Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg

Discussion in 'Track Guides (Under Construction)' started by Olaf Hülse, Jul 21, 2019.

  1. Olaf Hülse

    Olaf Hülse Well-Known Member Beta tester

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2019
    Ratings:
    +505 / 0 / -0
    In anticipation of the 2019 GermanGP, here is my Track Guide for Hockenheim!
    Note: This is a beginners track guide. Dear Simracing Pros, please do not expect to learn something that will boost your laptimes by three seconds ;).
    Turn 1 (Nordkurve): Our lap begins at the start finish straight. Hold left and use a bit of curb if you like, because the track turns a bit to the left as well. Braking depends on your aerodynamics, so pick a braking point between 100 and 25 metres. Go down to gear 3 or 4. Turn in sharp and hit the apex and the curb (but not the orange sausage curb!). Go on the throttle as early as you can get and fly over to the outside. Here is the biggest curb you'll ever see in your entire life-So use it! Do not cross the second white line, and pay attention to not loose speed over the bumpy curbs (I'm not a setup Pro, but a softer suspension can help here). Stay on the outside.
    Turn 2+3 (Bernie-Ecclestone-Kurve/ Ameisenkurve (Ant-Curve)/Einfahrt Parabolica): This one is one of the most important turn combinations on the whole track, as there is the end of S1 and the longest straight approaching. Brake at around 100 metres (or where the escape route starts to your left). Change to 2nd gear and stay more on the inside of the corner. Do not use too much of that inside curb, as it usually offsets your vehicle. Go on the power early and turn for T3. This one should be flat out. Hit the inside curb a bit and go as much to the outside as you like.
    T4 (Parabolica): Do not brake. Do not get off the throttle. Do not use the curbs. That's all.;)
    T5 (Spitzkehre(Haarnadel)): Brake between 150 and 100 metres. Stay on the outside and choose 1st gear. Kiss the curb on the inside a bit and carry as much speed on to the next straight. Be careful not to run wide on entry or exit and do not spin your rear tyres.
    T6 (Mercedes 1): This one is flat-out in almost any car. Use a bit of curb on the entry on your left and then turn in so you get the inside curb, but not to much. Keep it tight and move to your right on exit as the next corner goes to the left.
    T7 (Mercedes 2): It's a hairpin. As you just did turning for T6, you might end up by missing your braking point and screwing up T7, T8 and the straight afterwards. Don't do that! Get your wheel straight as quick as possible after T6 and still be on the right of the track. Don't use too much outside curb and brake around the shortcut on to the Parabolica (Usable in the National-Layout). Switch down to 2nd gear. You can kill the inside sausage curb a bit, as this is a fairly flat one. Don't run too wide at the exit and keep it tight!
    T8 (Mercedes 3): The exit out of the Mercedes Arena is important, as you approach a short straight. It is a corner that is taken in 2nd or 3rd gear. Be on the left of the track and turn in early to hug the curb on the inside. Try to go on to the gas as early as possible, because there is some runoff at the exit for you to use. Here, you have to experiment a bit, you drive this corner different in each R3E car. Stay to the outside on the exit.
    T9 (Mobil 1 Kehre): Be careful on entry, as the walls move closer to the track and the apex is only half visible. The track narrows on exit, so keep that in mind when turning in and going on to the throttle. After some practice laps, you can get close to the entry walls to your left hand side and spot the optimal braking point. Like T1, this one depends a lot on your car aerodynamics. Use 3rd or 4th gear and don't use too much curb on the inside or outside, as there is a gravel pit nearby. But be sure to get on throttle early enough, as the fans in the Motodrom want to see some speed ;)
    T10 (Sachs Kurve): This turn is named after the sponsor and motorcycle brand with the same name. It is right in the middle of the Motodrom and the place where Sebastian Vettel went into the gravel and lost his home win. Don't crack under pressure as he did, and follow these tips:cool:: Your braking point for this one is, in most cars, a change of the concrete barriers to your right, as they move away from the track. Go down to second gear. This curve is banked, so you can carry a bit more speed through it than normal-but not too much. DTM and F1 cars use the 'high-line' through this one, but everything below that should move to the inside once they reach the apex, but not run onto the inside curb. After that, accelerate and move to the outside curb, but don't run too wide!
    T11-T12 (Schikane, Ende Sachs- Anfang Südkurve): This is a up- and downhill chicane that can screw up your last few corners of the lap, especially in light, low aerodynamic cars. No Downshift is required, maybe a small breaking or a lift-off.Use the first inside curb more than the other one, and keep it straight. If you manage to do so, you're perfectly lined up for the last curve.
    T13-T14 (Südkurve): The final part of the lap, and it's a curve with two apexes or two curves-who knows? Brake and don't run too wide. Choose 2nd or 3rd gear. Drive like it's a smooth, 180 degree turn and use the two apexes marked by the curbs. You may use the outside curb in the middle of the two turns, but this may carry you onto the dragstrip-in the wrong direction:eek:. Get on the throttle as early as you can (maybe even before T14), as the Start-Finish Straight approaches and there is enough curb on the outside. This curb can be used, but it's a bit short in length, so move quickly back on the tarmac again. Cross the Line to bring home another fantastic lap around the Hockenheimring!

    Quick facts:
    14 Turns (9 right, 5 left)
    4,574km long
    Pitlane Speed: 80km/h
    1:13:780 (K. Räikkonen, 2004)/ 1:11:212 (S.Vettel, 2018 Qualifying)
    I hope you enjoyed this guide. If you have more informations or tricks, please feel free to share them with the community! See you at the Ring!
    Greetings
     
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  2. Olaf Hülse

    Olaf Hülse Well-Known Member Beta tester

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2019
    Ratings:
    +505 / 0 / -0
    Back from the 'Ring' with some small additions:
    T1: F1 is also hitting the entry curb, a Porsche Supercup Car (in reality as in R3E) should tackle the sausage curb a bit (when R3E Track limit allows it ;))
    T6 (Mercedes 1): The lines seem to differ much in this corner, keep it straight without ABS support to get Mercedes 2, with ABS you can definitely make the whole section a lot more 'round'
    T8 (Mercedes 3): Flat out in an 2019 F1 car. With a good setup and the right tyres (and a good line out of T7) you should try it in R3E and see if it's faster for you :)
    T10 (Sachs): Do not hit the inside curb, as it is not banked-your car will unsettle a lot here
    T13-T14 (Südkurve): As seen in one of the best GP's of the century (imo), Braking for this needs to be practised. Better to be a bit early on brakes than ruining your run on to the Start Finish Line (Or end up in the barriers). If R3E adds rain and changing climate conditions, make shure you know the limits BEFORE the Race starts. The exit curb of the corner can be taken until the green stuff, but don't make a Gasly (FP2) and know the grip limits on glaced concrete:)

    For the Number of Corners: F1 thinks that After T2, there would be one more corner on the Parabolica. But as the Parabolica is named after a geometric figure that is ONE corner, I think it's fine to keep it like this. For Mercedes Tribüne, F1 wants to have two additional corners, but as we only drive three of these by turning the wheel (The other ones are flowing with the corner before), let's keep it simple.
    Keep up your training!
    Greetings