Nürburgring Nordschleife

Nürburgring Nordschleife
Country	Germany
Circuit Length	20.831 kilometres (12.944 mi)
Turns (Left/Right)	154
Track Type	Real World Circuit
Road Type	Tarmac / Concrete
Appears in	Gran Turismo 4 Tourist Trophy Gran Turismo PSP Gran Turismo 5 Gran Turismo 6 Gran Turismo Sport
Fastest Lap (real)	Porsche 919 Evo (5:19.546)

The Nürburgring Nordschleife is a racing track featured in Gran Turismo 4, Gran Turismo PSP, Gran Turismo 5, Gran Turismo 6 and Gran Turismo Sport. The track is simply the Nürburgring track in its "Nordschleife" (Northern Loop) configuration. The track is among the longest in the series, with a length of almost 21 kilometres, and having been surpassed by Special Stage Route 7, Special Stage Route X, Circuito de la Sierra and the new longer variants of the Nürburgring. It has over 150 corners and is considered one of the hardest, most dangerous, and most grueling, if not longest, courses in the world. A full lap time trial forms the graduation test for Super License in Gran Turismo 4.

Nürburgring Nordschleife (in red) superimposed onto the full circuit.

Appearances

In Gran Turismo 4

License Center

• A-7: Complex corners: Intermediate 2
  • Gold: 0:17.200
  • Silver: 0:17.400
  • Bronze: 0:18.600
• A-14: Tackling Blind Corners: 2
  • Gold: 0:32.350
  • Silver: 0:33.000
  • Bronze: 0:36.490
• A-16: Graduation Test
  • Gold: 0:54.150
  • Silver: 0:56.000
  • Bronze: 1:02.700
• iB-2: Braking During Turns: 2
  • Gold: 0:25.200
  • Silver: 0:26.000
  • Bronze: 0:27.300
• iA-13: Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 5
  • Gold: 0:25.580
  • Silver: 0:27.030
  • Bronze: 0:28.500
• iA-15: 1 Lap Guide Run (Nürburgring Nordschleife)
  • Gold: 9:02.600
  • Silver: 9:23.000
  • Bronze: 10:00.000
• S-16: 1 Lap Time Trial (Nürburgring Nordschleife)
  • Gold: 7:07.700
  • Silver: 7:30.000
  • Bronze: 7:58.300

Professional Events

• World Classic Car Series; Race 3 - 1 lap

Extreme Events

• Gran Turismo All-Stars; Race 10 - 2 laps
• Polyphony Digital Cup; Race 10 - 2 laps
• Formula GT World Championship; Race 12 - 15 laps
• Real Circuit Tour; Race 8 - 2 laps

Endurance Events

• Nürburgring 24h Endurance - 24 hours
• Nürburgring 4h Endurance - 4 hours

European Events

• Pan Euro Championship; Race 5 - 2 laps
• Deutsche Touring Car Meisterschaft; Race 4 - 1 lap
• European Classic Car League; Race 1 - 1 lap
• 1000 Miles!; Race 1 - 25 laps
• Schwarzwald Liga B; Race 1 - 1 lap

Manufacturer Events

• Club "M"; Race 5 - 1 lap
• Legends of the Silver Arrow; Race 2 - 1 lap
• Lupo Cup; Race 2 - 1 lap

Driving Missions

• Mission 34 - 1 Lap Magic: A showdown between Mercedes Benz's old and new!

Gran Turismo PSP

• Single Player
• Ad Hoc Mode
• Driving Challenge N-6, P-1, P-2, P-3, P-4, P-5, P-6, Q-1, Q-2, Q-3, Q-4, Q-5 and Q-6

Gran Turismo 5

The Nürburgring Circuit appears in the following events in Gran Turismo 5:

License Tests

• iB-8: The Carousel at the Nürburgring
  • Gold: 0:17.200
  • Silver: 0:17.600
  • Bronze: 0:19.000

Special Events

• AMG Driving Academy:
  • Beginner (four sectors plus the full Nordschleife layout)
  • Intermediate (four sectors plus the full Nordschleife layout)
  • Advanced (four sectors plus the full Nordschleife layout)
  • Expert (four sectors plus the full Nordschleife layout)

Professional Series

• Lupo Cup - 1 Lap (A-Spec); 2 Laps (B-Spec)
• Gran Turismo World Championship - 1 Lap (A-Spec); 2 Laps (B-Spec)

Expert Series

• Gran Turismo All Stars- 1 Lap (A-Spec); 2 Laps (B-Spec)

Extreme Series

• Schwarzwald League B; 1 Lap (A-Spec); 2 Laps (B-Spec)

Gran Turismo 6

National A Class

• Schwarzwald League; Race 3 - 1 lap

International A Class

• 15-Minute Races; Race 3 - 15 minutes

Gran Turismo Sport

Driving School

• Lesson 27: Raising your corner speed: 1
  • Gold: 0:16.280
  • Silver: 0:16.750
  • Bronze: 0:17.400
• Lesson 31: Learn cornering with a focus on acceleration: 2
  • Gold: 0:18.000
  • Silver: 0:18.550
  • Bronze: 0:19.250
• Lesson 36: Mastering downhill surfaces
  • Gold: 0:23.700
  • Silver: 0:24.400
  • Bronze: 0:25.300
• Lesson 37: Mastering uphill surfaces
  • Gold: 0:14.800
  • Silver: 0:15.300
  • Bronze: 0:15.800

GT League

• Clubman Cup; Race 7 - 1 lap
• Tourist Trophy; Race 3 - 1 lap
• Group 3 Cup; Race 3 - 2 laps
• World Hatchback Championship; Race 5 - 1 lap
• Lamborghini Cup; Race 9 - 1 lap
• Gr.3 Endurance Series; Race 7 - 60 minutes

Mission Challenge

• 2-6: The forest or Nordschleife
  • Sector King; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991) '16
    • Attempt an overtake at a mid-high speed corner ahead of the Ex-Mühle! Ride out the narrow road and bumpy surface.
      • Gold: 1st
      • Silver: 2nd
      • Bronze: 3rd
• 3-5: Aim for a top speed of 300km/h!
  • Speed Challenge; Nissan GT-R Premium Edition '17
    • Drive the high powered GT-R to top speed! Be wary of rivals coming up from behind!
      • Gold: 300km/h
      • Silver: 290km/h
      • Bronze: 270km/h

Layout and Sectors

Sector 1

Nordkehre

The first corner of the Nürburgring Nordschleife is Nordkehre, a downward descent that requires proper deceleration. Use the control line as your guide top start braking in a straight line. Turn tight around the corner, setting your apex on the far side of the turn to raise your exit speed. At the exit, be mindful of the kerbstones as driving over them will disrupt your car's balance.

Hatzenbach

Once past the first corner, a series of mid to high speed corners follow. It is important to maintain a high speed through this section. For the first high speed right hand corner, go around in a large arc. Be wary of the tall kerbstones on the inside, as driving over them can disrupt the car's balance. Hatzenbach is an S-bend that turns right-left-right. Set your apex far into the turn to get ready for the next corner, and connect your driving line smoothly. Utilize the wide kerbstones here to pass through the corner at the shortest possible distance.

Quiddelbacher-Hohe

Hocheichen will affect your top speed on the flat out section leading up to Flugplatz through Quiddelbacher-Hohe, so you need to raise your top speed on the flat out section as much as you can. Reduce your speed properly for the first right and make a tight turn around it, then go around the following left corner in a loose arc and accelerate out.

Sector 2

Flugplatz

Going from a jumping spot to the high speed right hand corner of Flugplatz, you want to let of the throttle slightly using the side road on the outer side as you cue. While cornering, steer carefully in order to avoid exceeding the gripping capacity of the front tyres. Set your line to connect the two kerbstones on the inside in an arc.

Schwedenkreuz

Schwedenkreuz is a high speed left at the end of the straight. It contains a bump in its turn that can cause understeer and force you off the track, so keep to the inside of the corner. Aremberg is a right hand corner which has a large escape zone on the outer side. Using the end of the outer kerbstones as your marker, brake in a straight line. Because this is on a downward incline, be wary of overspeeding. Use the bank on the inside of the corner, and accelerate out of the corner smoothly.

Sector 3

Fuchsröhre

Fuchsröhre is a section with long consecutive corners on a steep descent. Connect the apexes of each corner as you drive through. Passing through Langestrecke at the bottom of the descent flat out, the course now becomes uphill. The left turn at the top of the hill has kerbstones that can make your car jump if you drive over them too harshly. Make sure to only go over the kerbstones at a shallow angle.

Adenauer Forst

Adenauer Forst is a section with a series of low speed corners. On the first right hand corner, keep to the inside without driving over the kerbstone. For the left corner where the latter half becomes tighter, turn in using the crosswalk painted on the road surfaces as your cue. Clip the apex at the far end of the corner. Watch out for the tall kerbstones at the right hand corner. These kerbstones are tall on both sides, and can make the car unstable if you drive over them.

Sector 4

Once past the Adenauer Forst, the course now enters a descent. At the high speed Metzgesfeld corner, brake lightly just before the inside kerbstones to quickly change the direction of the car. Start braking as you are exiting out of the corner, and enter the sharp left which follows. Clip the apex at the far end of the corner, and exit in a straight line out of the following right hand corner.

Kallenhard is a right hand hairpin on a descent. Brake using the sign on the left as your cue, and set your apex far into the corner. Brake using the sign on the left as your cue, and again set your apex far into the corner. For the left-right S, make full use of the banks to pass through at full throttle. For the long right hand corner that follows, decelerate in the straight area, then keep to the inside when you go through.

Wehrseifen

Wehrseifen is one of the lowest speed corners on the Nordschleife. Stay on the inside at the first right hand corners, and brake in a straight line while keeping to the inside. At the next left hand corner, change your car's direction using the brakes. Go through the center of the track and once you see the apex, gradually increase the throttle. Try to accelerate out of the next right hand corner as straight as possible.

Sector 5

Start braking at the apex of the first right hand corner, and enter the left corner surrounded by the tall wall. Be careful here, as this is on a downward descent and it will be more difficult to shed your speed. Overspeeding will push you outward and into the wall. Exmühle is a corner on a steep slop with large undulations of the surface. This also makes it a corner that sees accidents more often. Use the bank on the inner side, and go through with a low steering angle.

After the short straight, the blind left Lauda awaits - named after famous F1 driver Niki Lauda who crashed here. Use the full width of the track in an out-in-out line, then move your line to the left in preparation for the next corner.

Bergwerk is a difficult corner that turns to the right on a climb, and becomes tighter further into the corner. Start braking before the sign on the left, keeping a middle line in the first half of the corner, and setting the apex where you see red graffiti on the ground, make your exit.

Sector 6

The track now enters a long flat out section, beginning with the high speed Kesselchen. Take an out-in-out line at full throttle, ensuring you don't drop any speed. Continue on at full throttle until you approach the entry into the high speed left turn Klostertal. Use the kerbstones on the right side as a guide to apply brakes lightly, to change the car's direction. Avoid the kerbstones on the left as they are tall and will disrupt your car if you hit them.

For the blind right hand corner, use the full width of the track. At Steilstrecke, the braking from high speed means that even a small deviation in timing can push you off the track. Your best cue is just before the kerbstone apex on the left side of the track. Once you have finished braking, turn along the inside kerbstones. Then set your sights on the kerbstones on the left, and carefully start your acceleration out of the corner.

Sector 7

The famous Caracciola-Karussell of the Nordschleife is a left hand hairpin which has a bowl shaped concrete bank on the inside of the turn. At the entry of this corner, brake using the kerbstones and the large tree on the left as your timing cue. Enter the bank from the 2nd or 3rd block of concrete that is in different colors. If you have failed to reduce your speed adequately by this point, you will be thrown to the outside, incurring a large loss of time. Maintain your speed constant with partial throttle, and drive the bank until the end of the corner.

... exiting Caracciola-Karussell.

Entering Caracciola-Karussell...

... within Caracciola-Karussell...

Hohe Acht is the highest point on the Nordschleife. For the first loose right, position yourself on the inside of the turn to clear. For the following left hand corner use the bank on the inside, and pick up speed on the exit. For the ascending S-bend, turn tight around the first left. In the following right hand corner, set your sight at the far end of the corner, and go through with as little steering angle as possible.

Sector 8

Wippermann

Brake and enter the right hand corner on the descent. Keep to the inside slightly longer than usual as you clear the corner. The consecutive corners connecting short sections of acceleration is a famous part of the track. On the right/left, keep to the inside with partial throttle. On the final right at Wippermann, short cut over the kerbstone to drive a straight line. At the blind right hand corner, start decelerating when the track changes from downhill to uphill. The bank is shallow and the course begins to descend again in the latter half of the corner, so you will be prone to understeer if not careful. Keep to the center of the track as you exit.

Brünnchen

For Eschbach, pass through the first left corner at partial throttle. Keep to the inside as you turn, and follow along the next left side kerbstones to clear the corner. Brünnchen is a famous section where there is a large camping site on the side of the track. Because of the first corner descent, you are prone to understeer here. Use the wide flat outer kerbstones to raise your turning speed. The second right hand corner is uphill. Brake using the sign on the left as your cue and turn in. Clip the apex at the far end of the corner, and use the full width of the track to exit the corner.

Sector 9

Pflantzgarten

From here the track enters a high speed section with surface variations. For the uphill left hand corner, set your apex far into the corner. Use the full width of the track to come out in a straight line. Pflantzgarten is an area where the rise and fall of the surface can disrupt the orientation of your car. Take a gradual out-in-out line as you pass through. Reduce your speed adequately before the jumping spot, and keep to the inside on the right hand corner after you land.

Clear the ascending left corner by driving along the inside kerbstones. At the next left corner which descends greatly, also follow along the inside kerbstones as you descend. At the S-bend which follows, be careful not to disrupt your car by driving over the kerbstones, and go through at full throttle. At the high speed right hand corner continuing from the S-bend, start decelerating using the grey kerbstones on the left as your cue. Exit the corner at the center of the track, and continue your approach into the left hand Schwalbenschwanz.

Sector 10

At the Mini-Karussell, which has a similar shape to the Caracciola-Karussell, start your braking just before the inside kerbstones start. Drive between the kerbstones and bank at partial throttle, and once you are out, give it full throttle. At Galgenkopf, which connects to the Döttinger Höhe straight, the exit speed here will greatly affect your lap time. Use the long white graffiti on the ground as a marker to brake momentarily. Drive the center of the track so that your car didn't bounce off of the bump on the inside of the track. Then gradually move your line towards the outside. When you see the marshal's post on the left, get on the inside, and use the bank of the corner to exit at high speed.

Sectors 11 & 12

Döttinger Höhe

Antoniusbuche

Döttinger Höhe is a long 2km straight that will test the top speed performance of your car. Once you see the bridge, get on the right side, and pass through the left hand Antoniusbuche at full throttle. At the Tiergarten corner, where the track descends and then climbs, you will start braking+ towards the final combined corner Hohenrain. This will be an approach made from the maximum speed of the car, sop make sure to maintain control so that your driving line is not disturbed. Go into the first left hand corner of Hohenrain at full throttle, and clear the following right and left turns while braking.

The following right hand corner is turned using the kerbstones. When you pass through the left hand corner keeping to the inside, apply brakes, then clear the right hand corner and you will reach the finish line.

Tourist Layout

The Tourist Layout is exactly the same as the standard Nordschleife. However, the starting point has been moved back to the end of the Döttinger Höhe straight. Also, before the control line, the player must be prepared to brake and slow down, so as to drive through an entry booth on the side of the track. Upon returning to the circuit, the player is asked to stay within the cones that have been set up, before being allowed to let loose.

This layout can only be raced in the time trial mode of Gran Turismo Sport.

Current Fastest Lap Times

These are the current (March 2021) fastest lap times for each drivetrain configuration for road-legal production cars:

• AWD - Lamborghini Aventador LP770-4 SVJ (6:44.97)
• RWD - Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series (6:43.61)
• FWD - Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R (7:40.10)

Trivia

• In Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, if the player goes into the Special Settings menu and set Course Limit to Off (On by default), then an incomplete version of this course will appear at the Track Select screen for both Arcade and 2-Player modes. The course is most likely present in the game data due to the ongoing development of Gran Turismo 5 at the time. Attempting to enter this course in any game mode will result in the game attempting to load the track, however it will hang (or soft-lock) at the loading screen, requiring a system reset.
  • A "Nurburgring Special Edition" of the game, which included this track in playable form, was on display at the 2008 24 Hours of Nürburgring. However, this track never featured in the retail version of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.

Replay Demos

Nürburgring Nordschleife 1 Lap Attack

Nürburgring Nordschleife Tourist Layout 1 Lap Attack

Gallery

Nürburgring Nordschleife