BeamNG.Drive is becoming the cornerstone of realism and has been widely accepted as one of the best sim racers out there. While the famous AAA-rated sim racers such as Gran Turismo, Assetto Corsa, iRacing, and Forza are extremely beautiful and focus on handling above all else, BeamNG focuses on soft physics to offer never-before-experienced realism for car damage and handling.
Combine this realism with the notorious Nürburgring Nordschleife, and you have yourself a fearsome recipe that is sure to test your focus and limits. The circuit is known for its difficulty, and although it is available in a number of racing sims out there, the realism that BeamNG brings with its engine is setting a new cornerstone for sim racing on the circuit.
Yes, it lacks in graphics at the time of writing, but there are a number of upgrades in the works that are expected to turn it into one of the best racing sims out there. If you can’t wait for these upgrades, there are already several realistic graphical mods that you can use to make the racing beautiful.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the amalgamation of Nürburgring Nordschleife and BeamNG.Drive to help you understand what the new circuit really has to offer.
Racing on The Nürburgring Nordschleife – How Fast Can You Lap It?
The BeamNG and Nordschleife combination has been a very popular request. Instead of paying €21 for each lap, you can beat the fearsome circuit from the comfort of your racing rig. And if you think that it won’t amount to anything, you are absolutely wrong.
Recently, a sim racer beat the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in VR in only 4 minutes. The racer, Jimmy Broadbent, beat the lap record of six minutes and forty-three seconds (6:43.300s) – and got quite a lot of recognition for it.
Sim racing with the right rig can be just as exhilarating as driving the circuit in real life – especially as the danger, difficulty, endurance, and unpredictability of the weather system of Nürburgring Nordschleife combine with the realism of BeamNG.
Here is an informational overview of the BeamNG.Drive platform to understand why it has become a leading choice for sim racers across the globe to race with.
An Informational Overview of BeamNG.Drive
BeamNG.Drive, known in the online community just as BeamNG, is a racing sim to PC only that focuses on realism more than anything else. This realism extends to physics mostly, i.e., vehicle damage and car handling. This means that the sim isn’t a looker (yet) but is truly capable of doing just about anything (as its steam caption suggests).
The Game
The normal selling price of the game on Steam and the website is $20, but you can get it for as low as $8.99 as well when on sale. Buying from the website gives you more freedom for offline play, but since the publisher rolls out updates regularly, buying the racing sim on Steam is much more convenient. It also makes connecting to the multiplayer servers much easier.
BeamNG is an open-world racing game that gives you a sand-box-ish environment to create any scenario you’d like. From being able to jump off a cliff into a ravine to cause massive accidents, chase cars in hot pursuit, tackle obstacles just for the fun of it, or go pro and experience what sim racing really is on the world’s most famous tracks; you can do it all.
The Physics
It uses soft-body physics to generate the realism cornerstone it is known for. The engine constantly calculates the exact position and its relative impact on the car – directly and indirectly – to simulate the impact of even the smallest pebbles on the ground. Go fast enough on a pebble, and you actually risk bursting a tire!
The same is true for taking turns too harshly or pushing your vehicle to the limit. In endurance races, for example, there are small tire particles and pebbles on the exterior of circuits. The engine simulates these conditions just like real life, introducing an unprecedented level of realism into the mix.
The Responsiveness
While there is a very realistic damage system in place, there is no traditional damage model for the racing sim to follow. This means that every bit of the car is separate and is simulated to get damaged with respect to stimuli. It can bend and crack based on informational mechanics, i.e., the angle and momentum of the impact. Just like your real vehicle, every component in BeamNG cars responds individually to impacts.
The hoot, engine, doors, glass, and even the tires represent an extremely realistic and detailed design. You can expect the car’s performance to vary based on the car’s damage, tire tread patterns, and even the softness and tire pressure within.
BeamNG also allows you to test out unique tunings, as the difference in handling and performance is much more responsive here compared to many other racing sims.
The Goal
BeamNG doesn’t really have a goal – it is a sandbox racing sim that lets you do anything. Its realism is something that we can most definitely use to our advantage as it keeps on giving you new things to try out. The game has missions where you can get more informational feedback from different cars, tracks, and road types. However, the primary objective of these missions is to help you get used to the cornerstone of the sim.
With the Nürburgring Nordschleife Racing Track mod, BeamNG allows you to test your sim racing skills by giving you an experience as close to the real thing as possible. The track has been imported from Assetto Corsa, which means that there is no doubt about its details.
From the elevations to blind spots, sharp turns, and the unpredictable weather systems, everything combines to give you a thrilling experience that rivals what you can expect from the real Nürburgring.
Comparing BeamNG To Other Racing Sims
BeamNG is a racing sim, but it is more of an experiment by the developers. The idea was to test a soft-physics system that would calculate the direct and indirect forces on every part of a vehicle after an impact – just like real life.
“Impact” doesn’t only reflect collisions, though. It also means the forces that will act upon the car during normal operation, which ultimately impact the car’s handling. Tire pressure, torque adjustments, aerodynamics, and even the wind conditions reflect how your vehicle will behave. Because of this, there is no other racing sim that can compare to BeamNG when it comes to physics.
The focus on physics means that there are countless calculations your PC will have to make during gameplay. To make it compatible with low-end rigs as well, the game isn’t as graphically intensive. As mentioned above, you can enhance the graphics with mods and future updates, but it will only lead to lag upon impact or during turns if your PC isn’t high-end.
Other simulators focus on handling and graphics, while BeamNG focuses on everything. Except for the graphics, of course. The game allows you to do potentially everything by giving you access to:
- Everyday hatchbacks
- Sedans and SUVs
- Exotic cars
- Luxury cars
- Monster Trucks
- Hot Wheels cars
- Drifting Hooligans
- And even airplanes!
As far as the environment is concerned, you get access to a range of different road types, barriers, mud, elevation options, platforms to create loops, and more.
So Is It The Perfect Racing Sim?
BeamNG is very realistic – so much so that without a racing rig and enough experience behind the wheel, you will most likely get frustrated. Quickly. Understeer and oversteer are a definite possibility, the car may feel uncontrollable, and the game may feel like a waste of money. A racing rig is essential to make the most out of this game.
The game is constantly upgraded to introduce new maps, scenarios, and campaigns, but there is still a lack of developer-created content that may make the sim feel ‘empty.’ The game has been designed with the modding community in mind, so consider that before making your purchase. You may have to spend some time perfecting each ring before a new map comes along if you aren’t one to use mods.
As simulations become the cornerstones for helping people get the real experience without endangering themselves, there is no denying that BeamNG is on the right track with its uniqueness and focus on reality.
Nürburgring Sim Racing In BeamNG
After much anticipation, the Nürburgring racetrack has been added to the BeamNG roster. It has been a welcome addition to the game, turning many sim racers towards BeamNG. Since its release, there have been numerous tournaments hosted on the circuit.
An Overview
Nürburgring has always been famous for attracting the hottest cars on the market, but at the same time notorious for its complexity and danger. Crashes are very common here. The Nordschleife, which means the North Loop in English, is a 20.8km long track that can be combined with the Grand Prix track to create a 25km-long course. This is also home to the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
The ring is also known as the “Green Hell” because the ring often experiences different weather systems in different sections, as noted by Jackie Stewart and Nikki Lauda. This feature has been imported onto the BeamNG platform impeccably, further adding to the track’s realism in the sim. Nürburgring has managed to secure the mantle for being a one-lap test of man and machine.
You can download the Nürburgring Nordschleife mod for BeamNG here.
Location
Nürburgring Nordschleife ring is located in the Eifel mountains (Western Germany). It is known as one of the most difficult and dangerous tracks in the world because of its position in the mountain. It has several sharp twists and turns (some being combined with immediate elevation change), double-lane roads with no safety run-offs, or much room to overtake.
Nordschleife is known especially for highlighting these dangers. The track features:
- Dangerous curves
- Elevation shifts
- Rapidly changing weather
- Different weather systems in different sections
- Climbs and drops that may result in lost traction
- A mile-long straightway for terminal speeds
- Blind spots, especially after a straightaway.
The Nordschleife mode captures the Nürburgring in its true essence, including the pit stops, graffiti on the roads, and the potential loss of traction and stability due to the track’s geographical location. In the mod, you’ll most likely find Assetto Corsa and Kunos flags, billboards, and more.
Racing The Nürburgring Nordschleife
The 20.83 km long race is fast and allows for great flow – only to be interrupted by a sharp elevation change or turn, or both of them together! Experiencing Nürburgring Nordschleife is a privilege – even on racing sims. Racing on it virtually in a tournament presents a unique thrill as racers need to be aware of their surroundings, keep a sharp eye on the front, and focus on what’s behind them at the same time.
All it takes for racers to run out or crash is a momentary lapse of focus. The blind crests can creep up fairly easily onto drivers, no matter how experienced they are. And in an informative and cornerstone racing sim like BeamNG, the realism means drivers have to exercise caution at all times.
The Nordschleife is open to the public for racing, but the 20.8km track requires peak efficiency and focus on completing. There is also an annual 24-hour endurance GT (grand tourer) event that features 220 cars and some of the best drivers out there.
The History of Nürburgring Nordschleife
The Nürburgring is full of history. After all, you don’t become the most dangerous F1 circuit without good cause. The track is a dangerous place – especially if it is raining. The 170-corner ring experiences 3-12 deaths every year, and since it was established in 1927, it has seen over 200 deaths and thousands of injuries.
There have been several high-profile cases where the Nürburgring was considered too long and too dangerous to race. Nikki Lauda is a prime example of a racer who got severely burned on track. John Taylor, Peter Collins, and the German native Gerhard Mitter are prime examples of people who died at the ring.
Let’s take a closer look at the history of Nürburgring to understand its allure and why its release on BeamNG is such a big deal.
1927-1940
The ring was opened in the spring of 1927. Before Nürburgring, public roads were closed down around Eifel Mountains for the race. This practice was very dangerous as the racers weren’t usually as familiar with the track conditions and turns. The authorities soon realized this and started working on the Nürburgring.
Initially, the ring was opened solely to motorcycles. The idea was to check if the road could handle high speeds. A day later, cars started racing on the track. It became a premium racetrack that offered a unique challenge to racers with 127 turns on turns on the Gesamtstrecke course. The road was 26-30-feet wide.
There was also a shorter loop known as the Sudschleife. This loop was 7.7km long and was considered to be the safer option. It had just 27 turns and was a house for several minor and motorcycle races. It was in 1929 that the full Nürburgring was used for the last time in a major racing event. Future Grands Prix was to be hosted on the Nordschleife.
The year 1929 hosted the last races before the World Wars.
1941-1970
Racing resumed after World War II in 1947. The Nordschleife became the preferred ring for the German Formula One Grand Prix Championship. This is when some of the biggest names in the formula one racing world came to. Legendary racers found their way onto the circuit. 1953 saw the track become home to the 1,000km endurance race, which would later become the 24 hours of Nürburgring,
In 1961, Phil Hill (US) set the world record for Nürburgring, finishing the lap in 8 minutes and 55.200 seconds (8:55.200s). Even today, many find it difficult to beat this record even with faster cars. Of course, now the world record is almost half of this time.
The 1968 German Grand Prix saw thick fog and a rainstorm on the North Loop. This was when the course was nicknamed by Jackie Stewart the “The Green Hell.” After this nickname spread, people across the globe were intrigued to try the track out. This attracted a lot of attention, and the number of public accidents also increased.
In 1970, Piers Courage saw a fatal crash at Zandvoort (Netherlands), and the F1 drivers at French Grand Prix boycotted the Nürburgring unless the track was made safer.
1971-1980
The boycott saw the German Grand Prix shift to Hockenheimring while the Nordschleife was being reconstructed. During construction, Nürburgring saw massive overhauls, such as removing bumps, installing safety barriers, straightening the track a bit to make it safer, and reducing the massive shift in elevations to reduce jumps.
In 1973, further improvements were made to increase the space and slow down entrances into dangerous curves. 1974 saw Niki Lauda become the only driver to complete the entire Nordschleife (22.84km) in six minutes and fifty-eight seconds (6:58.600s). Despite holding the record, he decided to boycott the circuit in 1976. He was concerned about the safety measures in place, the lack of marshals around the circuit, and the rainstorm (during which some parts of the track were wet while others were dry).
Despite his concerns, the race went ahead. In lap 2, he crashed and was severely burned. The crash showed that despite marshals having a Porsche 911 rescue car, it took them too long to respond. As a result, the Nürburgring was closed down again for major overhauls to the entire ring in 1981. The German motorcycle GP was the last one to be held on the track in 1980.
1984: The New Nürburgring
The new Nürburgring with the necessary safety features was opened in 1984. Though much safer, many suggested that it is just a mere shadow of its former self and that it did not deserve to be called the Nürburgring. It wasn’t until the GP shifted back to the Nürburgring based on informative judgments did racers start accepting the track. It still offered a unique sense of challenge.
The 2013 German GP was hosted at Nürburgring but was alternated with the Hockenheim again until July 2020. From then on, the track has been an official F1 Grand Prix destination.
Course Difficulty
There have been only a few deaths during sanctioned races on the Nürburgring, but there have been several accidents. A majority of fatalities and accidents, however, can be attributed to public sessions. You must have tried Nürburgring at one point or another during your sim racing ventures. Without proper practice, you are sure to crash into the more unpredictable corners or jumps throughout Nordschleife.
Bergwerk
The course is notoriously difficult – in real life, sims, and even in racing games – due to the varying surfaces it hosts. It is a complete package because of the jumps, steeps, climbs, sharp turns, shallow turns, and straights it hosts. Its most difficult corner is the Bergwerk, a near-90-degree right turn that comes right after a fast straight. This turn used to come right after a small jump, making stopping almost impossible for the turn. Over the years, it has been a major source of fatal or otherwise serious accidents.
Pflanzgarten
Another very difficult aspect of the Nürburgring is the quick, winding downhill stretch dubbed Pflanzgarten. The drop includes sharp and steep drops, making finding the reference point rather difficult. It gives races the illusion of a great opportunity to overtake as speeding is very easy here, but so is slipping. BeamNG has managed to replicate this threat rather gracefully as the gravitational force that acts on the vehicle is much more life-like here than on other sims.
Schwalbenschwanz
The final segment offers yet another illusion as the quick, sweeping bends going uphill create a lot of blind spots for those in front and those behind. Go too fast, and you’ll land right on top of the driver climbing the bend, putting you both out of action. Go too slow, and the person behind you is likely to come crashing into you – not to mention how you end up losing valuable seconds.
Others
Throughout the track, there are several other risks as well. BeamNG has become the cornerstone of training new racers to understand the true nature of Nürburgring. The three most prominent risks include:
- Elevation shifts, such as the air time and g-force you have to experience during the Fox Hole.
- Blind corners, such as the Kallenhard. It has a very late apex, i.e., where unfamiliar drivers may think that the turn is over.
- Lack of safety run-offs. There is no way to safely get off the race track or maintain enough distance between the guard rail and the track.
Driving With BeamNG on Nürburgring
BeamNG gives you a good idea of the actual g-forces, steering issues, speed and momentum, and more that you will feel on the ring. With the right racing rig, BeamNG can be a very informational racing sim, helping you train better for a real run – or substitute it.
Even with BeamNG experience, though, it is best that you take your first run on Nürburgring slow. Take in as much of the experience as possible during the drive. Don’t try to impress anyone here – there is 93 years’ worth of history backing it up.
The Nordschleife is divided into seven different sections:
- Section 1
- Connection South Sweep –
- Bränkekopf
- Section 2
- Aschenschlag
- Seifgen
- Section 3
- Bocksberg
- Section 4
- Mullenbach
- Rassrück
- Section 5
- Scharfer Kopf
- Section 6
- Gegengerade
- Section 7
- Nordkehre
- Start and finish
The long straight at the end is where you get to see the Nürburg castle. This part can be relatively frightening in the beginning, as well. This is because of the decreasing-speed corners present. Your car’s braking capacity and whether or not you are using ABS will determine how successful you are here.
Compared to other racing sims out there, BeamNG is primed to rock the market with its informative car insights and the cornerstone physics engine. With the help of a motion simulator kit, you can further enhance your sim racing experience. It not only gives you a unique perspective on the turns, hills, and the car’s flow, but you also get a better idea about the potential g-force you can expect throughout the track.
Wrapping Up
BeamNG has full support for the motion kit, but you may need to tweak it a bit to your liking when setting the rig up. We found that the sensitivity can initially be slightly higher for feedback, leading to very strong vibrations when there is debris underneath the tires. During tournaments and challenges, you should consider completely blocking the entire road debris feedback on Nürburgring.
Why?
Because you are most likely going to run one, two, or four laps at most, except in endurance races, you may not have to feel the road or worry about your tires as much on the Nordschleife as on Daytona, Le Mans, or similar tracks.
BeamNG.Drive is expected to usher in a new era of physics-based sims. The soft physics isn’t just going to provide utility to car racing but to motorcycle racing sims, flight sims, horror games, RPGs, hack-and-slash, and so much more! The possibilities here are endless.
