RMS Trip to the Ring 2015

[mcmurray]

Public day, or one of the organised private days?

Was at Spa a few years ago with Bookatrack, one of the best track weekends ever. Two full days, open pit lane, nice and quiet. Did well over 500 miles on track in those two days. Plus the 2x700+ miles there and back again

Private day with Circuit Days. In the F1 pits.

Just need to get the week off confirmed in work first.

 

[Coog]

2nd half of April I'm in India so not going to make the first session.

Definitely up for October run though. May even have a new car by then!

 

[nigelmcg]

@Coog My plan is to go back in October as well, so hopefully we can tie up then...

 

[Arfur]

@Coog My plan is to go back in October as well, so hopefully we can tie up then...

Hopefully I'll be able to join you too

 

[Vag #1]

Hi fellas not on here much but i've pricing a trip to the ring for september sailing from belfast to liverpool then dover to dunkirk through a service with stenaline 'europe by car via britain' that was costing 140 each way haveany of you heard of this and whats your thoughts heading to nurburg via france seems like it would work out reasonably cheaper?

Just really looking for a few opinions as i know some of you have did the trip before.

 

[Arfur]

Never heard of anyone taking that path so can't comment but the larne-cairnryan hull-Rotterdam route is awesome

 

[Vag #1]

Im sure any route would be awesome on route to the ring lol, i'd priced the hull to rotterdam and it was 128pp each way plus the cost of crossing from larne to cairnryan just seemed to work out a fair bit dearer. Anyway thanks for the input!

 

[Coog]

Hull to Rotterdam is an overnighter, which means you get to hit the ring at lunch time or so instead of either missing that day altogether or paying an extra night accommodation at the ring for an extra couple of hours track time.

Plus its like 3-4 hours from Rotterdam to the circuit.

 

[svensktoppen]

sailing from belfast to liverpool then dover to dunkirk through a service with stenaline 'europe by car via britain' that was costing 140 each way

That is a very good price, the Liverpool route alone can be twice that. Is that including a cabin on the Liverpool route? Channel ferries usually dirt cheap these days. But you have to factor in driving cost (miles) and accommodation, no good to just look at ferry prices. A cheaper ferry with a lot more driving usually works out similar to a more expensive ferry with less driving.

The Liverpool ferry is great, you get a good night's sleep and arrive early in the morning. A tip: get the posh ticket with priority exit, so the car ends up on the lower deck. Otherwise you may end up on the outside deck, with the car covered in salt spray.

Did a similar route once to Spa (which is pretty much next door to the 'Ring). Main problem is, you have to stay over night somewhere, which adds to the cost again. And it is a LOT of driving, both through England and then from France.

As above, a lot of people here use the Hull/Rotterdam route.

Personally I like the Newcastle/Amsterdam route (DFDS). Nice easy drive across from Stranraer, on interesting roads along Hadrian's Wall and the edge of Scotland. Good night's sleep on the ferry. Short drive at the other end. Saves the boring and unpredictable slog through England.

 

[Cooper]

Hi fellas not on here much but i've pricing a trip to the ring for september sailing from belfast to liverpool then dover to dunkirk through a service with stenaline 'europe by car via britain' that was costing 140 each way haveany of you heard of this and whats your thoughts heading to nurburg via france seems like it would work out reasonably cheaper?

Never heard of it, and being sceptical (due to the generally extortionate ferry prices across the Irish sea) I'm not sure that price won't be a lot more. I take it that it was this: http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferries-to-france/europe-by-car

Give them a bell and get a quote

 

[Vag #1]

Yea the last thing I want is salt water up inside the arches! Had never thought of that as ive never brought a car on ferry just assumed all where inside. I'd roughly worked it out and budgeted 60 on fuel for england each way and 80 for the drive from france to nurburg (its only a 1.6 after all lol). I think the bunk is included in all sailings on the l'pool sailing? So im guesing thats with a bed aswell.

Already have cooper for a return journey across just the irish sea i think it was more already! Seems to be a deal they have going and they honoured the online price so I would maybe go that way if i do ahead with it.

 

[svensktoppen]

Yea the last thing I want is salt water up inside the arches! Had never thought of that as ive never brought a car on ferry just assumed all where inside.

On most routes all cars are inside. All North Sea ferries, the high speed HSS ferries to Stranraer, etc.

But on the Liverpool ferry you can end up on the outside deck. Most cars are inside, so you can get lucky, but some end up outside. Not like you will have waves breaking over the car or anything Just it will be covered in salt spray.

It is a handy route though if you get the night crossing. Just book "Premium", with speedy exit. Then you end up on the lower deck, on the inside, guaranteed. And first off the ferry too Costs more though...

 

[Gobsheene]

@browne174 @Fatman @Dominoka @Bab-91 @natogreen16v

Much as I'd love to do this, and weirdly the Wife does too, we're off on another trip this year and will be skint after it!

 

[browne174]

I'd need to start saving about 3 years beforehand to do something like this @Gobsheene lol

 

[Bab-91]

@browne174 @Fatman @Dominoka @Bab-91 @natogreen16v

Much as I'd love to do this, and weirdly the Wife does too, we're off on another trip this year and will be skint after it!

@Fatman is going to two cars shows in Holland this summer and I don't think the 1.4 eco tech Astra would like the ring.

 

[nigelmcg]

I think the bunk is included in all sailings on the l'pool sailing? So im guesing thats with a bed aswell

99% sure it doesn't, used that ferry for work a few times and a bunk/room was always extra...

Quite often when I've been sitting at the bar for a pint you will see people who haven't paid for a cabin trying to get comfortable for the night in the lounge areas...

 

[svensktoppen]

Cabin is extra. And you definitely want one on the overnight Liverpool ferry.

There is a day-time crossing as well. No need for a cabin for that, but it is 8 hours long so definitely Stena Plus lounge at least.

But it is the night ferry you want on the Liverpool crossing. No point taking the day ferry, just adds an extra day and another overnight stay in England.

 

[Cooper]

Here's an interesting article on an avoidable accident. Not sure how easy it would have actually been to avoid, anyway... (FF to 4min40)

Oh yeah, that was painful wasn't it? Of course the first reaction is simple:

"WHAT AN IDIOT IN THAT RENTAL PORSCHE CAYMAN! OMG! HE TOTALLY 100% CAUSED THE CRASH!"

You'd be totally correct if you read the rules of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in touristenfahrt. And no doubt the driver of the Porsche lost his excess completely (Maybe €30k, maybe more! But RSR have now removed all their excess payments from their website, so it could be even worse). But in my eyes, both drivers need to look at themselves in the mirror.

This doesn't have to happen to you!


Here's the warning bells that should have been ringing inside the Audi driver's head before he tried to overtake into the corner:

• The Cayman is a rental. If you're a regular, you learn to recognise the liveries and colours of the rental cars. Call me paranoid, but I always expect the unexpected from a rental car because the driver is just more likely to be on his/her first ever lap.
• The Cayman did not indicate. It's hard to tell from a wide-angle GoPro, but I'm pretty sure there was no indication to the right hand side. It's not 100% required, and not 100% guaranteed to make a safe overtake. But it's another warning that the Audi driver failed to spot.
• This is Bergwerk. All the beginners turn in too early here. The Cayman's line looks awful to all of us armchair internet experts, but my years of driving and instructing here tell me it's very common. People turn in, realise their mistake and run wide exactly where they should actually be turning in from.
• It's not a race. There's NO PRESSURE to overtake everybody instantly. I'm the most hypocritical person to be saying this, but it's true. Do as I say, not as I do.

And what if you're the novice? The slow guy in the rented Porsche?

• Rent a car that's suitable for your skills and experience. If you rent a little Suzuki for your first laps you will feel NO PRESSURE to perform. If you rent a Porsche, you might feel foolish being overtaken by hatchbacks and try harder to go too fast.
• Watch your mirrors.
• If you can't keep checking behind you, if the workload is too high, then MOVE RIGHT.
• Use your indicators.

http://bridgetogantry.com/2/index.p...en-you-understand-he-didn-t-move-over-for-you

 

[Cro]

Audi driver seemed to be as wide as he was willing to go without too much on the grass so probably wasn't avoidable from his point of view anyway

Whats your views on the guy justifying the porsche's line @Cooper ? Seems completely ludicrous to me at that speed anyone would feel the need to go so wide

 

[svensktoppen]

Like any other trackday, you go past when you know the other chap has seen you, not a second before. You never know what they will do until you know they see you.

Personally, I would say 50/50 on that one. Sure, the Porsche should have checked his mirror. But the Audi should also have allowed for the Porsche doing something unexpected. It is up to the overtaking car to make sure it is safe. Could just as well have been the Porsche loosing it, or whatever.

But hey, easy to know all the answers behind the keyboard

That said, that Audi was hardly hanging about, clearly knows their way about

 

[Cooper]

Whats your views on the guy justifying the porsche's line @Cooper ? Seems completely ludicrous to me at that speed anyone would feel the need to go so wide

The Porsche driver shouldn't have been coming out wide at the last moment. However, it's an easy armchair call. The Audi driver could easily interpret his driving up to the corner as pulling to the right to let him past, and thinking he must have forgotten to pop on his indicator.

Regardless it shows that your trip can be spoiled by a simple 'moment' like this.

 

[WSM]

M4 on the ring...........

 

[Cooper]

M4 on the ring...........

M cars at the ring are like corsas here. In fact it's the only place I know where you can turn up in a GT3 and it be just another car in the carpark.

I took my m3 there a few years ago; the only place you can extract everything out of the chassis and see just how capable a car they are. This new F82 platform especially! Get booked!

 

[WSM]

Oh. No... I just meant at me TRYING to drive it round the ring!!

 

[Rob]

Would love to take the Westie, but can see tears at the cost of 2 ferries for Discovery + Trailer