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[Apr 1, 2020] Spa Francorchamps - £319.00 (Belgium)

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Are you interested in a FD:OC European summer road trip in 2020?

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cib24

cib24

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Hello all,

A few of us have been discussing a FDOC Euro road trip and visit to either the infamous Spa Francorchamps or the Nurburgring next summer. We envisage a 4 day trip (two work days plus a weekend). The idea is to convoy into Europe, rent a house or stay at a hotel, do a track day, enjoy some food and drinks, drive some amazing roads on the continent and eventually head back to the UK.

We already have about 6 people interested and I know the event is a ways off, but I'd like to start gathering some interest and using this thread to discuss the time of year to do this, itinerary and other things that we need to consider to make this a success.

Roy


 
I'd be pretty keen, Would have to be after may though. And may or may not be the FD

Who else is interested?
 
I'll keep an eye on this and see what direction it takes. I've already been to the Ring, but Spa is still on my bucket list. As long as you don't mind an RX-8 tagging along.
 
JoeLanger said:
I'd be pretty keen, Would have to be after may though. And may or may not be the FD

Who else is interested?
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Yes, I was thinking that this trip should be at some point between July and the end of September or at the latest the first week of October.
 
I was just talking with my lady yesterday about doing a road trip to Nürburgring in the FD next summer, I’m in!
 
Such a good track Spa. Was there yesterday with Opentrack. Mostly dry day and only 100 cars booked on! Did Bilster Berg for the first time on Saturday. That should be on everyone's list. Bit further to travel, but a stonking set of bends on a landscape that makes the 'ring seem flat. Probably the most intense track I've been on. The only issue with Summer trackdays during the peak of Summer is the price. Generally north of £500 at the above venues.
 
Great idea Roy. Something ive always wanted to do. I'd be interested in going, depending when it was taking place and funds permitting.
 
4packet said:
Such a good track Spa. Was there yesterday with Opentrack. Mostly dry day and only 100 cars booked on! Did Bilster Berg for the first time on Saturday. That should be on everyone's list. Bit further to travel, but a stonking set of bends on a landscape that makes the 'ring seem flat. Probably the most intense track I've been on. The only issue with Summer trackdays during the peak of Summer is the price. Generally north of £500 at the above venues.
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Yes, I'm aware of the cost of Spa in peak season so we may need to consider alternatives depending on the week we decide to do this. However, we can always alter the itinerary.

Belgian, French and German tracks have not released their 2020 calendars yet when I looked around yesterday but I will keep an eye out and start to build a schedule around it.

While we wait for those dates it would be good to discuss budgets for those interested, accommodation and food standards/expectations, etc.

It would be helpful if @MightyCondor could provide some input on costs based on his 2 or 3 trips he has done around Europe in his FD and other cars. Fuel costs to expect, ferry charges, accommodation, and ultimately cost per day range, so that we can start to get an idea of the type of budget we should aim for that is inclusive enough for everyone.
 
cib24 said:
It would be helpful if @MightyCondor could provide some input on costs based on his 2 or 3 trips he has done around Europe in his FD and other cars. Fuel costs to expect, ferry charges, accommodation, and ultimately cost per day range, so that we can start to get an idea of the type of budget we should aim for that is inclusive enough for everyone.
Click to expand...

I’ve done 4 European Road Trips Now:

2013: August Bank Holiday weekend Thurs-Tuesday. Eurotunnel, Nurburgring (flying visit, lunch and watching a VLN session), Black Forest, Stelvio (in the snow), Various passes around Switzerland, Italy and France and then home

2014: Ferry down to Santander, Across Pyrenees, round Southern France to Nice, Up Route Napoleon before cutting across into Switzerland and doing Furka, Grimsel , Nufenen, Susten and San Gottardo passes. Then Autobahn via a night in Strasbourg up to NurbugRing doing Ring Taxi and renting Swifts for a public session. 9 days in total.

Full writeup:
Video series (first ever attempt at editing)

2016: Tunnel and trip across France and into Switzerland. Redo the passes listed in 2014 then over Stelvio and into Italy. Visited the Dolomites before heading over into Austria and doing the GrossGlocker National Park (which is stunning). Then heading back via the Black Forest. 10 Days in total.

See my project thread for the write up
Video series (see the progress in my editing skills)

2018: Booked a chalet apartment in Cortina D’Ampezzo in the Dolomites for 5 nights. Stayed at The Nurburgring (no activities) and GrossGlocker on the way down. Only one stop on the way back. Much Autobahn on the holiday.

See my project thread for the write up
Videos

Mileage on all of the above trips was ~2K-2.5K, which worked out being about £600-700 on fuel in a Rotary. Accommodation is the other main cost. With a few exceptions, we didn’t stay in high end accommodation, so mostly from 30-80 Euros a night. Other main costs are food and toll charges (French Motorways system is nearly £100 if going down to Switzerland, Switzerland and Austria you need to buy Vignettes to drive on their motorways, and some national parks are toll roads).

The 2018 trip was maybe £1,300 all in.

It will depend what you want the focus of this trip to be and how many locations you want to visit.

Any track day will obviously be a big expense. Getting a shared house in one location for a number of nights will likely work out cheaper than bouncing between numerous hotels. And fuel cost obviously depends on destinations. If it’s only a Spa or Ring trip then it wouldn’t be that bad compared to my previous Alpine adventures.
 
Better get @Stu Rotortorque along. No way a convoy full of rotary cars is going to complete a trip like this without some issues along the way :ROFLMAO:

See my 2018 videos, for my issues last time out....
 
MightyCondor said:
Better get @Stu Rotortorque along. No way a convoy full of rotary cars is going to complete a trip like this without some issues along the way :ROFLMAO:

See my 2018 videos, for my issues last time out....
Click to expand...

I should reiterate to EVERYONE that you are free to come on this trip in another car. You only need to be a member of the FD:OC. The last thing we want is for someone to bring a half baked car on the trip that holds up the agenda..
 
jdmr_neil said:
I'll be interested in this also 👍
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Well, you better PM me your schedule next summer when you know it! I'll do my best to make sure we aren't scheduling a trip when you are off playing around in the middle of the ocean.
 
I’ve found this site to be the most inclusive list of trackdays available, but none of them cover all the TDO’s. If you are chasing a particular track then you can look at the track’s calendar and see who has booked on what day and look them up. There was a Dutch company running at Spa on Sunday. I’ve never booked with a foreign company (not been any cheaper), but assume they would make allowances in the briefing for you.

http://www.on-track.co.uk/

Circuit Days have normally got their ‘ring and Spa dates publicised by December, but generally only offer May/October dates as they are pitched at the affordable end. Destination Nurburgring (same company), will normally offer slightly better months for the ‘ring at about £100-£200 more.

Dave at Opentrack said he will be going back to Bilster Berg and Spa in 2020 (suspect off peak).

Also consider Zandvoort. Really good medium sized track. We were supposed to be there instead of Spa, but they have commenced work to put it back on the F1 calendar. It’s well placed for the overnight ferry, but is quite expensive.

The costs for these trips are reasonably obvious, the trackday is the expensive bit.
Eurotunnel - £140ish
Fuel prices – motorway/circuit E1.7/litre, generally E1.4/Litre
There are no tolls if heading towards Germany through Belgium, only if you head south through France
I did a 3k mile, 10 day trip around the Alpine passes with my GF in 2017. Tank of fuel every day and I think it cost about £3K in total. Amazing driving and scenery.

I would only risk doing a full trackday abroad if the car had been thoroughly tested on a UK track first and the group was proficient and willing to take a lot of spares/tools etc. Not one of our European track trips has gone smoothly. This weekend one car blew it’s engine (locked the rear wheels and put him into the gravel trap), his brother’s car lost the hydraulics on his clutch (+ he remodelled the front end with a barrier), another snapped his exhaust and his clutch went on the last session at Spa. My front wheel bearing only just made it home (I’ve already replaced them, but the heat has probably cooked the grease). Mine is the only RX7, the rest were M3’s. If nothing else, make sure you have breakdown or a means of getting the car repatriated. A lot of people trailer their cars to these trackdays and it’s easy to see why 😉
 
Roy, I'm 100% keen on this, will prob bring the Jag even if the FD is sorted by then for reliability reasons, much nicer tourer
 
JoeLanger said:
Roy, I'm 100% keen on this, will prob bring the Jag even if the FD is sorted by then for reliability reasons, much nicer tourer
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Totally get what you mean. I'm tempted to bring the other car as well but will rough it out in the FD as a matter of principle. ;-P
 

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