can find. We'll post more info as it turns up.

Who is coming with us?

We're roadtripping France > Germany > Switzerland > Czech Rep the last 2 weeks of August en route to my brother's wedding, so work will be expecting us both to not take more time off in September :D

Any tips for places to visit in Germany (not the Ring) would be more than welcome

EDIT: think we are going to cover the Black Forest and the B500 on this trip, then Constanz, then Neuchwansteiner Castle, then on to (near) Prague

Ooh, yes please...
 

I'd probably be up for that - I've not done the 'ring in Herman for quite a few years now, though I might need that bit of fine fettling finishing by you first Michaela ;)...;)

Sorry all, I'm pretty busy this year especially through September. Can't even visit my family this year, mind work is earning me a bit of cash so next year might be easier.

Spa package purchased. Dates blocked out! Woohooo! +++

I wonder if any of those tracks have a straight long enough to max out a 2.8 :cool:
I'm down for the trip but will probably skip on spa and go drinking or something instead

Run a side bet on the sub £40 chain tensioner surviving? :)

ok, if it fails I'm buying you a lunch, if it survives you are paying for mine.
Watch out , I eat a lot, this is my latest personal best:
https://i.ibb.co/CHPWCDB/image.png

Where do i sign up for the trip ?

[quote=darrenjoe90;169560]Where do i sign up for the trip ?[/QUOTE

Woohoo! Old times Darren. +++

Get the session booked at Spa if you're up for that, as there is a limit to how many cars they will allow on track. The link is here. We're running in Pack C on 20/09/2022.

We'll publish hotel details and ferry details once we've sorted them out :)

Spa is booked and paid for 👍

This is the hotel for the Spa session (19-20th of September):
Les Refuges du Chalet- http://www.booking.com/Share-3PfW8F

We have reserved 8 chalets (the whole site) with prices ranging from £63 for the cheapest one to £104 for the poshest 1 bed chalet.

You forgot to mention it shall henceforth be known as Hobbit Town :ROFL:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1652256468

We passed an equally crazy place in Scotland the other week, at Ardelve by Loch Long.
Actually a distillery and tea room! Lots of buildings like this:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...3&d=1652257973

Last call for anyone who is thinking about joining us as we're booking hotels :)

Obviously you can join us later if you wish, but you'll need to book your own accomodation +++

I will not be able to make that as on a work mission to the south of France end of that week. Shame as the draw of watching Ronin spank his Audi round the track with the £37 cam chain adjuster is sooo strong! +++

I'll email you my wurst bill!

:D:D

Fwiw, I was on the ring a week ago and it was 25 Eur for a spin. Massive confusion over how to book the thing as the online website was still 50% in German even when you select English, and it suggested 30eur but rock up to the portacabin opposite the entrance and a guy there will happily sell you laps there and then with a quick dab of your contactless card for 25 eur...

Sounds a fab trip, although alas I have nothing worthy of such an outing.... enjoy +++

€25 during the week, €30 at weekends according to the web site :)

Ah, now that makes more sense..... :)

I was in a rush. I had to choose between actually reading what was going on, or just getting on with it before it closed !

Wish I could be part of this. Weather looks decent. Hope the Queen's funeral hasn't messed up any travel plans.

I'm ready :cool:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1663444240

What do the steering wheel buttons do now, if anything? :Confused:

They will be repurposed to be radio controls :D

Oh wow!! Didn't know you were going manual MJ.

Nice head unit! 😉

One for volume the other for channel/track change maybe? Then you need to find a use for the blank "big switch" to the right of the steering column. :ROFL:
What is the head unit, looks smart?

Lovely Lovely Lovely +++

Lovely. I've been round twice, but never in a manual, which is the one thing that I think will really make a difference to the experience +++

Did you guys enjoy your trip? :)

We had a great time. +++
Spa Francorchamps was epic until my NS front wheel bolts came loose on the forth pace car lap which caused me to pit and loose the run. I had had 18 laps by then over 3 25 minute sessions. I'm sure MJ and Darren will pop on with their thoughts idc. I will try to upload some video for streaming. I have 2 runs for Spa and 1 wet lap of the ring. The Ring was a bit of a come down after Spa. It was absolutely rammed on the Friday evening and Saturday and on Saturday afternoon it rained! We arrived for the Friday evening to find huge queues and within 45 minutes the track was red flagged for an hour so we tootled off to our accommodation. Back Saturday morning and after extended queueing I got two laps in but there were multiple yellow flags due to crashes and the track was closed again by lunch time! Rained in the afternoon but went back for a wet lap which had no yellow flags but we were held up by slow BMWs and Porsches! the good bits turned into a bit of a procession. :tuttut: Sunday morning for one last blast arriving at 8am to find the track closed due to fog! So back to the hotels and pack up and one last attempt at 10am to find it was still closed! Ferries and tides wait for no man so we headed home.
Still very enjoyable though. :)

Interesting your comments on Spa vs Nurburgring.
On Sunday I was chatting to the owner (older than me) of an original Audi Quattro (the only Audi I saw at Kop Hill Climb) and he was saying that it was pretty awful to drive on roads (very hard suspension) but great on a track, especially Spa!
He said the Nurburgring was quite a disappointment in comparison.

I joined the group on Wednesday night to stay at the Burg hotel (walled fortress) and then visited the local caves in Attendorn on Thursday, before taking a trip down to Cochem with them in the S8.

On Saturday I tootled off to the Nurburgring in my Allroad (weather looked poor so I wasn't confident of getting my first-ever laps in on the track). But both the morning and late afternoon were great for me to bimble around. I even overtook 3 cars on the damp afternoon track. In hindsight, I wish I'd have taken the S8 instead but that can be done another day.
To those that haven't taken a ride on the 20km track through the forests, it's absolutely marvellous, even at €30 a pop.

I'll add some images in another post when I get them off my phone.

Yes. Downloaded it earlier and just watched it. Fun stuff indeed and was more interesting that watching that those from the Nurburgring, as I recognise the Spa circuit.

Agreed, excellent watch. +++

Watched it twice & it looks fantastic...'file protected' commentary threw me lol...though MJ was slowing down to wave! Did the cars all pull through okay?

That was enjoyable. Vicarious memories. Mind I have driven faster on the Autobahn.
That silver TT had rather big elbows and was frightened by the bendy bits. Happy that you managed to blast past him but spoilt by the reds.