OVERDRIVE
To the Nürburgring 24 in a Hyundai that was developed there; Trident Clipper tried out
LE MANS IS the usual excuse to get out of the country for a bit of a boys’ weekend – see Mark Dixon’s report in Octane Cars – but for many there is a slightly less obvious pilgrimage. The Nürburgring 24 has been growing in popularity for years, and it’s a race I’ve long had on my automotive bucket list.
Having heard colleagues’ tales of campsites that ‘make Le Mans seem like a garden party’, an invitation from Hyundai to stay in an out-of-the-way corner of Camping Am Nürburgring sounded ideal, especially as Hyundai was fielding three factory cars in the race. It takes its motorsport-led ‘N’ brand very seriously – indeed, the i30 N that I would be driving to get there was developed partly at the ’Ring.
Regular readers may remember that I’d tested the i30 Fastback N in Gran Canaria a few months ago
(Octane 189), and I enjoyed its pace and handling vary much. Now I’d have 480 miles or so in which to exploit its 271bhp and 155mph/6.1sec 0-60mph potential on varied European roads. I headed down to Dover and disembarked from the P&O ferry onto the deserted French autoroute at 9.30pm, Thursday.
Although a slightly more scenic route would usually be my preferred choice, the plan was to rendezvous with the rest of the Hyundai party at the Château du Faucon that evening, and then have a more interesting drive to the ’Ring the following morning: a very civilised way to start the weekend. So motorways it was.
Friday, and having been instructed not to arrive at the campsite before 2pm, and with 140 miles left to cover, a late breakfast and a stroll around the pretty château gardens preceded a morning of meandering through some of the picturesque towns of Belgium and Luxembourg, staying away from motorways wherever possible, naturally. It’s been a few years since I last visited the Nürburgring, but the Eifel roads on the approach were just as enjoyable as I remembered. And with a chassis developed not only on the ’Ring itself but on the local roads too, the i30 N proved right at home in this terrain.
The fun was over all too quickly as we hit traffic heading towards the circuit, but it didn’t take long to get into the campsite and, after a short rest and some refreshments, we headed out on foot for a look around the paddock: the first of many walks. We only just caught the end of qualifying, but it was an excellent opportunity to get into the paddock and the pitlane, which is open to all. It’s fantastic to see the fans being able to get so close to the cars, and the atmosphere is extremely relaxed.
Indulging in some currywurst and frites helped to get us into the mood and, as evening fell, we headed back through the campsites. By 10pm it was starting
to get a little lively, with the occasional firework accompanying karaoke renditions of Europe’s The Final Countdown.
Thankfully, our little corner of the campsite was quiet enough for a decent night’s sleep ahead of a long day on Saturday – and plenty more walking. With more than 160 cars on the grid, it was a hike just to get from the front-running GT3s at the bottom of the first corner to the slightly random selection of lower classes at the end of the start-finish straight. The mix of cars is brilliant: where else would you find a Mk3 Golf and an Opel Calibra sharing a track with an Audi R8 and Porsche 911 GT3?
After watching the start of the race, it was time for some more walking, with the eventual aim of arriving at the Karussell at night. I certainly hadn’t appreciated the severity of the Nordschleife’s gradients until I walked from the bottom of Brunchen.
Any doubts that the campsites here might not live up to their reputation were quickly blown away by the sound of live rock music and the sight of some of the most decadently decorated scaffold viewing platforms I’ve ever seen. It felt like the Wild West. Apparently fans turn up about a week ahead of the race to get the best spots along the track. A well-worn, rocky, tree-lined path follows the edge of the circuit, and you can get seriously close to the action. The sights, sounds and smells are as intense as anything you’re likely to find at a racetrack. I could happily have stayed out all night, but my sensible colleague from Evo wanted to return to the campsite. Probably for the best.
Next morning, refreshed after another surprisingly good night’s sleep and with a few hours of the race remaining, we had some time to talk with Albert Biermann, the ex-BMW Motorsport boss who is now leading R&D at Hyundai. He’s very proud that there’s an ‘authentic’ link between track and road, much having been learned at the Nürburgring and during the racing programme that has influenced the road cars.
Hyundai’s ‘N’ originally stood for Namyang, home to its huge R&D centre, but it now also embraces the Nürburgring, the spiritual home of the performance department, which has a dedicated development facility here.
The ’Ring’s a special place, no question, and the N24 lives up to its billing. The beauty of a 24-hour race is that there is plenty of time to explore, and, with 26km of circuit, you need it. According to my phone’s on-board health app, I walked 47km over three days. Stout shoes are certainly to be recommended. As for the i30 N, I can recommend that for the rest of the trip, too.