The 16th of may me and my dad where supposed to be at the Nürburgring GP-track to drive the Audi R8 V10. Sunday the 15th, had worked the night before so I got up at lunch, Peter (my dad) was to pick me up an hour later, took a shower, got my stuff together and realized my sunglasses was still in the taxi, no biggie, its only 30 min extra drive to the airport... Peter showed up and I told him about the detour and thereby saying "I´m driving!" Almost there I realized once more I had forgotten one more thing, my passport!!! Crap, got Ulrica on the phone and asked her to meet us on the way, now I was starting to make use of all 290 (diesel) hp Peters 3-series has, wet road, twisty 45 mph road, he didn´t say a word... Got to the airport on time, checked in, was driven by bus to the Ring (about an hour and a half) from Frankfurt. We stayed at the Dorint hotell on the actual start/finnish straight, see picture from the balcony. The following morning after breakfast we took the looooong (at least 10 min) walk to the pits where we were served coffie and fruit during the theory lesson. After that we went out to the cars, two in each car and four cars with each instructor, four groups made for an impressive parking... Up until lunch we took the track in different sections, the instructors standing outside and telling everyone how to drive, the best exercise was the breaking manuvre, I realized most pepole can´t even break properly, they don´t dare to HIT the break!!! After a German lunch (not so much potatoes, just meat and fruit, no beer though...) we took to whole laps, the instructor first and "students" after, the rain was pissing down but what a car, the fourwheeldrive made it very enjoyable and the instructors were very good, driving at the limit of the slowest driver in the group whilst keeping a close look in the mirrors and giving instructions. I think about 80 % of the drivers there got to go on the edge of their ability! Peter made some great progress and was one of the faster ones on the track when he listend to what I said, when he ignored me he lost the line and went "off", not much but it scared the crap out of him I think. After the last driver change I was behind the instructor and before we went out I said, "now lets go, no regrets, we'll wait for the others..." Coming out of the pits he told the others on the radio to drive safe and then he took off! I caught up in the breaking area and was right on his tail through the first hairpin, powering out towards the long left that ends with the breaking zone for the next left witch is a left right combo, he overcooked it a bit in the first left and I just showed myself on his inside, making clear had it been a racing situation, we would go neck to neck in the breaking area with me on the inside... Through the left - right combo he had a better exit and pulled away a few meters, slight downhill and short but still 90 degree left that comes out in the breaking area for a tight right, I got the better exit and comming down towards the "Dunlop kurve" I could again go for the inside and make a point. After the "Dunlop kurve" whitch is a hairpin right we had to stop for the rest of the group to catch up! Then its uphill through "Schumacher kurve" that is a fast left right, comming up to a long left right combination that emits onto the back strait, the instructor once again took off through this combination and I was soon to follow, after the long left - right you go downhill on the strait, very fast "kink" right where we went full bore in fourth, he missed the line by about 3 inch and that meant a short slide, that was all I needed so comming up towards the chicane I came up next to him and hit the revlimiter in fourth, that would be about 150 mph and slightly sideways... After that lap I had to drop back and let the others do their thing. When we got back in the pits the intructor came up to me and asked "what do you race?" I think thats the best compliment I could get, and when we were at it, the radio was dead silent. It was one hell of a day and one I can highly recommend, check out Audi.com / driving experience for info. The old man is still in good shape, turns 66 in two days and probably fitter than me... Oh, and thats me in the T-shirt from a known event...:whistle: Fredrik:stars:
haha fricken awesome Freddy. I am SOOOOOOOO envious of you right now. How I WANT the R8. How did the car drive? Smooth? Stiff? I love it. You're wearing an LXF shirt and you aren't even a member there. lmao You ROCK!!!
I don´t have a SrtC-shirt... LOL The ride is surprisingly good, not that stiff bouncy ride you can get in a Lambo or Ferrari, more mature and sure one you could live with every day! But if you spend that kind of money is that what you want? I´d like to be scared for that kind of money... Its a well behaved sportscar, now, we haven´t modded our cars to increase the smoothnes and to be caressed, we modded our cars into monsters with the clear ability to scare ourselves, our passengers and our fellow drivers on the road. Take for instance that Subaru that came up next to us on the highway, you, me and Maureen in the car, he comes up next to us, revs the engine, makes two or three passes before you grow tired of him and floors it, you hit third doing 70-ish and the rears light up, hitting the limiter a few times and the guy don´t want to play anymore...:cry2: So yes, a great car that is to clinical and ANYONE can go sillyfast in it. But ok, opening the window and hearing that V10 scream at 8.300 rpm and the sound bouncing back from the buildings is special. But is it worth 150.000 Euro? Fredrik:wacko:
Very cool! I was in Germany last week and was surprised at how may R8's I saw on the road! Especially in commuter traffic in Munich. Crazy.
lmao... Oh I so forgot about the turd kids in the STI... haha Good times. I think the R8 is worth every bit of that 150K price tag.
