ACC Track Guide: Nürburgring

The Nürburgring is a complex circuit located in Nürburg, Germany. It consists of two parts: the Grand Prix Circuit (GP Circuit) and the infamous Nordschleife (North Loop). In ACC, we'll be focusing on the GP Circuit, a 5.148 km long track with 15 turns, including some high-speed sections and challenging corners.

Turn 1 (Yokohama-S) is one of the most famous corners of the track. It's a tight, downhill right-hand hairpin that is prone to chaos and bodywork damage. This is the kind of corner that can define your entire race at the start. Get it right and you'll be able to gain position and line up perfectly for turn two. Get it wrong, and you will find yourself at the back of the pack. Given the difficult nature of the Nürburgring, overtaking is particularly challenging.
On average, you should be able to brake at (or just behind) the 100m board. Stay left as far as possible and clip the inside curb to help steer the rear of the car. This should line you up nicely for turn two. Trailbraking is essential as a lock-up will send you wide, costing you valuable time and momentum.

Turn 2 is arguably the most difficult one. An off-camber, mostly blind left-hand turn that offers little grip. Just like turn 1, this is, however, a very important turn to get right. It's (almost incredibly) easy to lose time spinning your wheels or running wide. It's the kind of corner that also falls right in between gear ratios, so you'll find yourself experimenting with 1st or 2nd gear. Either way, on the exit of turn 1, use the track and run nice and smooth towards the left side of the track. Cut back across to the right and look for the end of the left-hand curb and/or bald patch in the grass on your right. Try to stay about a car's width away from the right white line and progressively trail brake towards the curb on the inside. Be patient on the throttle on your way out.

Turn 3 of the Mercedes-Arena is a short one. Make sure to use the outside curb on the exit of turn two and straighten the car as best as you can. Trailbrake towards turn 3 and cut the curb. Make sure you exit as far right as possible to line up better for turn 4.

Once you're out of the Mercedes-Arena, all you need to do next is club the inside curb on turn 4 and accelerate hard and wide onto the small straight that follows. It's important to have a wide exit on turn 3 so you can get the car straight. The corner is narrow, so it's easy to overshoot the exit and run off-track, which will invalidate your lap time. Traction is decent here, so you can send it full throttle on the exit.

Turn 5 is a smooth left-hander. Before the turn, there's a small inroad that is closed off with cones. Look for the very edge of that inroad and brake smoothly into turn 5. Make sure to put your outside wheels on that little inroad as it will help you attack the apex better. Trailbraking will help you pull the car to the apex. Allow the car to settle and find its balance before progressively accelerating out of the turn. Running wide on the exit is counter-productive as it will mess up your line for turn 6. Stay in the middle of the track where the racing line is. It transfers almost directly into turn 6. I usually coast until I hit the brakes for turn 6.

Turn 6 follows directly on the exit of turn 5. The apex is directly in the middle of the corner and relatively late. Staying out late will help you get the best drive to the apex. Stay away from the inside curb. If you're on it, you didn't steer in late enough. The exit of turn 6 is wide and open, and you can use plenty of curb on your way out. Maximize your drive by using the green on the left-hand side of the curb. Traction is fine here, so don't go easy on the throttle.

Turn 7 is preceded by a small straight where you can catch your breath for a second before diving hard on the brakes. It's a very technical, late apex right-hander. On entry, you can keep the car wide and on the outside stone curb. Don't overdo it, though. Stay out late, trailbrake towards the apex, and use the car's steering ability to pull you through. Depending on the car, you can really accelerate hard to get the necessary small amount of oversteer. For example, the Porsche and Ferrari will manage to get that. Up the hill, you'll run into turn 8 and 9, the Michael-Schumacher-S, one of the fastest chicanes on the track. Car setup plays a huge role in this section, but a general rule of thumb is to stay out late and gently touch the outside curb on your right. You can cut both inside curbs of turn 8 and 9 for the best run up the hill. Play around with your gearing for maximized rev range on corner exit. On turn 9, feel free to use plenty of the green on the inside but avoid touching the gravel. Use all the track available on the exit and run the car wide and open.

Turn 10 is one of my favorite corners. It's a short, quick 90-degree left-hander that's tight and technical. Brake at the 100m mark and shift down to 2nd gear. Use the inside curb excessively while trailbraking. Allow the car to run wide on the exit. Once you see the green on the exit, accelerate hard and allow the car to turn. Short shift up to third gear and slide into turn 11.

Turn 11, The Warsteiner-Kurve, is an easy, right-hand bend with yet another late apex. It's the perfect corner to line up an overtake into turn 13. Getting a good drive on the straight will help you gain some time. Staying in the middle of the track on entry is the best line, since the corner is off-camber. It's easy to run wide on the exit, so be patient with the throttle until you can spot the apex.

Turn 12, ADVAN-Boge, is a fast, gentle right-hand bend. You can take it full throttle and avoid the curb.

Turn 13 and 14, the NGK-schikane, always put your heart in your throat. Turn 13, the first of a very fast and short chicane is uphill and mostly blind until you're already in the braking zone. Brake at the 100m board (or later if you dare) and shift back down to 2nd. Before the car settles, balance it out with the throttle, cut both curbs aggressively, but watch out for the larger sausage curb. Hitting this can completely unbalance the car and send you off in a high-speed spin.

On the exit of turn 14, use all the track available and run well over the outside stone curb.

Trailbrake progressively into turn 15, a long, blind right-hander. The barrier strongly obscures your view. Patience is vital to maximize drive onto the main straight. Depending on the car you're driving, you can either use 1st or second gear. Once you can visibly see the exit, accelerate hard and use the outside curb to carry your momentum. And finish!

Highlights 

1. Approach with patience: The Nürburgring requires patience and a strategic approach. Familiarize yourself with the track layout and take your time to learn each corner. Avoid pushing to the limit immediately, as this track demands precision and concentration.
2. Braking points: Understanding the correct braking points and racing lines is crucial to a fast lap. Smooth and late braking is essential to maintain stability during corner entry. Study the ideal racing lines, which often hug the inside of corners to set up for the best exit.
3. Corners to Watch:
   1. Turn 1 (Yokohama-S): A tight, uphill corner where you need to brake early and carry enough speed through the corner to set up for Turn 2. Corner exit is slippery and you'll want to feather the throttle in order to optimise traction.
   2. Turn 6: A challenging hairpin, focus on maintaining a good exit speed onto the long straight that follows. Use all the track available!
   3. Turn 8 and 9: A fast left-right chicane that requires precise steering inputs and smooth throttle control to avoid oversteer. Depending on the car, you can should try enter as wide as possible. Touch the outside curb before steering in early to cut the inside curb of the first left hander. You can run nice and wide on the exit of the second part of chicane.
   4. Turn 12 (NGK Chicane): Another chicane, brake hard for the first part, carry good speed through the second part, and maximize your exit speed. Cut the inside curb of the right-hander and place both outside wheels over the curb on the exit. Make sure not to stay onto the curbs too long when you line up for the final corner.
4. Managing Tire Wear: The Nürburgring GP Circuit is not particularly abrasive, but tire wear can still be a factor during longer races. Pay attention to tire temperatures and try to maintain a smooth driving style to preserve the tires
5. Overtaking Opportunities:
   1. Turn 1: A good overtaking spot due to the heavy braking zone at the end of the main straight. Carefull on the race starts as this is the perfect place for a pile-up.
   2. Turn 5: The hairpin can provide an opportunity for overtaking, especially if the driver in front struggles with the exit.
   3. Turn 11 (Advantec Kurve): A medium-speed corner where you can capitalize on any mistakes from the car ahead.
6. Pit Strategy: Consider your pit strategy carefully. Tire degradation is not extreme, so you might opt for a longer stint on fresh rubber. However, be prepared for the traffic that might slow you down during the latter stages of your stint. It's not an easy track to navigate through traffic and you might lose a significant amount of time behind slower cars.
7. Consistency is Key: Focus on consistency rather than chasing outright pace. The Nürburgring rewards drivers who can maintain smooth and precise lines throughout the lap.
8. Practice and Patience: Finally, remember that mastering the Nürburgring GP Circuit takes time and practice. Don't get discouraged by mistakes, as each lap will provide valuable insights into the track's challenges.

Conclusion

The Nürburgring is one of the most fun tracks on ACC. It's challenging, tricky, technical and fast. Not only is it good fun, you usually get into some really exciting racing. There are cars, such as the Porsche 992 GT3 that work particularly well here. Cars like the BMW and Ferrari seem to struggle a little bit, but given the right setups, you'll be able to make them work.