I would use manual mode next time. You can hold lower gears that way and avoid the "kick down" that you are talking about. These boxes are notoriously weak, and with the distance and speeds on the 'Ring... I would think about babying the transmission as much as you can.

Driving a new track is always challenging. Keep working on your lines, and try to stay on the throttle through the corners rather than letting off completely. Throttle modulation will help keep the big truck stable.

Either way, you're driving on the Ring so you don't need a lesson from any internet racers (me).

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2002 X5 4.6is - Titanium Silver / Black Alcantara - Dinan Stage 2 - Bilstein/Eibach - Brembo BBK ----SOLD---
1993 318i - Brilliantrot / Tan - bone stock daily driver