Nurburgring April 2007

So I started on Thursday with a serious bout of hayfever, eyes blood red and sneezing constantly. 2-3 hours sleep tops for the last 3-4 nights due to the sodding thing.

I jumped into the car and did the 400 odd miles to the ring. Arrived at the best hotel I've seen yet out there, 54 Euros and its the cleanest nicest place I've yet been to in Germany. The food was superb and the staff super friendly - keeping that one a secret! Had dinner with the lads who were all great company and excellent to boot. A few too many beers were consumed and a distant stiff neck I'd been nursing all day started to hurt more and more until I was in total agony. I could hardly sleep at all, despite the lager I'd consumed, with 90 minutes sleep, tops. Anyway had to be at the driver's briefing ring-side for 07.30 and I still had to sign up. The alarm woke me at 06.15, and I was down for breakfast about 30 minutes later (29 minutes of which standing in shower trying to ease the soreness in my neck!) Managed to get out on track soley due to the kind lady in the hotel providing me with two of the best pain killer's I've ever had!!

First 2 laps reminded me just how little I remembered but some parts and some of the lines were starting to come back to me, but probably only 10-15%. Came in after two full laps and realised I was drenched in sweat, its seriously hard work and I was obviously very nervous and stressed. Anyway couple of glugs of water, a little walk round the car park and admiring some of the stunning motors in attendance.

About half an hour later I went out for 2 more laps, getting faster, and remembering some more - probably about 30% now - but again forgetting in which order stuff came, which was kind of important. I ended up missing a left and going straight on through the gravel, coming out backwards but able to spin it round and keep going. Sounds elegant and controlled but believe me it wasn't. No barriers/other cars collected and only my pride damaged. Gingerly finished that lap and came in. Felt totally dispirited and as though all my progress had been flushed.

1 hour later a good friend of the Top Run guys turned up and took me out for some instruction. Great advice and very simple instructions, he was very complimentary and the adjustments he was making were very small, brake a little sooner, a tad less throttle, a tad more etc etc, so was very encouraging. By the end of the 2nd lap with him I felt much happier, starting to link some of the sections together.

Started to feel shattered at this point, the lack of sleep for the past 5 days really catching up on me, and the pain killers I took near breakfast time were wearing off. So I called it a day at about 11.30am and came home. Still in one piece and feeling, well a little mixed if I'm honest.