I remember first few laps experiencing Nordschleife in Gran Prix Legends. Then few years later proper track in Gran Turismo 4 with big endurance races. All the way to the iRacing and Assetto Corsa laser scanned version of the track.

Watched countless of videos and one of them always in my head, Hans Joachim Stuck driving BMW M3 GTR (I recommend googling it), it’s also lap I have done over decade ago on my Youtube channel in rFactor 1.

Long story short, 4 years ago during my streams I said and made a promise that if I ever reach 100.000 subscribers on Youtube I will take my cameras and do a lap around Nordschleife.

I actually have been to Nurburgring around 5-6 times in last 3 years for several competitions. Always saying no to do any passenger laps or laps of my own.

Nordschleife became my idol, mistress if you will, that you can’t touch. 🙂

I took my time. Wanted to make sure I’m ready and also as safe and comfortable as possible. I contacted Misha Charoudin and he kindly offered Apex Nurburg BMW for few laps, and I paid for the rest and extra laps.

At the same time I wanted to actually do it in my own car, first I wanted some crazy car but then I realised how stupid that would be. My car is Hyundai i20n so it’s not the worst car to take on race track. But obviously in my head was “don’t kill tyres or the car”.

I was so excited. Coco already been to Nurburgring several times, so he had friends there and knowledge what to do and where to go. That was massive advantage. Having someone to guide you around (even though Coco time punctuality was not his advantage 😀 ).

We arrived on Wednesday with desire to make it on Nurburgring GP track day, I was actually really happy to test my car on race track to just know it little more before we go on big Nordschleife (it’s dangerous track after all). But weather was against us.

Actually we had very hilarious experience driving not even full lap in most craziest rain thunderstorm end of the world weather I’ve ever seen on race track, but it was so much fun. For sure it made all trip even funnier and we had some nice stories to tell and nice camera views to show to everybody.

Thursday was the main day. This is the day I will lose my Nordschleife “virginity”!

Weather was perfect and the track was opened from 5pm to 7pm. Enough time to do one lap. At least that’s what I said to myself. With my own car only one lap. 😀

We arrived at the parking at Nordschleife entrance around 4pm. Met some people and even amazing fans. I was excited! When track opened we went to the track, me alone in my car following Coco and Greko in red Clio to just show me around and be safe.

I must say my heart beat was probably never that high, but I was not nervous, I felt in the right place, like I was meant to be there.
Already going through the gates and entering track. I was in my head saying “this is it, it’s finally happening dude, you made it”!

In the first corners I already realised how incredible this place is, the history, what kind of legends raced here, died here, won here…

After the initial shock going through the first sector one thing opened my mind (and body). Holy SHIT the elevation changes even in the slow speed are EPIC! Why would you even want to go to rollercoaster when you can do this!

Our first lap was extreme careful and slow, lots of traffic with hotlappers and slower cars and yellow flag. But you could still overheat the tyres (overpressured before I fixed it) and wear the brakes, it’s over 20kms after all.

The happiness in my head was not even possible to put in the words. First time through Adenauer Forst your upper part of body going towards your bottom,… First time through Karussell going “bam bam bam bam”… Incredible.

Lap was so intense, I was telling myself how the hell people race here it’s so bumpy, narrow, fast and walls are half a meter next to your car! While arriving to the “Youtube corner” I was like just don’t bin it on the first lap, I trust my own driving because I’m always starting slower and then finding limit, but you never know what can happen, I watched a lot of videos. Which I think help a lot. Maybe some people crashing early don’t watch enough to pay attention or respect the track.

Obviously hundreds of laps in the simulators helped me. I knew exactly where I’m, where I’m going, what to be careful on, etc. I knew the track I knew exactly everything including the bumps. But the shock of reality was so INTENSE as I never had on any other track before. Because elevations and bumps and G forces even slow speeds are so massive, nothing can prepare you for it. I was in the heaven while driving Green Hell.

It finally hit me…

“I’m on fucking Nordschleife and I just drove a lap here.. I fucking did it dude. Youtube got me here. Simracing got me here!”

One lap was not enough, even in my car. I wanted to do more. In the end on Thursday and Friday I did 6 laps in total (I had to take breaks between driving because road car is just not made for this and has to cool down breaks plus yellow flags,etc.).

Saturday I had 4 laps in Apex Nurburg BMW 230i thanks to Misha. It also was not enough for me.

It was funny to see surprise of woman at desk when I asked if the car is available later during the day, that I want to do more laps. And well I guess I can say new addiction started… Specially in the evening when Misha drove me in his Toyota GR86. I saw the full potential in proper driver and proper car. Using maximum of the track.

And I realised one simple truth. I miss racing. I want to race…

I set myself a little goal, to safe every month a little bit of money and this/next year go as many times possible on Nordschleife. Rent any car possible and get the laps in to me, gain the experience and increase my skill. I want to be good at this track, yes I might never be Estre or Misha, BUT I wanna be good at it. And I will do everything I can in my abilities to make so. Proper motivation isn’t it? 🙂

I still can’t over the fact how incredible the track is. Of course you don’t want to over push the car, destroy it, or even crash. But at the same time this track just gives you such a joy. I don’t know if it’s the length, elevations, or history but you just want to drive good there. I was so surprised seeing the massive car enthusiastic community around Nurburgring. When I arrived I expected few “try hards” in Porsches and BMWs but I never expected 60% of people there with rollcages, semislicks and “going for it”… Fantastic experience.

Here I now sit in my home. Doing what I love – simracing. But off the stream all I think about is how much faster I want to go. What I need to do to go again and what to improve in every aspect.

Easy to say… I got addicted and I LOVE IT.

Thank you guys for watching my streams,… And also videos because I’m kinda starting with them from scratch.