So if they're taking the BF1 (or would that be a BF2 now?) around the ring, then why can't we?

Before you all sigh, it was a rhetorical question. I'm not going to be the one to start up that old topic.

I´ll be there

Yep, I'll be there, too
My first time at the ring.

Do some of the more experienced Nordschleife-visitors have any advices?

For example where is the best place to watch?

greetz Topkeiler

There are many "best places" to watch.
If you want some Highspeed passing just before Schwedenkreuz would be good. It you want some slower Speed Bruennchen is nice and easy to access. For some awesome high Speed (depends from where they start) the Doettinger Hoehe is good (you can park at the Restaurant Green Hell).
If you want some slow speed and sick accelleration Adenauer Forst could be your place. But it´s a long walk up that steep hill from the parking log :-)

or wehrseifen and breidscheid
nice downhill section, easy parking 1-2 mins from racetrack

hop the fence at the carrosel and watch it from the inside

Breidscheid/ Ex-Mühle is 50km/u (or was it 60km/u ?) So that's a no-go area..

On the various forums the most people agree that he'll do his lap most probably between 10:00 and 12:00 (between VLN practice and race start)

Not my own pics but so far I've found these :

http://i165.photobucket.com/al ... /muskuri/NickHeifeld3.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/al ... /muskuri/NickHeidfeld.jpg

and..

http://www.nordschleifenbilder.de/go/thumbnails.php?album=39

and a small movie..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww1FHmSx8qw

What sort of time did he get?

Not sure yet..I don't even know if he/they were aiming for a new record.
But I'm sure he was faster then this one :
http://www.ringknipser.com/temp/schall.jpg
(VLN Championship race was held there too today..)

http://www.adrivo.com/nickheid ... icle/article.php?ID=43049

With a time of 8:34 it's clearly a disappointing publicity stunt rather than a proper run, but that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

8:34! lol

Some publicity stunt. That's as fast as a BMW M3 roadcar.

Weren't they doing faster times in F1 on that track about 40 years ago

Unless Nick really knew the track very very well.. but even then, attacking in a car that he has never driven there before would've been a bit mad..

You'd have to be as devoted and mad as the Group C guys where in 1983 (?) to set a really fast time.

I kinda like Nick, he's down to earth and quick. I was glad to read he loved every second of it!

He probably would go balls out if he didn't have an F1 season to deal with (For fear of an accident). Afterall, F1 contracts really are a "You're my dog, do as I say" deal. And he is doing quite well so far in F1, so I'd feel the same way about driving a car that doesn't seem well suited to the 'Ring

Quote from J.B. :

8:34! lol

Some publicity stunt. That's as fast as a BMW M3 roadcar.

Yes...and...? If the car were to do a proper balls-out lap it would probably be sub 6 minutes (outright lap record at the moment is a 6:11 set by Stefan Bellof in a 962 Porsche). For comparison, F1 cars and Group C sports prototypes both ran at the Donington circuit in the UK and before the 1993 European GP the outright lap record was held by Mauro Baldi in a Group C car (similar to the 962 that holds the lap record at the Nordschleife). The pole position for the F1 race was some 9 seconds (yes, seconds) under the outright lap record, held by Baldi. The F1 race was wet (a memorable race because of this) but even then the lap record was taken by the F1 car. Now, if a 1993 F1 car is 9 seconds quicker than the Group C lap record in a ~1:10 laptime, how much quicker should the F1 car be over a ~6 minute lap? Of course, F1 cars aren't designed to be run on a track as bumpy and inconsistent as the Nordschleife (hence the ride height being raised to the maximum for this publicity stunt), but even with crazy ride height I'm certain Heidfeld could have taken the lap record IF he'd wanted to...that is that the performance potential of the F1 car is by far and away enough to lap minutes below an 8:34.

Quote from Nick Heidfeld :

[...]It was a very special moment when I left the grand prix circuit in the direction of the Nordschleife.[...]

Erm, that looks like he drove at least part of the GP track (I presume the VLN version, since there was a VLN race as somone pointed out)... That means you cannot compare it to the other times driven on the ordinary tourist version... And with only one inspection lap and four laps in total (bearing in mind he apparently was slowing down for cameras and was implored to being careful), I'd say it's a pretty good time nonetheless and hats off for having the balls to actually driving it...

That's correct, he drove the GP track + NS, because of the VLN race held today.

Quote from Michel 4AGE :

That's correct, he drove the GP track + NS, because of the VLN race held today.

Did you go see it Michel?

No..I cracked a brake disc yesterday . Maybe next time

Ah, so is the 8:34 including the F1 track then (also, did they do the full F1 track, down to the Dunlop hairpin, or did they cut out the Ford and Dunlop corners by taking the access road?)?

They take the very first service road as a short cut. (first one before Ford-kurve)
http://www.nuerburgring.de/typo3temp/pics/120504b93e.jpg

Which means his time on the normal tourist configuration would be about 7:30 to just under 8 minutes... M3 roadcar territory? I don't think so...

Found this interesting article about what was off limits and such --- http://formula-1.updatesport.c ... d-for-Ring-demo/view.html

Heli cam movie etc. :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek1JUfd3R8w