01.07.2024
The second ADAC Racing Weekend of 2024, which was held last weekend on the Nürburgring sprint track, first saw two sunny days and then a partly rainy Sunday. In the GT60 powered by Pirelli, the endurance format of the GTC Race, the duo Marcel Marchewicz / Moritz Wiskirchen (both Mercedes-AMG GT3) came out on top, while the two GT Sprints of the GTC Race went to Jay Mo Härtling (Mercedes-AMG GT3) and Marchewicz. In the Special Touring Car Trophy (STT), nobody was faster than one-two winner Stefan Wieninger (Audi R8), while Mike Müller and Julian Konrad (both VW up! GTI) each took first place once in the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup. In the Porsche Club Historic Challenge (PCHC), Joachim Bölting (Porsche 911 (991) GT3 Cup) and Jürgen Albert (Porsche 911 (991) Coupé) each came out on top once and two different participants also won the ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Cup with Elio Cocciarelli (Ralt RT3/84 Alfa Novamotor) and Davide Leone (Dallara F390 Alfa Novamotor). The picture was different in the two DMV series: Sebastian Vollak (BMW 318ti Cup) triumphed twice in the DMV BMW 318ti Cup, while Ioannis Smyrlis (Porsche 992 GT3 Cup) celebrated two successes in the DMV Super Touring & GT Cup. Finally, Matthieu Nippert (Ralt RT 31), Günther Bechtluft (BMW E30 325i) and Bernd Hüther (Rover Mini) achieved the most consistent lap times in the VFV GLPpro special stages. Schnitzelalm Racing wins three races with Marchewicz, Wiskirchen and HärtlingIn the GT60 powered by Pirelli, Marcel Marchewicz took the lead at the start, extended it further and further and later handed the Mercedes over to Moritz Wiskirchen, who brought victory home safely. The positions behind the winners were more exciting: Luca Arnold (Mercedes-AMG GT3), who had been in second place for a long time, spun and ultimately dropped back to third place behind Roland Arnold / Giacomo Altoe (Ferrari 296 GT3). In the first GT Sprint on wet ground, Luca Arnold initially snatched the lead, but had to let Moritz Wiskirchen pass him shortly afterwards. The latter also made a mistake, which pushed Härtling into the lead. Positions two and three remained for Moritz Wiskirchen and Luca Arnold. Sprint number two saw Marchewicz ahead of Luca Arnold and Ivan Peklin (Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II). In the GT4 classification of the GT60 powered by Pirelli, there were signs of a surprise for long stretches, as Trophy driver Markus Eichele and Philip Wiskirchen had first place in their hands for a long time. It was only when Wiskirchen was handed a five-second penalty for ignoring the track limits that they dropped back to second place. Eichele only returned to motorsport in 2022 after an 18-year break from racing and founded his own team, ME Motorsport, in mid-2023. "When I do something, I do it properly. And with my own team, I have the reins simply in my own hands." In addition to the GTC Race, ME Motorsport now also competes in the ADAC GT4 Germany and the boss himself is behind the wheel in both series. "Both series are important to me. The GTC Race is a great way to introduce young drivers to GT4, as we are doing with Linus Hahne, for example, who has moved up from the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup. And I'm happy that I have a lot of good people in the team who have my back so that I can still race myself," says the 43-year-old, who runs a civil engineering and road construction company full-time. Wieninger has STT field under control, exciting races in the ADAC Touring Car Junior CupStefan Wieninger came to the Nürburgring as the favorite, having won all four of the last STT races he contested in the Eifel. In the first heat, he initially had to let his brand colleague Martin Zander (Audi R8) take the lead, but ensured a change at the front in the first few laps. Once in first place, he continued to build on his advantage and celebrated a clear victory ahead of Jürgen Bender (Chevrolet Corvette) and Josef Klüber (Mercedes-AMG). In the second race, Ioannis Smyrlis (Porsche 992) and Bender were behind the first-placed Wieninger. Mike Müller made the most of his pole position in the first round of the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup, the one-make cup with identical VW up! GTIs, to take the lead straight away. Cedric Fuchs quickly emerged as his closest rival, but he was never able to pose a serious threat to the Swiss driver's second win of the season. Julian Konrad saw the chequered flag in third place. One day later, the trio of Müller, Fuchs and Konrad once again fought a thrilling battle for the front positions until a collision occurred shortly before the finish line. Konrad was ultimately classified first ahead of Fuchs, while Müller was penalized 35 seconds for causing the accident and slipped to ninth place. Historic formula cars and Porsches thrill the fansThe historic formula cars of the ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Cup started their first race on a wet track. Davide Leone, who started from pole position, had to let Elio Cocciarelli pull away on lap one, but on lap two he was able to regain first place and pull further and further away. On lap seven, the now clear leader then spun and retired. Cocciarelli inherited the lead, which he brought safely to the finish ahead of Wolfgang Henseler and Volker Böhm (both Dallara F386 Alfa-Novamotor). In the second heat, which was held on dry asphalt, Leone was able to redeem himself; he crossed the finish line ahead of Ralf Goral and Jochen Thissen (both Opel Lotus MK2). In the first race of the PCHC, Klaus Horn (Porsche 911 (991) GT3 Cup), the season's all-time winner, suffered his first defeat. Joachim Bölting, who had already challenged Horn in the first qualifying session, finished just under six seconds ahead of Horn. Carlos Ruiz (Porsche 911 (991) GT3 Cup) completed the podium. Bölting also took the lead in the second race, but was unable to keep the pressing Jürgen Albert behind him for long. He was ultimately able to withstand the pressure that Ruiz exerted on him at times and was delighted to finish second behind Albert and ahead of Ruiz. Horn missed out on the podium for the first time this PCHC season in fourth place. Sebastian Vollak and Ioannis Smyrlis unbeatable In heat one of the DMV BMW 318ti Cup, in which all starters drive a BMW 318ti Cup, the battle for victory came to a head towards the end of the race. Leon Hofmann was in first place, but Sebastian Vollak overtook him. However, the perennial champion of the BMW one-make cup was unable to shake off his opponent until the finish line; the latter was lurking centimeters away, waiting for the leader to make a mistake. At the start of the last lap, he launched another successful attack, which the experienced Vollak was unable to counter. However, disregarding the track boundaries earned the supposed winner 30 penalty seconds, which put P1 back in Vollak's hands. Tatu Siipola secured third position. The battle for the top positions was similarly exciting in the second race, with Vollak again coming out on top. Siipola and Lennart Wolf accompanied him to the podium ceremony, while the situation in the DMV Super Touring & GT Cup was much clearer. Ioannis Smyrlis won race one ahead of David Barst (Porsche 992 GT3 Cup) and Nils Mierschke (Cupra Leon TCR), in the second race the first pursuers of Smyrlis, who won again, were Moritz Berrenberg (Porsche Cayman GT4) and Mierschke. Colorful mixture of partly rare vehicles in VFV GLPpro testsThe program in the Eifel was rounded off by three regularity tests - two GT and touring car classes as well as a classification for formula and sports cars. Some of the participants brought beautiful vehicles to the Eifel, with which they tried to lap the Nürburgring as evenly as possible. In the VFV GLPpro GT and touring car 1 classification, Günther Bechtluft realized Günther Bechtluft achieved the most consistent lap times, followed by Patrick Bross (BMW E36 2.5l) and Joachim Hohloch (BMW E30). The second GT and touring car classification of the VFV GLPpro was won by Bernd Hüther ahead of Remy Wierts (Ford Escort MK3 RS) and Christian Hausner (Opel C Kadett). Finally, Matthieu Nippert triumphed in the VFV GLPpro formula and sports car category ahead of Martin Lösch (VW Formula König) and Frank Roser (Crosslé 32F).
26.06.2024
The Nürburgring will be the venue for the second ADAC Racing Weekend of 2024 next weekend (28th to 30th June). Fans can expect a varied program with eight series in the Eifel: GTC Race, Special Touring Car Trophy (STT), ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup, ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Cup, Porsche Club Historic Challenge (PCHC), DMV Super Touring & GT Cup (STGT), DMV BMW 318ti Cup and VFV GLPpro will be hitting the sprint track. The GTC Race has used the past few weeks to start with a new management team and a stronger field of 18 cars. Among the new additions to the field is Liqui Moly Team Engstler, well-known from the ADAC GT Masters, with the driver duo Pablo Schumm and Jannik Julius-Bernhart (both Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II). As GT3 table leaders in both race formats - the 60-minute GT60 powered by Pirelli and the GT Sprint format will be held as part of the GTC Race - the GTC support drivers Julian Hanses and Jay Mo Härtling (both Mercedes-AMG GT3) will come to the Eifel, where they will be looking to defend their top positions. The STT is currently seeing an influx of participants and is expecting almost 30 cars next weekend. Stefan Wieninger (Audi R8 LMS Evo), who has won the last four STT races he has contested at the Nürburgring, will be joining the field. He wants to make life difficult for Oschersleben one-two winner Jürgen Bender (Chevrolet Corvette C7 GT3) and his rival Henk Thuis (Pumaxs RT). However, the overall leader is Bastian Hein, who is classified in division two with his BMW M4 GT4 G82. At the season opener, he climbed onto the overall podium once in third place and won his division in both rounds. In the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup, in which all starters drive a standardized VW up! GTI, Mike Müller and Cedric Fuchs were both delighted with a trophy for first place at the first race weekend of the year. As Müller retired in the second race, Fuchs is currently listed in first place in the overall standings. However, Maxim Felix Dacher, who brought home two second places in Oschersleben, is lurking directly behind him, and Julian Konrad and Müller are not far away from the top positions either. Marco Kolb will also be making his debut in the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup at the Nürburgring: The 35-year-old is the new permanent Race Director of the junior racing series with immediate effect. The ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Cup is particularly popular with fans of historic formula cars. Formula 3, Formula Ford and Formula Opel cars from the years 1964 to 1990 in particular take spectators back to the days of motorsport long gone. The Graf Berghe von Trips Cup has already had one race weekend, which Davide Leone (Dallara F390 Alfa-Novamotor) and Alexander Weiss (Reynard 873 Alfa-Novamotor) left as winners. The PCHC also relies on historic racers, but these must come from Porsche. Klaus Horn (Porsche 911 GT3 R) has completed the season so far with a spotless record: He won all four races held. Jürgen Albert (Porsche 911 GT3 R) was able to challenge Horn, especially in Zolder, but when the final reckoning came, he had to settle for second place despite leading several laps. The DMV BMW 318ti Cup is currently offering a thrilling battle for first place in the drivers' standings. Leon Hoffmann, who has collected just four points more than perennial champion Sebastian Vollak, is currently in the lead. And in third place, Peter Elkmann, who won his first race in the BMW 318ti Cup a few weeks ago, is waiting for his chance. Speaking of chances: equality of opportunity is a top priority in the Cup, as all starters drive a BMW 318ti. So far, the participants in the DMV STGT have completed two race weekends, with a double winner to celebrate in both Hockenheim and Zolder. Michael Golz (Lamborghini Huracan GT3) was unbeatable at the Motodrom in Baden, while Ioannis Smyrlis (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) repeated the feat a little later on the former Belgian Grand Prix circuit at Zolder. Over 90 participants from six nations have registered for the VFV GLPpro regularity tests, meaning that the schedule includes two races for touring cars and one for formula and sports cars. There are also historic cars in the VFV GLPpro field; the oldest is a Ford Daytona from 1964, driven by Jürgen Weis. In the group of formula and sports cars, the Chevron B16, built in 1970 and driven by Carsten Behrens, has the longest history. The weekend in the Eifel begins on Friday at 8:50 am with free practice for the VFV GLPpro. The first day will conclude with the end of qualifying for the GT60 powered by Pirelli at 16:40. On Saturday, the action on the race track starts at 8:05 am with the first qualifying session of the ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Cup, while the DMV BMW 318ti Cup qualifying session from 5:30 pm to 5:50 pm is the last item on the day's program. The youngsters of the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup will kick off Sunday at 8:15 am with their second qualifying session before the DMV BMW 318ti Cup ends the second ADAC Racing Weekend 2024 with the finish of race two at 5:01 pm.
04.06.2024
The turbulent 24-hour race has only just ended and the next highlight is already on the agenda at the Nürburgring: Rock am Ring, one of the country's most famous festivals, will be taking place in the Eifel in just a few days' time. And the rest of the month is also packed with exciting events. In addition to GRIP - Das Motorevent (June 23), the third race weekend of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (June 22), the Porsche Sports Cup (June 15 - 16) and the ADAC Racing Weekend (June 28 - 30), a special highlight awaits soccer fans in June: the Nürburgring is hosting free public viewing of the German national team's European Championship matches. The events at a glance: Rock am Ring (June 5 - 7)Die Ärzte, Broilers, Måneskin, Kraftklub, Green Day: just a small selection of bands that will be shaking up the Eifel at Rock am Ring this year. Once again, the organizers are expecting tens of thousands of festival fans at the Nürburgring on the second weekend in June. Over three days, they will transform the Grand Prix paddock and the race track into a gigantic concert area. Weekend tickets and day tickets are still available - these start from 119 euros. RTL+ offers a free livestream for those who can't be there live. By the way: The Nordschleife will be open to tourists at the weekend despite Rock am Ring. Access is therefore possible as usual. An overview of all opening times for tourist trips. GRIP - The Motor Event (June 23)Germany's best-known car testers are back at the Nürburgring. On Sunday, June 23, the GRIP community will meet on and off the Grand Prix circuit. Presenters Matthias Malmedie, Niki Schelle and Helge Thomsen will be there - as will thousands of other petrolheads. It will once again be a big fan festival: drifts and drag races are on the program. An expo mile will showcase the latest car trends. Just see and be seen. Children's entertainment, food and drink will also be provided. Tickets can be purchased online for around 26 euros. Families and groups benefit from special conditions. EM Public Viewing (from June 14) At the public viewing at the Nürburgring, the matches of the German national soccer team and the final of the UEFA EURO 2024 can be experienced live. All of the DFB team's preliminary round matches will be shown in the ring°boulevard. If coach Nagelsmann's boys reach the knockout round, the match schedule will determine whether the respective game will be shown in the ring°boulevard or in the Eifel Stadl. In any case, food and drink will be available at the snack stands - and parking spaces are also available in the immediate vicinity. Admission is free. ADAC Nürburgring Langestrecken-Serie (June 22)After the 24-hour race, the thrilling motorsport continues on the Nordschleife: the next race in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, which is held exclusively on the legendary Eifel circuit, starts on Saturday, June 22. The race cars will be divided into various classes - from full-blown GT3s to near-series vehicles. The schedule is compact: 90 minutes of qualifying in the morning, four hours of racing in the afternoon. In between, the gates to the pit lane and even the starting grid are open to all spectators. Visitors can get really close to the action. Tickets cost 22 euros online for adults. Children up to and including the age of 14 are free. Porsche Sports Cup (June 15 & 16)911 enthusiasts are in just the right place here: the Porsche Sports Cup is all about the sports cars from Zuffenhausen for a whole weekend. Racing and road cars share the race track and paddock of the Grand Prix circuit in mid-June. The latest GT3, GT4 and Cup cars provide exciting races. One highlight is the new Porsche Sprint Challenge Classic. Historic Porsche 911 Cup cars from the 1990s will compete against each other. And best of all: admission to the grandstand and paddock is free. ADAC Racing Weekend (June 28 - 30)Eight racing series under one roof: the ADAC Racing Weekend at the end of the month combines a lot of racing in one weekend. GT and touring car series such as the GTC Race and the Special Touring Car Trophy will be competing on the 3.6-kilometre short circuit of the Grand Prix circuit. Spectators can also look forward to seeing historic racing cars. The BMW 318ti Cup races are always particularly busy. Around 50 racing cars from Bayerische Motoren Werke will be on the starting grid. Day tickets are available from 10 euros (including paddock). Meanwhile, the RCN and GLP start on the Nordschleife on Saturday. Events in June 2024: June 07 - 09: Rock am Ring June 14: European Championship Public Viewing (Germany - Scotland) June 15: Cycling and running meeting June 15 - 16: Porsche Sports Cup June 17: After Work Classics June 19: EM Public Viewing (Germany - Hungary) June 22: Nürburgring Endurance Series June 23: GRIP - The Motor Event June 23: EM Public Viewing (Germany - Switzerland) June 24: Cycling and running meeting June 28 - 30: ADAC Racing Weekend (with RCN & GLP) Further information here.
03.05.2024
Classics, bikes and thrilling endurance motorsport: numerous events will be held at the Nürburgring in the coming weeks. At the end of May, the racing world will be looking to the Eifel for the prestigious ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring (May 30 - June 2). The week before, the Nürburgring Classic (May 24 - 26) invites you to a three-day celebration of historic motorsport. Two-wheeler fans will get their money's worth with the motorcycle double-header of the ADAC DMC Race Weekend (May 9 - 11) and the Cologne circuit (May 12). The “May highlights” will kick off with the race premiere of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (May 3 - 4), which will also be the teams' last test of strength before the 24-hour race. Further information is available online at nuerburgring.de. The events at a glance: ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring (Thursday, May 30 - Sunday, June 02)The supreme discipline of endurance racing, held on the most demanding race track in the world. Year after year, the 24-hour race fascinates motorsport fans from near and far. The ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring promises to be another highlight in 2024. For one day and one night, around 130 racing cars will engage in thrilling duels on the 25.3 kilometers of the Ring. They are cheered on by thousands of spectators. Many of them pitch their tents right next to the track and celebrate the biggest racing party of the year. It all starts on Corpus Christi Thursday (30 May) with qualifying sessions, races from other series and a large supporting program next to the track. The 24-hour race starts on Saturday (June 01) at 4 pm. Tickets for the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring are available online (orderable until May 17) or on site from as little as 34 euros. Nürburgring Classic (May 24 - 26)100 years of motorsport history will take to the track at the Nürburgring Classic from May 24 to 26. Fans can look forward to historic formula cars, pre-war racing cars and DTM touring cars from the 80s and 90s. Hundreds of these rare garage treasures are expected at the Nürburgring Classic, which takes place partly on the Nordschleife and mostly on the Grand Prix circuit. The drivers put the pedal to the metal in the 20 or so races, despite the often advanced age of the vehicles. A visit is also worthwhile because of the atmosphere next to the track. The ticket - from just 18 euros - always includes entry to the paddock. There, a Ferris wheel, live music and racing legends are waiting to be discovered. ADAC DMC Race Weekend (May 09 - 11) & Cologne circuit (May 12)Two motorcycle events in one go: with the ADAC DMC Race Weekend (May 9 to 11) and the Cologne circuit (May 12), the Grand Prix circuit will be dominated by sleek two-wheelers for one weekend. While modern machines conquer the Eifel circuit at the Race Weekend, racing motorcycles from past eras take to the track at the Cologne circuit. Large starting fields and challenging endurance races alternate with entertaining program items at the ADAC DMC Race Weekend. In the Scooter Cup, for example, iconic scooters do their laps on the Ring at two and four engine speeds. The sidecar teams at the Cologne circuit are also very popular. In addition to the acrobatic two-man motorcycles, spectators can look forward to many other historic racing machines on that Sunday. Day tickets (including paddock) cost 15 euros for the ADAC DMC Race Weekend and 10 euros for the Cologne circuit. Those wishing to attend both events are advised to purchase a discounted combined ticket. Events in May 2024: May 03 & 04: Nürburgring Endurance Series 2 May 09 - 11: ADAC DMC Race Weekend May 12: Cologne circuit May 24 - 26: Nürburgring Classic May 25: GLP regularity test May 30 - June 02: ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring (and RCN) Further information:www.nuerburgring.de
11.10.2023
The final ADAC Racing Weekend of 2023 will take place at the Nürburgring next weekend (13 - 15 October). For the finale, the participants of the GTC Race, the Special Touring Car Trophy (STT), the Touring Car Legends, the Touring Car Classic, the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup, the Prototype Cup Germany, the Porsche Club Historic Challenge (PCHC), the Belcar Historic Cup and the VFV GLPPro will meet at the GP circuit of the Nürburgring. For the PCHC and the Belcar Historic Cup, it will each be the first appearance as part of this year's ADAC Racing Weekend. The free live stream begins at 8:35 a.m. on Saturday and 9:15 a.m. on Sunday and can be accessed at youtube.com/@adacmotorsports. > more info & tickets In the GTC Race, the title question is particularly exciting in the GT3 classification of the GT Sprint, as Julian Hanses (Audi R8 LMS GT3) and Moritz Wiskirchen (Mercedes-AMG GT3) travel to the Nürburgring almost tied on points. In the GT4 class, Leo Pichler (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4) and Jay Mo Härtling (Mercedes-AMG GT4) are the two drivers who have collected the most points before the finale, and in Class 3 Fabian Kohnert (Porsche 991 GT3 Cup) goes into the final comparison of the year as the favorite. Hanses is also ahead in the GT60 powered by Pirelli GT3 rankings, while the leaders in the GT4 class are Joel Mesch / Tim Neuser (Mercedes-AMG GT4) and Denis Liebl (KTM X-Bow GTX) leads in Class 3. Also in the STT the race for the title is still open. The duo of Uwe Lauer / Francesco Lopez (Ferrari 488 GT3) comes to the Eifel as championship leaders, but Max Gruhn (Audi RS3 LMS TCR) is lurking just behind the two front runners. Henk Thuis (Pumaxs RT) and the two young drivers Tim Rölleke / Giuseppe Fico (BMW M4 GT4) follow in third and fourth overall. It is particularly noteworthy that Rölleke and Fico currently occupy fourth place despite having to skip the event at the Lausitzring. Additional suspense in the title fight is brought by the fact that double points will be awarded at the finale, so that everything is still open in the STT. The Touring Car Legends shine just like their sister series Touring Car Classic with a starting field that includes between 20 and 30 cars in both series. Ekkehard Ludewigs (Mercedes 190 E 2.5-16 Evo II) has enlisted the support of former DTM champion Klaus Ludwig for the two rounds of the Touring Car Legends, while Altfrid Heger, who was also active in the DTM at the time, will pilot an Audi V8 DTM. The favorite to win the title is Yannik Dinger (BMW 328i E36), who leads the overall classification ahead of Thomas Ardelt (BMW M3 E30). In the Touring Car Classic, BWT Mücke Motorsport will bring a 1980 Ford Turbo Capri Gr. 5 to the start, driven by Peter Mücke. It is the oldest car, but also one of the most spectacular racers in the entire field. However, Altfrid Heger (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup), who is contesting the Touring Car Legends as well as the Touring Car Classic, has the best title prospects; Thilo Goos (Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24) is currently the first pursuer of the Essen native. In the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup, the participants, who all drive an identical VW up! GTI, are only at the beginning of their careers. At the recent ADAC Racing Weekend in Assen, Leon Arndt, one of the top favorites for the title at the start of the season, moved into first place in the overall standings with a double victory. But second-placed Mattis Pluschkell is unlikely to be so easy to shake off, after all the rookie has already been on the top step of the podium four times in his debut season and won both races on the Nürburgring's short circuit in the summer. In the Prototype Cup Germany, the new champions Markus Pommer and Gary Hauser (both Duqueine D08) have already been confirmed, but the air is far from out in the LMP3 racing series. In the Junior classification Max van der Snel (Ligier JS P320) wants to defend his lead over his pursuers around Julien Apothéloz (Duqueine D08), while in the Trophy classification it is much closer, especially between Mark van der Snel (Ligier JS P320) and Wolfgang Payr (Duqueine D08). And finally, in the team classification, it boils down to a duel between Racing Experience and van ommen racing by DataLab. For PCHC, the first guest appearance at an ADAC Racing Weekend is also the season finale. Christian Voigtländer (Porsche 997 GT3 Cup) entered 2023 as the defending champion and he now comes to the Nürburgring as the leader of the standings. But he has to be careful, because with Eduard Heinz (Porsche 911 (991) GT3 Cup) another rival can knock him off the throne. Heinz, who does not start in the same class as Voigtländer, has to make up a deficit of 13.8 points to do so. The Belcar Historic Cup always delights spectators with a large number of racing cars spanning the 1964 to 1998 model years. Two models date back to 1964: the Austin Mini Cooper S driven by Eric Damseaux and the Ford GT40 driven by Emiel de Weerdt. The youngest race car, the Peugeot 306 S16, which Erik Bruynoghe is bringing to the Nürburgring, is a full 34 years younger. Even three years older than the oldest race cars in the Belcar Historic Cup is the oldest car in the VFV GLPPro. However, Klaus Tweddell with his Marcos Gullwing GT from 1961 is not trying to finish first, but to complete the most consistent lap times - because that is the goal of a regularity test like the VFV GLPPro. The final ADAC Racing Weekend 2023 starts at 8:05 a.m. on all three days. On Friday, the starting signal is given by the first qualifying session of the PCHC; the day ends at 5:25 p.m. with the qualifying session of the GT60 powered by Pirelli. On Saturday, free practice for the Belcar Historic Cup heralds the action on track, concluding with the finish of the GT60 powered by Pirelli at 17:40. Finally, on Sunday, the second qualifying session of the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup kicks things off before the checkered flag drops at 4:55 p.m. for the second round of the Belcar Historic Cup, bringing the entire 2023 ADAC Racing Weekend season to a close. The day ticket on Saturday or Sunday is available for 20,- Euro each at the box office or in the online ticket store of the Nürburgring.
03.07.2023
The third ADAC Racing Weekend 2023 took place at the Nürburgring last weekend in partly rainy weather. Marcel Marchewicz and Colin Caresani (Mercedes-AMG GT3) triumphed in the GT60 powered by Pirelli, the endurance format of the GTC Race. In the two GT Sprints, Julian Hanses (Audi R8 LMS GT3) and Caresani both crossed the finish line first. In the Special Touring Car Trophy (STT), Stefan Wieninger (Audi R8 LMS Evo) was the double winner, while in the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup Mattis Pluschkell (VW up! GTI) took both first places. Stéphane Lechine (Reynard F389 VW-Spiess), Ralf Goral and David Schneider (both Opel Lotus MkII) were the best in the AvD Historic Race Cup. In the DMV BMW 318ti Cup there was no way around Sebastian Vollak (BMW 318ti Cup) in both rounds, while in the DMV BMW Challenge Maurice Thormählen / Hinrich Thormählen (BMW M3 GTR E46) and Bastian Hein (BMW M4 GT4 G82) were jubilant. In the DMV Super Touring & GT Cup, Ioannis Smyrlis (Porsche 992 GT3 Cup) and Gregor Drasal (Lamborghini Super Trofeo) were in the lead at the finish. The four regularity tests of the VFV GLP Pro finally saw Luca Burghartz (BMW E30), Philipp Olsen (Renault R5), Thomas Bartel (Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500) and Wilfried Burghartz (Shrike P15) each in first place. In the GT60 powered by Pirelli, Colin Caresani, Sandro Holzem (BMW M4 GT3) and Reinhard Kofler (KTM X-Bow GTX) fought for the lead at the beginning, which Caresani snatched. Even after all the driver changes had been completed, the Mercedes-AMG GT3, now driven by Marcel Marchewicz, was still in the lead, which did not change until the finish line. The decision for second place was only made on the last lap when chaser Peter Terting, who formed a duo with Carrie Schreiner (both Audi R8 LMS GT3), took advantage of a mistake by Julian Hanses and took over second position. The two GTC support drivers Hanses and Finn Zulauf (Audi R8 LMS GT3) had to settle for third. In GT Sprint one, Hanses took revenge and won narrowly ahead of Marchewicz; Luca Arnold (Mercedes-AMG GT3) was third. In the second GT Sprint, Caresani, who was waved off first, only took part in the race with reservations after he was disqualified in qualifying and appealed. According to the regulations, the Dutchman will not be classified as race winner until further notice and the following drivers did not move up in the classification. Holzem and Terting were listed in second and third place. In the STT, no one was faster than Stefan Wieninger. Race one saw Henk Thuis (Pumaxs RT) finish second, almost 50 seconds behind, with Max Gruhn (Audi RS3 LMS TCR) surprisingly taking third place despite being a lap down. Wieninger was also able to drive towards a safe victory one day later. This time, Uwe Lauer / Francesco Lopez (Ferrari 488 GT3), who had travelled to the Eifel as championship leaders, followed in second place, with Josef Klüber (Mercedes-AMG GT3) reaching the chequered flag in third. Junior driver Mattis Pluschkell returned home from the Nürburgring with almost the maximum points haul. In addition to a pole position, the talent also celebrated two race wins in the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup, in which all starters drive a standard VW Up! GTI. In the first heat, he initially dropped back to sixth place from first on the grid, but then caught up again and passed Leon Arndt and Cedric Fuchs for the lead on the last lap. Fuchs and Arndt remained second and third. In the second heat, he edged out Mike Müller and Tim Melzer in a three-way battle to finish second and third. For the first time this year, a Formula racing series was part of the ADAC Racing Weekend: The AvD Historic Race Cup completed three races in the Eifel. On Sunday morning, Stéphane Lechine was first, ahead of Elio Cocciarelli (Ralt RT3/84 Alfa-Novamotor) and Pascal Monbaron (Opel Lotus MkII). On Sunday lunchtime Ralf Goral celebrated first place ahead of Monbaron and Valerio Leone (Dallara F390 Alfa-Novamotor), while in the afternoon he was pushed into second place by David Schneider (Opel Lotus MkII). Monbaron secured his third podium finish in third. The DMV BMW 318ti Cup, in which all drivers drive a standard BMW 318ti Cup, was clearly in Sebastian Vollak's hands. Niklas Kalus and Leon Hoffmann completed the podium in race one, with Dennis Urgatz and Benjamin Bellmann / Phillip Stern following in second place. Peter Elkmann, 2005 champion in the Recaro Formula 3 Cup and competing in the DMV BMW 318ti Cup since this year, saw the finish line twice in eighth place. Remarkable: The man from Steinfurt manages the entire event alone, he has no team at his side. "In the 318ti Cup, tyres are not usually changed during the pit stop and refuelling is forbidden, so I thought I would be able to do this event on my own. But if I do have major problems, I can rely on the help of the Hard Speed team." Even if the costs can be pushed down by racing without a team, Elkmann has already discovered disadvantages: "Personally, I lack experience in this Cup and have to learn everything myself. That would certainly be easier if I had joined an existing team." In the DMV BMW Challenge, Thomas Ardelt (BMW M4 GT4 F82) and Bastian Hein each claimed two podium positions: Ardelt secured second place twice, Hein third and first. The winners of the first heat were Maurice Thormählen / Hinrich Thormählen, with Eric van den Munckhof (BMW KK M4 GTR) coming home third in the second heat. In the DMV Super Touring & GT Cup, Ioannis Smyrlis extended his winning streak of four first heat wins with another triumph; Gregor Drasal and Bastian Hein (BMW M3 GT4 G82) were left behind. In heat two, Drasal turned the tables and saw the chequered flag ahead of Smyrlis, who spun just before the end of the race in the battle for the lead. Sophie Hofmann (Audi R8 GT4 Evo) was delighted with third place. In the VFV GLP Pro regularity test, three classifications were held for GT and touring cars as well as a test for formula and sports cars due to the large number of participants. In GT and Touring Car 1, Luca Burghartz came out on top ahead of Bastian Limpert (BMW E30 318ti) and Andreas Pensler (Porsche 944 S2). In GT and Touring Cars 2, Philipp Olsen prevailed ahead of Bernhard Hüther (Rover Mini) and Maic Germann (BMW E30 327i), while GT and Touring Cars 3 went to Thomas Bartel ahead of Gerhard Müller (BMW 320is) and Stefan Wolf (BMW 328i E36). Finally, in the Formula and Sports Cars, Wilfried Burghartz drove the most consistent laps ahead of Dirk Juilfs (Formula Opel Lotus MK1) and René Ahnert (Estonia 21).
28.06.2023
The third of a total of six ADAC Racing Weekends of 2023 will take place at the Nürburgring sprint circuit this coming weekend. The packed programme of the three-day event in the Eifel region includes the GTC Race, the Special Touring Car Trophy (STT), the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup, the AvD Historic Race Cup, the DMV BMW 318ti Cup, the DMV BMW Challenge, the DMV Super Touring & GT Cup and the VFV GLP Pro. Once again, all races and classifications will be broadcast in a free live stream at ADAC Motorsport YouTube Channel; the live stream will start at 9:00 am on Saturday and 8:30 am on Sunday. As always, the GTC Race consists of the GT60 powered by Pirelli endurance race and two GT Sprints. In the GT60 powered by Pirelli, GTC support driver Julian Hanses (Audi R8 LMS GT3) is ahead in the GT3 classification, while in the GT4 class a quartet consisting of Enrico Förderer, Jay Mo Härtling, Joel Mesch and Tim Neuser (all Mercedes-AMG GT4) is leading. The best of the GT Sprint is currently GT3 man Julian Hanses, in the GT4 class Härtling and Leo Pichler (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4) share first place. In the Eifel, Carrie Schreiner (Audi R8 LMS GT3) will also be in the mix again. The fast lady, reigning champion in the GT60 powered by Pirelli, was able to enjoy a very special success one week before her Nürburgring appearance: She won a round of the F1 Academy in Zandvoort, a race series founded by the FIA in which only women are eligible to compete. In the STT, the duo Uwe Lauer / Francesco Lopez as well as solo starter Oliver Plassmann (all Ferrari 488 GT3) are fighting a close duel for the top spot in the drivers' standings, both rivals are currently exactly tied with 75.15 points each. Both have scored one victory each so far: Lauer / Lopez won at the season opener in Hockenheim, Plassmann was unbeatable at the Lausitzring. A total of 17 STT cars are expected at the Nürburgring, spread over three divisions. They all have two 40-minute races ahead of them, in which a pit stop is compulsory and a driver change is allowed since this season. In the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup, the young drivers compete with identical VW up! GTIs. Since all the participants use the same equipment, exciting races are inevitable. Linus Hahne is currently leading the overall standings, but Leon Arndt is just seven points behind in second place. The two established drivers, who already fought for the top places in the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup last year, are being put under a lot of pressure by the fast rookies. Rookies Mattis Pluschkell and Mike Müller each won a race and Müller and Tim Melzer each secured a pole position. With the AvD Historic Race Cup, the ADAC Racing Weekend welcomes a formula series to its programme for the first time this year. At the season opener, Stéphane Lechine (Reynard F389 VWSpiess) dominated the action; the Frenchman was unbeatable in both the dry and the rain. In the overall standings, which combine all classes, Lechine is second just behind leader Roberto Cocciarelli (Swift DB2 Ford). In the DMV BMW 318ti Cup, defending champion Sebastian Vollak is in first place in the drivers' standings after six rounds, but the junior trio of Julien Rehberg, Leon Hoffmann and Niklas Kalus are hunting down the top dog. All participants drive a standard BMW 318ti from the E36 series, whose power unit develops around 140 hp. Two 60-minute races with compulsory pit stops are held each weekend. Next weekend, the 318ti Cup can boast a special starter: Laurents Hörr, one of the fastest in the Prototype Cup Germany, will make a guest appearance in the 318ti one-make cup. In the DMV BMW Challenge, Eric van den Munckhof (BMW KK M4 GTR), Thomas Ardelt (BMW M4 GT4 F82), Jan Kortüm (BMW M4 GT4 G82) and Bastian Hein (BMW M4 GT4 G82) shared the winners' trophies among themselves so far. Van den Munckhof and Ardelt each took first place twice, while Kortüm and Hein managed to land a triumph. For a long time, Hein was also set to win the first race at Assen, until his fuel pump failed on the last lap while he was in first place. Kortüm was able to take the lead without a fight and bring it safely to the finish. One day later, Hein celebrated his first victory of the season in the DMV BMW Challenge. The DMV Super Touring & GT Cup was only created this year for touring cars and GT vehicles with a power-to-weight ratio of 4.5 kg/hp to 2.21 kg/hp. The racers are divided into a total of five different classes. Four heats have been started so far in 2023, each of which is 30 minutes long. Ioannis Smyrlis (Porsche 992 GT3 Cup) won all four rounds and now wants to continue his winning streak at the Nürburgring. Finally, the regularity tests of the VFV GLP Pro round off the programme of the upcoming ADAC Racing Weekend. In the classifications, it's not about being the fastest in the field, but completing your laps at a steady pace. The less the individual lap times deviate from each other, the better one is classified at the end. In the current season, Alex Brinkmann has done this best with his 1980 Ford Escort MKII, consequently taking first place in the overall standings across all classes. Friday will start at 8:05 a.m. with the free practice of the VFV GLP Pro Touring Car 1 and will be concluded at 5:50 p.m. with the completion of the first qualifying of the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup. On Saturday, the starting signal will again be given at 8:05 a.m. with the first qualifying session of the AvD Historic Race Cup, which will also end the day with its third qualifying session at 6:00 p.m.. Sunday will be ushered in by the ADAC Touring Car Junior Cup with qualifying two; the end will be marked by the finish of the second heat of the DMV Super Touring & GT Cup at 5:10 pm.
