Welcome back to the Ring: after a one-year break, the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS returns to the Nürburgring this season for a three-hour Endurance Cup race from 28-30 July. This means that the world's largest GT series will be coming to the Eifel with an international field of starters.

Eight manufacturers are represented in the expected field of more than 50 cars, including the German heavyweights Audi, BMW, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche. The best-known participant is nine-time motorbike world champion Valentino Rossi, who will be driving a BMW M4 GT3 (turbo in-line six-cylinder with 3 litres of displacement and up to 590 hp) for WRT.

"Il Dottore", who was appointed official BMW M works driver over the winter, shares the car with the legendary start number #46 with his two works driver colleagues Maxime Martin from Belgium and the Brazilian Augusto Farfus. The Italian will be competing on the Nürburgring GP circuit for the first time. 

Rossi and his Team WRT crewmate Maxime Martin finished on the podium at the Sprint Cup round at Brands Hatch, a result that clearly meant a lot to the seven-time world champion. "I am so happy with this second place and first podium," Rossi said after the race. "A podium is always special, but the first podium even more so."

On this occasion Rossi was cheered on by a large crowd of passionate fans, most of whom wore his famous colours. Rossi is also very popular in Germany and has already celebrated many successes, including four victories in the motorbike premier class at the Sachsenring.

The Italian has expressed an interest in one day competing in the ADAC TotalEnergies 24h Nürburgring at the Nürburgring and will no doubt have his eye on the Nordschleife. For now, however, he is focused on continuing his progress in the Fanatec GT Europe on four wheels alongside his Endurance Cup teammates Martin and Augusto Farfus.

Alongside Rossi, the grid is made up of leading factory drivers, including top German talent Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG), Chris Mies (Audi), Christian Engelhart (Porsche) and Marco Wittmann (BMW), who will all be competing in Pro cars. Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari and McLaren are also part of the top-class starting field.

Fanatec GT Europe event at the Nürburgring starts on Friday 28 July and runs throughout the weekend. The highlight is the three-hour race, which starts on Sunday

Information & tickets are available here.