24.06.2024
There was no stopping Falken Motorsport at the fifth round of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. With rain setting in at the end of the race, Julien Andlauer and Sven Müller kept a cool head and crossed the finish line as winners. The duo in the Porsche 911 GT3 R won the 69th ADAC Westfalenfahrt with a commanding lead of 1:32.741 minutes ahead of Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf with drivers Lucas Auer and Ralf Aron. Team ADVAN x HRT's brand colleagues - Hubert Haupt, Jusuf Owega and Arjun Maini - completed the top three in third place. "That was a mega race," said a delighted Müller, who led the race together with Andlauer for 22 of the 28 laps. "I had some great duels at the start. Our car was really good to drive, even a bit better than in the 24-hour race. Five races, four wins - we can be very satisfied with the result." His team-mate Andlauer added: "The conditions today definitely played into our hands. We gave it our all over the entire distance and pushed hard. It's just a shame that our sister car didn't see the chequered flag." Tim Heinemann and Martin Ragginger retired with a puncture three laps before the end while on course for a podium. The team's diagnosis: a foreign object that had been picked up had damaged the tire. For DTM driver Lucas Auer, it was his second podium success on the Nordschleife. "There's always so much adrenaline in the air here, it's just incredible fun to drive in the NLS," said the Austrian. "If you then drive through and finish on the podium, you can be satisfied. The conditions were not easy to read today. There was a lot of oil on the track at one stage, so you always have to be ready. These are hardcore races - that's what makes them so special." Aron admitted that he had taken some speed out in the final phase. "We wanted to get to the finish and not take any risks. In terms of pace, we were doing well. I hope to be back on the grid here again soon." India's Maini celebrated his best NLS result to date with third place. "That was a cool race," he said. "I really enjoyed the first stint. Now I hope that more podiums will follow." Pole position in qualifying, which started late due to fog, was secured by Frank Stippler and Vincent Kolb in the Porsche 911 GT3 R from Herberth Motorsport. In the race, the reunited duo were able to hold their own in the leading group. In his final stint, Stippler took the HRT sister car for fourth place. Fetzer, Salman Owega and David Schumacher had to settle for fifth place. Victory in the Pro-Am classification went to Sami-Matti Trogen, Benjamin Mazatis and Anders Buchardt in the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 from Walkenhorst Motorsport. The fastest SP9-Am car was the Audi R8 LMS GT3 of équipe vitesse, driven by Michael Heimrich, Lorenzo Rocco and Arno Klasen. As a result, the trio also leads the GOODYEAR Wingfoot Award. Change at the top of the standingsJoshua Bednarski, Lucas Daugaard and Moritz Oberheim have taken over at the top of the standings after five of eight races in the 2024 season. With their fourth victory in the CUP3 class of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring, the AVIA W&S Motorsport trio have overtaken the previous leaders. The class victory was anything but a walk in the park, as they finished just 0.058 seconds ahead of Heiko Eichenberg, Fabio Grosse and Patrik Grütter in the SRS Team Sorg Rennsport Porsche. Toby Goodman, Sven Markert and Ranko Mijatovic, who had traveled to the first race of the second half of the season as championship leaders, retired in the BMW M240i Racing Cup of Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhatten Wheels after a technical defect and dropped back to second place. Daniel Mertens and Joshua Hislop, who celebrated their fourth victory in the VT2-FWD in the Hyundai i30N of Team Mertens Motorsport, are tied for second place. Third place in the championship went to Andreas Gülden, Marc Hennerici and Tim Sandtler, who won the GT4 SP10 class for the third time. Drama in the final phase in CUP2In the CUP2 of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring, the final phase was a drama in several acts. Steve Jans and Tobias Müller led the field in the BLACK FALCON Team 48 LOSCH Porsche 911 GT3 R. Also involved in the battle for the lead were Daniel Blickle, Tim Scheerbarth and David Jahn in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of AVIA W&S Motorsport as well as Peter Terting and Arne Hoffmeister of Mühlner Motorsport. The CUP2 cars were so strong today that they were not lapped by the GT3 cars. For this reason, the pit strategy did not work out for all three. Mühlner and W&S opted for a short refueling stop, Black Falcon did without and chose a conservative strategy that did not work. W&S crossed the finish line in first place, but was penalized with a time penalty due to a yellow flag infringement and was ultimately classified in second place. Mühlner took its first win of the season, while Black Falcon finished third. The ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie now goes into a well-deserved summer break. On August 3, the ROWE 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal race will be the season highlight of the traditional Nordschleife championship. In keeping with the summer vacations in most German states, the focus will be on families. With a bouncy castle and other attractions in the paddock, the only race over the 6-hour distance will be a festival for young and old.
12.06.2024
The ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie starts the second half of the season next Saturday, June 22nd. On the program is the 69th ADAC Westfalenfahrt over the usual distance of four hours through the Green Hell. The provisional list of participants includes 113 entries and promises plenty of action. The starting lights go green at 12 noon. Tickets are available here and those staying at home can follow the action around the Nürburgring in the livestream here. An NLS dream team is back together for this race. Vincent Kolb and Frank Stippler have contested races together in the Green Hell since 2018, taking 15 podiums and one victory in the Audi R8 LMS GT3. Now the journey together continues. Kolb and Stippler will share the Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R. Stippler already raced for the team, which is now run by twin brothers Robert and Alfred Renauer, in the Porsche Carrera Cup in the late nineties. Kolb competed in both races of the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers and in the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring for the team from Jedenhofen in the district of Dachau. In the past, the 29-year-old has also driven occasional races in the 24h Series for Herberth. "I'm delighted that Frank and I will be sharing a cockpit again in modern and historic races in the future," says Kolb. "We have achieved great successes together in the NLS and want to build on that." Kolb and Stippler will face strong competition in the GT3 SP9 class. Falken Motorsports, for its part, is fielding two 911s. Julien Andlauer and Sven Müller will alternate in the cockpit with Tim Heinemann and Martin Ragginger. Team Advan x HRT will be in the field with two Mercedes-AMG GT3s driven by Hubert Haupt, Jusuf Owega, Arjun Maini, Dennis Fetzer, Salman Owega and David Schumacher, while Lucas Auer and Ralf Aron will drive another sports coupé from Affalterbach for Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf. PROsport-Racing and Walkenhorst Motorsport will each enter an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and the Renazzo Motorsport team will field a Lamborghini Huracán, which will be driven by Luca Engstler, who celebrated his first victory in the popular racing series at the DTM season opener. Jutaracing and équipe vitesse will fly the Audi flag. A fresh breeze is blowing in the SP8T class (24h Specials up to 4,000 cc displacement with turbo). Bas Koeten Racing is celebrating its premiere in the NLS with a BMW M4 GT4. Canadian Samantha Tan and Jon Miller from the United States will alternate at the wheel. The racing team from the Netherlands will contest a Europe-wide program in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, the GT4 European Series and the 24h Series. Two young ladies are joining the 'girls only' project of GITI TIRES Motorsport by WS Racing at NLS3. After successfully contesting their DPN races in the team's VT2 cars, Janina Schall and Patricija Stalidzane now take their place alongside Beitske Visser in the BMW M4 GT4. Adrenalin Motorsport leads the standingsThe champion team of the past six years leads the championship in the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie after four of eight events. Toby Goodman, Sven Markert and Ranko Mijatovic took four victories in the BMW M240i Racing by Goodyear class for Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhatten Wheels. However, it is questionable whether they will be able to defend their lead in the second half of the season, as the Cup class in NLS3 only has five cars named in the provisional list of participants, meaning that even a victory does not result in full points being awarded. This is only the case in classes with seven or more starters. Joshua Bednarski, Lucas Daugaard and Moritz Oberheim therefore have a good chance of taking the lead. The trio from AVIA W&S Motorsport will start in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS in the Cup 3 class of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring, which has the usual strong field of 15 cars. After three victories and a second place, the gap is currently four points. After a poor result in the second race, defending champions Philipp Leisen and Daniel Zils, together with newcomer Moran Gott, currently occupy third place in the standings. The top-placed teams in the overall standings also play a role in the Junior trophy. Here Goodman leads ahead of Daugaard. The best driver in the new Gentleman's Trophy is Michael Eichhorn, who drives the Cupra Leon from Auto Thomas by Jung Motorsport together with Tobias Jung and Andreas Winterwerber. He has a four-point lead over Schmickler Performance driver Horst Baumann. Desiree Müller and Flavia Pellegrino Fernandes are tied in the Ladies' Trophy after four races. After three victories in the first four races, Falken Motorsports with the #4 Porsche 911 GT3 R is in the lead in the NLS Speed Trophy. A hefty points haul is guaranteed in the V4 (8 participants), VT2-FWD (9), VT2-R+4WD (15), SP9 (11) and SP10 (11) classes as well as in the two classes of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring, Cup 2 (13) and Cup 3 (15). Full program at family-friendly pricesTickets are available here and at the box office for 22 euros (children up to 14 years free of charge). They include admission to the open grandstands on the Grand Prix circuit, the exclusive Brünnchen and Pflanzgarten spectator areas, the paddock, the pit lane, the starting grid and the ring°werk motorsport experience museum. Positions on the grid will be determined between 08:30 and 10 am. Fans can then experience motorsport with all their senses during the pit walk from 10:20 and the visit to the starting grid from 11:10. The Nürburgring mascot 'Legend' and Marvel hero 'Iron Man' will also be there. The race starts at 12 noon.
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.
10.04.2024
After the brilliant season opener last weekend, the ADAC Nürburgring endurance series continues without a break. With the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, the next double-header is scheduled for April 13 and 14. Two 4-hour races - on Saturday even into the twilight - once again promise thrilling motorsport in the Green Hell. Tickets are available from 25 euros at 24h-rennen.de and at the box offices. As usual, those staying at home can followthe action around the Nürburgring via livestream at vln.de. After not all GT3 teams were on the grid at the two opening races of the NLS due to overlapping dates, the qualifiers will feature a full load of GT3 power. Of course, the two victorious Porsche teams Falken Motorsports and Manthey EMA will also be competing this weekend. This time, DTM champion Thomas Preining and his DTM teammate this year, Ayhancan Güven, will take turns at the wheel of 'Grello'. After almost achieving the historic first victory for the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO II in NLS2, RED BULL TEAM ABT is now looking for revenge. In the qualifiers, Frikadelli Racing, last year's 24-hour winner, will once again attack with the Ferrari 296 GT3 and Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed is also aiming for success. The racing team from the business park at the Nürburgring took a race win in last year's qualifiers. Herberth Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 R), Schnitzelalm Racing (Mercedes-AMG GT3), Lionspeed GP - PK Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 R), Dinamic GT (Porsche 911 GT3 R) and the two BMW teams BMS M Team RMG and ROWE RACING will also contest the first race in the Green Hell 2024. A total of 28 GT3 cars will be on the grid, promising spectators first-class racing action. Following the brand switch from BMW to Aston Martin, Walkenhorst Motorsport will contest the first Nordschleife event with the British super sports car. Christian Krognes, Jakub Giermaziak, David Pittard and Nicki Thiim will take turns at the wheel in the #34 car, with Chandler Hull, Benjamin Mazatis and Patrick Assenheimer in the #35 and Stefan Aust, Christian Bollrath, Anders Buchard and team founder Henry Walkenhorst in the #36. Last season, the racing team from Melle took five victories in the NLS - albeit all in BMWs. Double lead in the championshipAfter two of eight races in the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, two teams are level on points at the top of the standings. Daniel Mertens and Joshua Hislop won the VT2-FWD class twice in the Hyundai i30N from Mertens Motorsport. Sven Markert, Ranko Mijatovic and Toby Goodman from Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels achieved the same feat in the BMW M240i Racing Cup. Both classes had a strong field in the opening races, guaranteeing a full points haul. In second place are three teams that claimed a win and a second place in NLS 1+2. AVIA W&S Motorsport was successful with Joshua Bedarski, Lucas Daugaard and Moritz Oberheim in their Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS in the Cup 3 class of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring. In the SP10, TOYO TIRES with Ring Racing with Andreas Gülden, Tim Sandtler and Marc Hennerici in the Toyota Supra GT4 and Dörr Motorsport with Oskar Sandberg, Aaron Wenisch and Nick Wüstenhagen in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 took turns in first and second place. Horst Baumann, who together with Stefan Schmickler drove the Porsche from Schmickler Performance powered by Ravenol to third and second place in Cup 3, leads the new Gentlemen trophy for drivers born in 1973 or earlier. The two championship leaders Goodman and Hislop are currently also the best-placed drivers in the Junior Trophy. Desiree Müller, who drives a BMW 325i in the V4, is in first place in the Ladies' Trophy. And - after a second place in the first race and a much-acclaimed victory in the second - Grello, the Porsche 911 GT3 from Manthey EMA, leads the Speed Trophy. Thrilling program with plenty of racingThe ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers are part of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie for the first time this year. The dress rehearsal for the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring (May 30 to June 2) is organized by ADAC Nordrhein. The two-day event begins with qualifying for race one on Saturday from 10 am to 12 noon. The first four-hour race starts at 5:30 pm and continues into the evening hours. On Sunday, the 90-minute qualifying session starts at 08:15. The top qualifying session, in which the fastest cars take to the track in an individual time trial, is a highlight from 10:40 am. The second race of the weekend starts at 13:00 and the chequered flag falls at 17:00. Both races will be contested on the 24-hour version, consisting of the Grand Prix circuit (without the AMG Arena) and the Nordschleife. In addition to the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers themselves, the Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring (RCN) will run a performance test on the Nordschleife on Saturday from 13:00 to 16:30. In the paddock, there will be a youth kart slalom on the helipad and automobile slaloms will take place in the AMG Arena on both days.
07.04.2024
Season opener in the Green Hell - and it wasn't just the weather that showed its best side for the first race of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie: Race one of the double-header provided the spectators - and the winners Joel Eriksson and Nico Menzel - with thrilling racing in bright spring sunshine. In the Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R, the duo relegated the legendary 'Grello' from Manthey EMA to second place. Laurens Vanthor and Kévin Estre were 3.644 seconds off the pace at the finish. The podium was completed by Frank Stippler and Markus Winkelhock in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 from Scherer Sport PHX. "It's hard to believe that this is my first race win here, after all, I've been competing in the NLS for a few years now," said Menzel. "I've been on the podium many times, I've taken class wins, but I've been denied first place so far. I think Joel is our lucky charm, because when he's on the car, it works. He already has four wins." Eriksson added: "It's fantastic to start the season like this," and praised the performance of the Falken 911. "Our car was simply perfect today." The Manthey boys were also delighted. "It's always very special to stand on the podium here at the NLS," said Estre. "And it's always great to be part of Manthey's Grello project." His teammate Vanthoor added: "Yesterday we were still in Spa to drive the LMDh, now on the Nordschleife. Those were two wonderful days. The great encouragement from the fans who cheered us on lap after lap was also fantastic." Markus Winkelhock in third place was also happy with the result: "That was a lot of fun today. Driving on the Nordschleife in such great weather, I can't imagine anything better." However, the team from Meuspath was unable to achieve more than third place today and was unable to match the performance of the Porsche at the front. "They were just too fast, I couldn't keep up," said Stippler after the podium ceremony. The Scherer Audi will not be on the grid for the second race on Sunday. "But I'll obviously be following the race on the live stream," said Winkelhock. "I won't miss out on that." The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO II of RED BULL TEAM ABT and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Mercedes-AMG Team HRT finished fourth and fifth respectively. Daniel Juncadella took pole position in qualifying. With a best time of 7:56.507 minutes, the Spaniard relegated the Scherer Audi to second place by 2.455 seconds. In sixth place, Dennis Fetzer, Hubert Haupt and Ralf Aron in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Team ADVAN x HRT took victory in the Pro-Am classification. Behind the best-placed Aston Martin Vantage GT3 of PROsport-Racing, the SCG004c of Glickenhaus Racing LLC finished eighth. In the Am class, debutants Alexey Vermenko and 'SELV' won in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 from JUTARACING. Plenty of variety and thrilling racing in the SP10With eleven cars, the GT4 SP10 class had an extremely strong field at the season opener. Andreas Gülden, Tim Sandtler and Marc Hennerici took victory in the opening race in the Toyota Supra GT4 from TOYO TIRES with Ring Racing. The trio finished 32.198 seconds ahead of Oskar Sandberg, Aaron Wenisch and Nick Wüstenhagen in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 from Dörr Motorsport. Third place was secured by Achim Waver, Claudius Karch, Ivan Jacoma and Kai Riemer, who are driving a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS from Schmickler Performance by Ravenol this year. The champions don't stop winningLast season's title winners picked up where they left off at the 2024 season opener. Champions Daniel Zils and Philipp Leisen won the VT2-R+4WD class together with newcomer Moran Gott in the BMW 330i from Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhatten Wheels. The runners-up in the championship, Heiko Eichenberg, Fabio Grosse and Patrik Grütter, won the Cup 3 class in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS. Robert Wickens uninjured after accidentOn lap 13, Robert Wickens, who was driving a Hyundai Elantra N TCR together with Mark Wilkins, had an accident in the Hohenrain chicane. After an initial examination at the Nürburgring Medical Center, the Canadian was transferred to the hospital in Neuwied by rescue helicopter. A computer tomography scan revealed no injuries. Wickens will remain in hospital overnight for observation. The ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie continues in quick succession. The second race will take place on Sunday and promises to be another exciting one. The 63rd ADAC Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen will run over the usual distance of four hours. Tickets are available at vln.de/tickets and those staying at home can follow the action in the Green Hell via livestream.
07.04.2024
The opening weekend of the ADAC Nürburgring Endurance Series will go down in the history of the Nordschleife championship. Laurens Vanthoor won the race in the Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R with a wafer-thin lead of 0.042 seconds over Jordan Pepper in the RED BULL TEAM ABT Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo II. This was the closest finish in the 48-year history of the NLS. The number of spectators at the double-header was also record-breaking. "That was a dream start to the NLS season," said a delighted VLN Managing Director Mike Jäger. "Two days of thrilling racing action in glorious weather at the Nürburgring in front of a fantastic backdrop - that makes you want more! Many thanks to the participants and fans who made it an unforgettable weekend." Even the early stages of the race were a demonstration of GT3 perfection in the Green Hell. The protagonists who played a role in the showdown at the end of the race were already involved here. In addition, the two Mercedes-AMG GT3s from HRT and the two Falken Porsches fought for every centimeter. The six-pack chased through the Green Hell at intervals of just a few seconds until the first pit stop. After that, the leading group pulled apart somewhat due to different strategies. Later on, the battle between Joel Eriksson in the Falken Porsche and Grello driver Vanthoor, who flew around the track in pairs in the fight for overall victory, was also worth watching. After the final pit stop, the Abt-Lamborghini took the lead when the team benefited from the resolution of a Code 60 phase, which both the Manthey and Falken Porsche had previously driven through at reduced speed. Pepper went into the final lap with a whopping eight-second lead over second-placed Vanthoor. "We would never have been able to make up that gap on the track," admitted Vanthoor's teammate Kévin Estre, even though Vanthoor set the fastest lap of the race in 7:56.473 minutes on the final lap. Nevertheless, it was a close call in the end, as Pepper did not have enough fuel on board for another lap and literally drove against the running clock to avoid having to complete another lap. The Briton was waved off 1.810 seconds after the end of the four-hour distance - and Vanthoor managed the feat of being 0.042 seconds faster. When accelerating out, the front of the Grello moved forward by a few meters. "I tried everything to keep Laurens behind me until the line, but unfortunately it didn't work out," said Pepper and his teammate Kelvin van der Linde was devastated. "I just don't have the words. This is so bitter!" The previous day's winner, Joel Eriksson, completed the podium in third place together with Tim Heinemann at his side in the Falken Porsche. Daniel Juncadella and Frank Bird finished fourth in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Mercedes-AMG Team HRT. Thomas Mutsch, Franck Mailleux and Lance David Arnold finished fifth in the Glickenhaus SCG9004c. Hubert Haupt, Dennis Fetzer and Ralf Aron took victory in the SP9 Pro-Am classification in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Team ADVAN x HRT. At the debut of the new Renazzo Motorsport team, Kiki Sak Nana, Christoph Breuer and 'Dieter Schmidtmann' took their first class win in the Am category. The decision in the Cup 2 of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring was also exciting right to the end. Just 0.282 seconds separated the top two at the finish line. Here, too, the decision was only made in the final meters. In the Tiergarten depression, Tobias Müller in the BLACK FALCON Team 48 LOSCH Porsche 911 GT3 R overtook Peter Terting in the Mühlner Motorsport 911. The gap in the Cup 3 class was clearer, with AVIA W&S Motorsport winning by 1:58.366 minutes over Schmickler Performance powered by Ravenol. Last year's champions have bad luck for the first timeThe champion BMW from Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhatten Wheels has been unbeaten in the VT2-R+4WD class for two years - in all NLS races, the 24h Qualifiers and the Eifel Marathon itself. In race two, Daniel Zils, Philipp Leisen and Moran Gott lost a lot of time after a puncture following contact in the Sabine Schmitz corner. "Philipp was forced to limp back into the pits with the defective tire," explained team boss Matthias Unger. "After that, we wanted to send the car back into the race, but the electronics went on strike. Even clearing the fault memory didn't help." In the end, the trio finished seventh in the class. Malte Tack, Manfred and Matthias Röss thus celebrated the first Toyota victory in the VT2-R+4WD for TOYO TIRES with Ring Racing. Ex-Formula 1 drivers enjoyed the 'Green Hell' challengeFormer Formula 1 driver Timo Glock drove both races in the BMW M240i as part of the Up2Race team with the aim of completing the mandatory laps for the Nordschleife Permit. "I've always had a love of the Nordschleife," recalls Glock. "I used to drive my private car a lot in tourist traffic." Now tackling the Green Hell in a racing car was a special experience for Glock. "I'm used to being close to the fans in the DTM, but people get even closer here. They just come into the pits and look at the cars. The whole atmosphere is a lot of fun. But my personal highlight was the formation lap. The many fans in the Green Hell - it's fantastic." Former Formula 1 driver and Toyota works driver Kamui Kobayashi also had a lot of fun at his race premiere at the Nürburgring. "I enjoyed it," said the Japanese driver. "The Nordschleife is a huge challenge. But it went better from lap to lap. The fact is, I still have a lot to learn." Kobayashi completed both races of the opening weekend together with his compatriot Kazuto Kotoka in the Toyota Supra Evo GT4. His intention was also to obtain the Nordschleife permit, but he kept a low profile when it came to concrete goals: "First of all, I want to keep open the possibility of racing in the Green Hell. Only time will tell when that will be the case." Races three and four of this year's ADAC Nürburgring Endurance Series will take place next weekend (April 13-14). The ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers will provide the protagonists with points for the NLS championship for the first time. The dress rehearsal for the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring (May 30 to June 2) will also feature two four-hour races. Tickets for the ADAC Nordrhein event are available here. Both races will be livestreamed on the NLS channels.
05.04.2024
Racing action, obstacle challenges, two-wheeled rendezvous: April at the Nürburgring is packed with a wide variety of events. Spectators can look forward to no fewer than four races on the legendary Nordschleife. Thousands of motorcyclists are expected to attend the traditional two-wheeler season opener at the end of the month. The Nürburgring Drift Cup also kicks off its season. And even without engine power, there is plenty of sporting action on the Ring: in addition to the "Hotfoot Run", a spectacular obstacle course, athletes from all over Germany come together for the German Judo Individual Championships in the ring°arena. The events at a glance: ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (April 6 & 7)ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers (April 13 & 14)Four races, two weekends, one legendary race track: The ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers (April 13 & 14) and the double-header of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (April 6 & 7) will provide thrilling racing in the Green Hell this month. The basics: Around 100 cars will compete in four-hour races. High-speed GT cars from major manufacturers share the track with near-series touring cars from passionate petrolheads. Their arena: the longest permanent race track in the world. More than 20 kilometers long, it winds its way through the Eifel forests. And best of all: spectators can get right up close. Into the pit lane and the starting grid before the race - there is no better place to take souvenir photos. A highlight is the Saturday race of the 24h Qualifiers. This race continues well into the evening. Anticipation for the popular 24h race at the beginning of June is guaranteed. By the way: VIP tickets are also on sale for both events - with lounge access, treats, expert guides and other exclusive program items. Motorcycle season opening "Anlassen" (April 28)The Nürburgring in biker hands: the traditional "Anlassen" will take place on Sunday, April 28. Three items on the program are also a must at the motorcycle season opening at the Nürburgring in 2024: Firstly, the traditional blessing of the two-wheelers and their machines - combined with the request for a safe journey at all times. Secondly, the joint parade on the Nürburgring Nordschleife: thousands of bikers take a leisurely lap of the most beautiful 20.832 kilometers in the world - an extraordinary experience for the motorcycling community every year. And the colorful hustle and bustle in the paddock of the Grand Prix circuit is not to be missed: More than 20 exhibitors have announced their presence. Two-wheeler shows and demonstrations are also planned again. And best of all: admission to "Anlassen" is free of charge. Hotfoot Run (April 27) On the track, get set, go: at the Hotfoot Run, various obstacles on and off the asphalt are ready to be mastered by the participants. Several thousand runners take part in the obstacle course on the Ring every year. Participants can choose between three routes: 6, 12 or 24 kilometers. Along the way, obstacles with names such as "Spiderman", "Dip Dip Hurra" or "Stairway to heaven" stand in their way. But between the mud, pain and sporting ambition, the Hotfoot Run ultimately focuses on one thing above all: having fun together. Registrations for this year's event on Saturday, April 27, are still being accepted online, with special rates for students and young people. Nürburgring Drift Cup (April 6 & 7)A feast for drifters: the Nürburgring Drift Cup is the first race of the year. In the Müllenbachschleife of the Grand Prix circuit, hot door-to-door duels are once again guaranteed on Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7. The Drift Cup reaches its climax with spectacular battles in which two drivers compete directly against each other. Whoever convinces the judges more is through to the next round. The loser can pack up. Tickets are available online at affordable prices, with discounts for young people up to the age of 17. German Judo Individual Championships (April 13 & 14) The Nürburgring's ring°arena is a true multifunctional talent. Around 3,500 fans have just celebrated the stars of flying darts in the hall at Darts am Ring, and the next event - in the truest sense of the word - is already on the mat. Several hundred judoka from all over Germany will be competing in the German Judo Individual Championships. They are looking for the best athletes in the country in all age groups over 30. If you would like to see the spectacle on Saturday or Sunday, April 13 and 14: just drop by, admission to the ring°arena is free. Events in April 2024: April 06 & 07: ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie 1 & 2 April 06 & 07: Nürburgring Drift Cup 1 April 13 & 14: ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers April 13 & 14: German Judo Individual Championships (over 30s) April 27: Hotfoot Run April 27: RCN & GLP April 28: Motorcycle service "Anlassen"
03.04.2024
Ready, Set, Go! Next weekend, the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie opens the racing season at the Nürburgring - with a double-header. On April 6 and 7, the traditional Nordschleife racing series will kick off races one and two of the season. Former F1 drivers Timo Glock and Kamui Kobayashi will be among those taking part as prominent 'driving students' and the next generation of endurance racing on the Nordschleife. Ex-DTM driver Robert Wickens, who is paraplegic following an IndyCar crash in 2018, will also be making his racing comeback in Germany. Four hours of action on the most beautiful and difficult track in the world are on the program on both days of the event. The race starts at 12 noon. Those staying at home can follow the action in the Green Hell via livestream. > More info & tickets More than a dozen GT3 cars will be on the grid at the Nordschleife opener. There are many favorites for the day's victory, above all the two Porsche teams Manthey EMA and Falken Motorsports. The RED BULL TEAM ABT and Konrad Motorsport are relying on Lamborghini Huracán GT3s. PROsport Racing and Dörr Motorsport will field Aston Martin Vantage GT3s, HRT will enter two Mercedes-AMG GT3s and the Scherer Sport PHX and équipe vitesse teams will field two Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo 2s. The Renazzo Motorsport Team and JUTARACING will make their debut in the NLS. Two new names, familiar faces: Renazzo's Lamborghini will be shared by Thai drift champion Kiki Sak Nana, Christoph Breuer and 'Dieter Schmidtmann', while Alexey Veremenko and 'SELV' will take turns in Juta's Audi R8 LMS GT3. Both drove PETN Cup cars in 2023. Glickenhaus Racing is celebrating a comeback. The racing team led by automotive enthusiast James Glickenhaus is returning to the Eifel with the spectacular SCG004c. In addition to regular drivers Thomas Mutsch and Franck Mailleux, Lance David Arnold will be taking part for the first time. Renowned 'student drivers' strive for big goalsGT3 on the Nordschleife - that is certainly the goal of Timo Glock and Kamui Kobayashi. However, to be allowed to drive the thoroughbred racing cars in the NLS and the 24-hour race, even the celebrities have to go back to driving school. Races must be completed with relatively low-performance vehicles in order to obtain the so-called DMSB Permit Nordschleife (DPN). This is done for safety reasons, as the Nordschleife is not only unique as a race track. In combination with the multiclass field of participants - from production-based touring cars to GT3 racers - it is anything but ordinary. Even for the professionals, it is an impressive experience to see how you are lapped by the big cars. Glock starts in the BMW M240i from Up2Race, Kobayashi in the Toyota Supra Evo GT4 from Toyota Gazoo Racing. Other notable 'student drivers' are the two DTM drivers Jack Aitken, who will start the race in a Hyundai i30N from Walkenhorst Motorsport, Thierry Vermeulen, who will drive a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS from Lionspeed GP, and David Schumacher, who will compete for Teichmann Racing. World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson (Sharky Racing, Audi RS3 TCR) and three-time World Rally Championship runner-up Jari-Matti Latvala (Toyota Gazoo Racing, Toyota Yaris) will be represented from the off-road segment. Inspiration and role model: Robert Wickens returns to GermanyRobert Wickens has proven in recent years that he is a real fighter. Known to German fans primarily through his time as a Mercedes-AMG works driver in the DTM, the likeable Canadian has a very special battle behind him. A racing accident in the US Indycar changed his life abruptly in 2018. The diagnosis: a fractured thoracic spine, a spinal cord injury, a broken neck, tibia and fibula fractures in both legs, fractures in both hands, a broken right forearm, a broken elbow, a concussion, four broken ribs and a bruised lung. The fans were shocked. But anyone who followed Wickens on Instagram quickly realized that he was not willing to accept his situation. His passion for motorsport was too great. Wickens documented his way back in detail. And despite being paraplegic, the first successes soon followed. Wickens fought his way back onto the track. 1,258 days after his accident, he drove his first car race in the American IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in a Hyundai Elantra N TCR in 2022. A year later, he won the TCR championship. Now it's time for the next step: Wickens returns to Germany for the NLS season opener. To race, that goes without saying. Together with Mark Wilkins, he will contest the two 4-hour races for the Target Competition team. The Hyundai Elantra N TCR is equipped with hand throttle control. The daughters and sons of the successful Nordschleife drivers move up the ranksThe names Schall, Fritzsche and Jodexnis are well known to connoisseurs of the scene. The fathers have 199 class victories to their credit. Now the daughters and sons are at the starting line. Daughter Janina is now following in the footsteps of her father Ralf Schall, who took 105 class victories in the NLS alone. Just 19 years old, she is contesting her first NLS race on the Nordschleife with the GITI TIRE MOTORSPORT BY WS RACING team in a BMW 330i in the VT2-R+4WD class. Last year, Janina already gained experience in the performance tests of the Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring. At 36, Pascal Fritzsche, son of five-time NLS champion Heinz-Otto Fritzsche, is also still at the beginning of his racing career on the Nordschleife. He contested his first five Nordschleife races in 2023. At the 2024 season opener, he will compete in the Hyundai i30N Performance from Keeevin Sports and Racing. At 27 years of age, Richard Jodexnis is in the middle of the pack. The son of long-time NLS driver Kersten Jodexnis also made his debut in 2023. This year, he is competing with SRS Team Sorg Rennsport in the GT4 SP10 class in a Porsche Cayman GT4. While Ralf Schall and Heinz-Otto Fritzsche will only be at the Nürburgring as spectators, Kersten Jodexnis is still active himself. Together with Robin Chrzanowski, he will be driving the ClickversicherungsTEAM Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Strong newcomer on the #1Last season's championship-winning team has a strong new addition. In addition to champions Daniel Zils and Philipp Leisen, fast driver Moran Gott will also be competing in the BMW 330i of Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhatten Wheels in 2024. The London-based Israeli has been one of the Adrenalin team's strongest opponents in recent years. Oskar Sandberg, who won the 2023 title together with Zils and Leisen, will compete in Dörr Motorsport's Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in the up-and-coming GT4 class, which is very well filled with 15 cars at the season opener. Two days of full-throttle actionThe 64th ADAC ACAS Cup on Saturday and the 63rd ADAC Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen on Sunday will each run over a distance of four hours. Tickets for the opening race of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie are available for 22 euros (children up to 14 years free of charge) online and at the box offices. These tickets will take you to the open grandstands on the Grand Prix Track, the exclusive spectator areas Brünnchen and Pflanzgarten as well as the paddock, the pit lane, the starting grid and the ring°werk motorsport experience museum. The positions on the grid will be determined on both days during qualifying between 08:30 and 10 am. Fans can then experience motorsport with all their senses during the pit walk from 10:20 and the visit to the starting grid from 11:10. The Nürburgring mascot 'Legend' and the impressive Racebot will also be there on Saturday. On Sunday, Skye & Chase from Paw Patrol, who have become big fans of the NLS in recent years, will be dropping by. The race starts at 12 noon.
15.03.2024
The NLS will become the 'ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie' in 2024. The three ADAC regional clubs Westfalen, Mittelrhein and Nordrhein will take over the title sponsorship of the traditional Nordschleife championship.The ADAC Regionalclubs Westfalen and Mittelrhein are deeply rooted in the VLN - the organization behind the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - either themselves or through local clubs. The ADAC Nordrhein, which as the organizer of the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring has also been shaping endurance racing on the Eifel circuit for many years, is once again joining the series as a partner. "The endurance races at the Nürburgring have always held an important position in the ADAC Westfalen, because in addition to our own sports department and the local clubs from Schwelm, Dortmund and Bochum, many active Westphalians are also involved," says Bernd Kurzweg, Chairman of ADAC Westfalen e.V. The ADAC Mittelrhein is represented in the VLN by MSC Sinzig and MSC Adenau. Chairman Rudi Speich explains: "The Nürburgring is geographically located in our regional club. With our involvement in the VLN, we want to secure the endurance series as a popular sport on the traditional Eifel circuit for the future." Andrea Schmitz, Chairwoman of ADAC Nordrhein e.V., added: "ADAC Nordrhein has been working successfully with the VLN for many years. Together, we have stood for thrilling motorsport in the Green Hell for years and our goal is to continue to do so in the future." Schmitz knows what she is talking about, because in addition to her role as chairwoman, she is also still involved in the race management of the 24-hour race. Mike Jäger, Managing Director of the VLN, is very happy about the new partnership with the ADAC. "With the ADAC Westfalen, the ADAC Mittelrhein and the ADAC Nordrhein, we have had important partners at our side for many years," he says. "Especially in difficult times, it is very reassuring that we can rely on the power of the three regional clubs. This is an important step towards making endurance racing at the Nürburgring fit for the future." Of today's nine VLN shareholder clubs, the Dortmunder Motorsportclub, MSC Sinzig, AC Altkreis Schwelm and the two DMV clubs Renngemeinschaft Düren and MSC Münster were among the founding members of the organizing association in 1976. Endurance races have been held as a series at the Nürburgring since 1977. The ADAC Nordrhein 24-hour race was part of the VLN championship in 1987 and 1988. In 2003, the regional club already hosted a VLN event with the ADAC Eifelrennen. In 2024, the two races of the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers will count towards the NLS. The 48th season will kick off on April 6 and 7 with a double-header. The complete calendar comprises eight races on six dates.
