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For car enthusiasts, conquering the Nürburgring's Nordschleife circuit is a monumental achievement.
How's it done? Well, typically, a driver can pay the toll (21 Euros per lap, less when multiple laps are purchased) on public days and lap as long as the wallet allows. You might also sign up to take a driving school to learn the proper racing lines around this harrowing course. Most experts say that it's not until after 100 laps or so that you are familiar enough with the course to even consider racing here.
All that's reasonable. But with me, ignorance is bliss. My first experience at the Ring was at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (November 2006) as a member of the factory Maserati team. With zero laps of experience prior to the race, I barely survived the 35 laps I managed in the top-caliber event, which made me more determined than ever to come back at some point and master this hallowed road course. So when an opportunity recently came up to spend some time at the Ring with the Mercedes-Benz AMG Driving Academy Pro Training Program, I jumped at the chance.
The AMG Driving Academy consists of several programs that allow customers to hone their driving skills while also highlighting the impressive high-performance nature of AMG cars. The Nordschleife Pro Training program is one such example, a 2 1/2-day program that allows the customers to bring their own cars or rent one from Mercedes. At my disposal: a very capable 518-bhp SL63 AMG equipped with the responsive 7-speed automatic transmission.
The first day begins in the afternoon at the nearby driving safety center. This is where your vehicle control skills are tested and refreshed. ABS braking, sliding the car on a wet skidpad and being smooth and precise through a tight autocross course all reinforce driving fundamentals.
Full Article: Road and Track - AMG Driving Academy
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