Andy Carlile takes a Yamaha R1 around a wet Nurburgring for a stonking fast lap
If there’s one thing you need to watch today, it’s this Yamaha R1 flying around the Nurburgring in soaking conditions by Andy Carlile & Bridge To Gantry.
Andy Carlile is a legend of the Nurburgring, setting a new lap record of 7 minutes 10 seconds back in 2012, on a road-legal Yamaha R1 that he’d repaired from a previous crash. 9 years later he’s back on ‘R1 number 2’ (with bits on from number one).
After a brief tour of the bike, Andy covers what’s new and what’s what for the video on the Bridge to Gantry (Nurburgring enthusiasts site). It’s a mostly stock R1, with a stock motor with a new crank in, a new race loom and a rare sub-frame.
Other than that, it’s mostly stock - oh, and it’s got proper full wets on. It’s absolutely tipping it down out there - enough to turn even the most hearty of Nordschliefe conquerors away.
Ending the intro to the video, Andy says “if you’re an expert at racing somewhere with 200 metres of run-off, feel free to say ‘you can go harder than that’. Yeah I know, and I have done.” You’re a brave person if you were to even consider saying that to Andy Carlile of all people.
Carlile knows this famous track like the back of his hand. He’s lived and worked at the German racing circuit for years, and has completed thousands of laps in his time - if there’s a man for the task, it’s this guy.
This could be the fastest lap of the Nurburgring you'll ever see in full!
For the most part, the entire circuit is absolutely soaked through, with some sections that appear to be a tad dryer. And for the uninitiated, line choice on a wet lap differs wildly from a dry one, so don’t be surprised if you’re sitting there thinking ‘he’s way off the line there!’
If that was your thought, I’d refer back to his point a couple of paragraphs up.
Enjoy the video, and if you fancy you can have a read of my track day experience at Snetterton with the guys at Yamaha Track Experience.
Source: RideApart
