14.09.2025
The second race of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie double-header made history in several ways. Frank Stippler and Vincent Kolb scored the very first win for the powerful Ford Mustang GT3 in the Green Hell at the "64. ADAC Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen". The Haupt Racing Team duo ended Porsche’s seven-race winning streak this season. At the finish, their margin over second-placed Tim Heinemann and Benny Leuchter in the Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R was an impressive 2:05.634 minutes. For the second race in a row, Mike Stursberg and Mustafa Mehmet Kaya, today joined by Ben Bünnagel, finished third in the BLACK FALCON Team EAE Porsche. Another emotional highlight came from Klaus Abbelen, who contested his final GT3 race on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, marking his farewell as a driver in the series. For his solo effort, Abbelen was named “Driver of the Race.” The second race day began with a surprise: in qualifying, Alex Fontana took pole position in the Car Collection Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R, which he shared with Artur Goroyan. With a lap of 8:50.741 minutes, the Swiss driver edged out Bünnagel in the BLACK FALCON Porsche by just 0.647 seconds. In the race, however, their joy was short-lived – lasting only about eight minutes. After the opening lap, Saturday’s winners Julien Andlauer and Joel Sturm reclaimed the lead in the Falken Porsche, and for a long time it looked like another victory for the Japanese tire manufacturer’s squad. But with three laps to go, Andlauer went off track while leading on the approach to Hohen Acht. That opened the door for Vincent Kolb, who took over in the Ford Mustang GT3 and went on to take the historic win. “I’m really happy that we could take the first victory with the Ford Mustang GT3 here at the Nürburgring,” said Matthias Meister, head of the Ford Mustang Nürburgring GT3 project at HRT. “We stayed calm throughout the distance, had excellent pit stops, and the car ran flawlessly. Vincent is getting more and more in tune with the Mustang.” Kolb, celebrating his second NLS win, was overwhelmed: “Sensational. I’ve never experienced anything like those last two laps. The fans and the marshals were cheering me on – it was so much fun. Huge thanks to HRT for bringing such a great car to the Nordschleife. The entire team, together with Frank (Stippler), is constantly working on developing the car further. Today was payday at last, and the whole team is over the moon.” While their sister car dropped out from the lead, Heinemann and Leuchter lost significant time before half-distance with a puncture, likely caused by debris on track. “Of course, I had hoped for the win today,” said Heinemann. “But we were unlucky. After that, we tried to make the best of it. In the end, it just wasn’t meant to be.” Guest driver Leuchter was satisfied with his stint at Falken: “I’m extremely happy. I was able to improve a lot compared to yesterday. Thanks to the team for giving me this opportunity. I really hope this wasn’t the last time.” Third place for Stursberg, Kaya, and Bünnagel also brought them victory in the Am category of SP9. The fastest Pro-Am entry was the JUTA Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3, driven by Alexey Veremenko, “SELV,” and double starter Stippler, who finished fourth. Christian Krognes, Mateo Villagomez, and Anders Buchardt brought the Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO home in fifth, just ahead of the Car Collection Motorsport polesitters. Farewell drive at Klostertal CornerKlaus Abbelen, who turns 65 the Monday after the double-header, contested his final race on the Nürburgring Nordschleife at NLS8 – fittingly at the wheel of the Frikadelli Racing Ferrari 296 GT3. Driving solo, he delivered a strong performance that ultimately went unrewarded with a result. Running 11th, he retired with gearbox issues 40 minutes before the finish at Klostertal Corner. Though he managed to limp the stricken Maranello supercar back to the pits, he did not resume the race. “That’s racing – you can’t control the technical side,” said Abbelen. “I was really proud of myself for keeping up so well for so long. I would have loved to see the finish, but there was nothing I could do.” For his effort today, and in recognition of his long-time commitment as driver and team principal of Frikadelli Racing, Abbelen was named “Driver of the Race.” The award is presented by the ILN (Interessengemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring) and decided by the race director, the Drivers’ Association, and the track commentators. Abbelen had already announced before the weekend that his team will return next season with a top driver line-up in the NLS. Key step in the championship battleWith their eighth class win in eight races, Ranko Mijatovic and Nick Wüstenhagen have taken a major step toward the championship. The FK Performance Motorsport duo, competing in the SP8T class with the BMW M4 GT4, now sit at 109 points after accounting for the first of three dropped scores. Just eight points behind are Arne Hoffmeister and Tim Scheerbarth in the Mühlner Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. With two further wins, they too could reach 109 points. Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels, which produced the champions for the past seven years, is currently third in the standings with drivers Philipp Leisen, Daniel Zils, and Philipp Stahlschmidt – and simultaneously leads the Production Car Trophy. However, they are no longer in contention for the title, as even with two more wins they cannot reach 109 points. Only the drivers of Adrenalin’s car #1 still have a theoretical chance. After two retirements during the double-header, they sit fourth in the standings, but could also reach 109 points with two victories. In that case, the title would be decided based on tie-break criteria, such as the best result in the final counted race. The VLN Junior Trophy remains undecided. Noah Nagelsdiek (LOSCH Motorsport by BLACK FALCON) leads by just one point over Harley Haughton (SRS Team Sorg Rennsport). In the Gentleman Trophy, Heiko Eichenberg (SRS Team Sorg Rennsport) still holds the edge over veterans Joachim and Jürgen Nett (Dupré Motorsport Engineering), despite a retirement at NLS8. In the Ladies Trophy, Janina Schall (GITI TIRE MOTORSPORT BY WS RACING) is following in the footsteps of her successful father Ralf Schall, who collected 105 class wins in the NLS. In two weeks, the ninth round of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie will take place. The 57th ADAC Barbarossapreis on September 27 will run over the usual distance of four hours.
13.09.2025
The Green Hell showed its demanding side during the seventh round of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie: rain in qualifying, a drying track during the race, a heavy shower in the final third, and a dry surface again at the end. Julien Andlauer and Joel Sturm in the Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R coped best with these tricky conditions. After 27 laps on the 24.358-kilometer combination of the short layout and the Nordschleife, the duo crossed the line 1:26.737 minutes ahead of their teammates. Tim Heinemann and GT3 debutant Benny Leuchter celebrated second place. Completing the podium were Mustafa Mehmet Kaya, Mike Stursberg, and Tobias Müller in the Porsche 911 GT3 R of BLACK FALCON Team EAE. Plenty of attention was also drawn by four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen, who drove the Lionspeed GP Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS to complete the required laps for his DMSB Permit Nordschleife, level A. From the start, Andlauer and Sturm set the pace. After securing pole position in qualifying, they led every single lap. “It’s always been a dream of mine to race the Falken Porsche on the Nordschleife. To win right away makes it fantastic,” said Sturm. “A perfect start to the weekend.” Leuchter also celebrated his premiere in the Falken Porsche: “You can’t ask for more than to stand on the podium in my very first GT3 race,” the experienced driver said with a smile. Praise came from teammate Heinemann: “What an incredible day. I’m really proud of our two rookies in the team. They delivered an outstanding performance.” Eleven years and 21 days after his last podium, Stursberg returned to the rostrum. Back then, he shared the Haribo Porsche with Norbert Siedler and Uwe Alzen to finish second. “It feels great to finally be back on the podium,” he said. “And this success was the perfect belated birthday gift for Mehmet, who celebrated just a few days ago.” In addition to third place overall, the Black Falcon trio also secured victory in the Am class of GT3 (SP9). Müller had even more reason to celebrate: in the Cup 2 class of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring (PETN), he clinched another class win. “I’m honestly speechless. What an incredible day,” he said. For this extraordinary performance, the Euskirchen-based driver was named “Driver of the Race.” The award is presented by the ILN (Interessengemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring) and decided jointly by the NLS race director, Dirk Adorf (Drivers’ Association), and the track commentators. Fourth place overall meant victory in the Pro-Am category for Christian Krognes, Mateo Villagomez, and Anders Buchardt. Fifth place went to Car Collection Motorsport, making their first Nordschleife appearance of the year. Artur Goroyan and Alex Fontana piloted the Porsche 911 GT3 in Armenian colors. Kiki Sak Nana, Christoph Breuer, and “Dieter Schmidtmann” finished seventh in the Renazzo Motorsport Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo II. Max Verstappen completes DMSB Permit NordschleifeMax Verstappen’s entry in the NLS created an international buzz. For the first time since starting his Formula 1 career, the Dutchman competed in a race outside the premier class. The reason was simple: Verstappen is such a huge fan of the Nordschleife that he used NLS7 to complete the DMSB Permit Nordschleife in category A. He succeeded at the first attempt. In a detuned Cayman from the PETN, he drove 14 laps – meeting the required minimum. The day before, he had completed his DPN training course, which made him eligible to start NLS7 in the “small car.” “I’m happy everything went smoothly and that I got my Nordschleife permit,” said Verstappen. “I really enjoyed it, but that’s always the case here. It was good to experience a race with traffic, both with faster and slower cars. There was also a Code 60 phase, double yellows, and a normal yellow flag. I drove in wet, dry, and mixed conditions. I gained experience in where the grip is and where it isn’t, and I went through a start procedure. It was really valuable to collect more experience on this track.” Runner-up Leuchter congratulated Verstappen on obtaining his Nordschleife permit: “Fantastic to have such an extraordinary driver here in the Green Hell,” said Leuchter. “I met Max once on track today, and I hope we’ll meet again in the future. I think as a pure racer he must have loved today’s race – Nordschleife in the rain is just the absolute highlight!” Mijatovic and Wüstenhagen defend championship leadAfter seven races, Ranko Mijatovic and Nick Wüstenhagen now sit alone at the top of the standings. The FK Performance Motorsport duo scored their seventh class victory in seven races. Sven Markert, Kevin Wambach, and Adrian Rziczny, who were tied for first in the standings before the race, failed to finish for the first time this year and dropped back to third place in the championship. Moving up to second were Tim Scheerbarth and Arne Hoffmeister, whose second place in Cup 2 of the PETN was enough to climb the table.
11.09.2025
On September 13 and 14, the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie double-header will turn into a true motorsport festival.Two four-hour races – one on Saturday, one on Sunday – promise pure excitement and action. At the front of the field, an unexpected debut and a spectacular comeback are making headlines, while the championship battle is heating up with four races remaining. Tickets for the event are available from 25 Euro. Youths up to 14 years of age are admitted free of charge. A special treat for the fans: the AMG grandstand T4A and the Schwalbenschwanz section of the track will be open next weekend. Those who can’t be there in person can follow both race days via livestream. Two BMW teams arrive as championship leaders. Sven Markert and Ranko Mijatovic, teammates at Adrenalin Motorsport last year, are now fighting against each other for the title. Markert shares the BMW M240i Racing (car number 1) with Kevin Wambach and Adrian Rziczny for Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels. Mijatovic teams up with Nick Wüstenhagen and Reinhold Renger in the BMW M4 GT4 for FK Performance Motorsport. Both teams scored five class wins and one second place each. With 90 points, they share the top spot. Just eight points behind are Arne Hoffmeister and Tim Scheerbarth, the 2011 champion. Driving the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Mühlner Motorsport, they also took five class wins but once had to settle for sixth place. GT3 debut for Benny LeuchterWhile the championship is decided in the midfield – as points in the NLS depend on the number of class entries – GT3 teams dominate the race victories. Falken Motorsports, already triple winners this year, field two Porsche 911 GT3 R. Julien Andlauer and Joel Sturm drive the #3, while Tim Heinemann and Benny Leuchter share the #4. For Leuchter, Nordschleife specialist and team principal of Max Kruse Racing, it will be his very first GT3 race. “I’m really excited to start this adventure with Falken, a long-term partner,” says Leuchter. “With Tim I’ve got an experienced teammate by my side. Let’s see what the weekend brings. The throttle’s on the right – flat out!” Max Kruse Racing is also entering two Audi RS3 in the alternative fuels class. Spectacular comebackOn Sunday, the iconic Ferrari 296 GT3 of Frikadelli Racing will return to the Nordschleife. “I’ll try to drive the four-hour race on my own,” announces team boss Klaus Abbelen, while also looking ahead: “For next season, we’re planning a top driver line-up and appearances at the season highlights, including some NLS rounds for sure.” The competition in the GT3 class is fierce. Haupt Racing Team is entering the Ford Mustang GT3, Walkenhorst Motorsport brings an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO, and Renazzo Motorsport fields a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo II. Car Collection Motorsport and BLACK FALCON Team EAE will race additional Porsche 911s, while JUTA RACING and équipe vitesse each send an Audi R8 LMS into the battle. The strongest class remains Cup 3 of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring with 20 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS. Schmickler Performance powered by Ravenol, with Horst Baumann plus Stefan and Markus Schmickler, are leading. Their advantage over Heiko Eichenberg and Harley Haughton of SRS Team Sorg Rennsport is 8.5 points. In both Cup 2 of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring and the VT2 class, 11 cars will compete. Tickets and scheduleDay tickets cost 25 Euro (children up to 14 years free) and are available online as well as at the box offices. They include access to the grandstands at the Grand Prix circuit, the spectator areas Brünnchen and Pflanzgarten, the paddock, pit lane, and starting grid. In addition, the Schwalbenschwanz section will be open during the double-header. The schedule for the 65th ADAC ACAS Cup – hosted by AC Altkreis Schwelm, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year – on Saturday and the 64th ADAC Reinoldus Endurance Race on Sunday is identical. Qualifying runs from 08:30 to 10:00. Afterwards, fans can experience the cars up close: starting at 10:20, the pit walk leads into the pit lane before the grid formation begins at 11:10. The race starts at 12:00 each day. Special guests include Nürburgring mascot Legend and a “Labubu” on Saturday, as well as Captain America on Sunday. In the paddock and between practice and racing on the Grand Prix track, the Falken Drift Show will provide spectacular drift action. Both livestreams start at 08:15. In addition, “Radio Nürburgring” will be broadcasting via rpr1.de and the RPR1.APP.
01.09.2025
September beckons with thrilling action on the track and top-class entertainment off the asphalt at the Nürburgring. Fans can look forward to two-wheeled action from the IDM motorcycles, smoking tyres at the Nürburgring Drift Cup and the special Nordschleife atmosphere at several endurance races. In the ring°arena, comedy fans can exercise their laugh muscles with Carolin Kebekus, and younger visitors can be enchanted by the Disney Channel interactive cinema. The events in detail: IDM – Int. German Motorcycle Championship | 5 to 7 September 2025Germany's most talented motorcyclists at the Nürburgring: from 5 to 7 September, the two-wheeled pilots will battle it out on the approximately 3.6-kilometre-long sprint track. At the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM), fans can watch exciting races in various classes. And best of all, tickets grant access to all open grandstands and the paddock. Here, visitors can get a taste of the pit lane atmosphere and watch the teams prepare up close. Prices are fair and family-friendly: day tickets cost between €5 and €25, and children up to and including the age of 14 enjoy free admission. Nürburgring Drift Cup | 6 to 7 September 2025Sideways is more: The next round of the Nürburgring Drift Cup on 6 and 7 September in the Müllenbachschleife will take place parallel to the IDM. The drivers will prove who has the best vehicle control in spectacular door-to-door duels in their vehicles with up to 1,000 hp. At the end, judges will decide who advances to the next round. Entertaining fun for drift fans of all ages. Day tickets cost €20, and weekend tickets are available for €35. ADAC Nürburgring Endurance Series | 13 & 14 September and 27 September 2025One weekend, two races and 25 kilometres of the Green Hell: that's the double-header of the Nürburgring Endurance Series. The ingredients for an exciting motorsport weekend: more than 100 vehicles compete in four-hour races – one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Lightning-fast GT cars share the most demanding track in the world with production-based racing cars. Spectators can get up close with their ticket (€25). The paddock, pit walk and starting grid can be visited before visitors experience the action from the grandstands and the Nordschleife. VIP tickets (€239) include lounge access, catering, expert guides and other amenities. The next race is scheduled for 14 days after the doubleheader – a classic NLS race on Saturday. Disney Channel Mitmach-Kino | 13 & 14 September 2025Mickey Mouse will once again delight young visitors to the Nürburgring. At the "Disney Channel Mitmach-Kino" on 13 and 14 September, children aged two to seven can sing along, dance, clap and solve puzzles for an hour. On the big screen, Mickey Mouse will be the animated host of a colourful programme. Episodes of popular series such as ‘Bluey,’ ‘Disney Junior Arielle’ and ‘Marvel Iron Man and his Fantastic Friends’ will also be shown. Carolin Kebekus – SHESUS | 20 September 2025Carolin Kebekus brings laughter to the ring°arena: on 20 September, one of Germany's best-known comedians comes to the Nürburgring. In the atmospheric arena on the ring°boulevard, Carolin Kebekus will perform her successful programme ‘SHESUS’ live for the very last time. So if you want to experience Kebekus' popular barrage of punchlines, razor-sharp observations and incomparable humour, don't miss this highlight. Tickets are available from €44.85. ADAC 1000 km Race | 20–21 September 2025The 1000 km Race – a guarantee for legendary racing action at the Nürburgring for decades. For some time now, it has been held as an exciting revival of historic racing cars. In the spectacular main race on Saturday, around 100 racing cars compete in a seven-hour marathon on a combination of the Nordschleife and Grand Prix circuit. Fans can look forward to spectacular touring and GT cars – many from the 1960s to 1980s. New this year is the extensive weekend programme of events. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be various other races featuring racing legends. Events at the Nürburgring – September 2025: 05. – 07.09. IDM – Int. Deutsche Motorradmeisterschaft 06. – 07.09. Nürburgring Drift Cup 06.09. RCN & GLP 13. – 14.09. ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie – Race 7 & 8 13. – 14.09. Disney Channel Mitmach-Kino 20.09. Carolin Kebekus – SHESUS 20. – 21.09. ADAC 1000km-Race 27.09. ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie – Race 9 28.09. RCN & GLP
16.08.2025
Falken Motorsports remains the benchmark in the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. At the KW 6h ADAC Ruhr Cup race, Klaus Bachler and Sven Müller celebrated overall victory after 33 laps in the Porsche 911 GT3 R with start number 3, ahead of their team-mates Dennis Marschall and Nico Menzel. At the finish line, the two Falken Porsches were separated by 5.127 seconds. The Haupt Racing Team made history: Vincent Kolb, Frank Stippler and Patrick Assenheimer drove their Ford Mustang GT3 to third place – the first podium finish for the new GT3 car on the Nordschleife. Fog around the Nürburgring and the Nordschleife meant that the race had to be shortened: instead of the planned six hours, the race distance had to be reduced to 4.5 hours. In the qualifying session on Saturday morning, which was also shortened to 40 minutes, it was Nico Menzel who set the pace with a lap time of 8:10.838 minutes. This put the Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R with start number 4 in pole position and gave his team the best starting position. The first row was completed by the Porsche from BLACK FALCON Team EAE with Daan Arrow, Mustafa Mehmet Kaya, Gabriele Piana and Mike Stursberg. The final phase was particularly exciting. Bachler crossed the finish line again just seconds before the end of the race and added an extra lap – much to the delight of the numerous fans in the stands and around the Nordschleife. ‘We are here to race,’ explained team boss Sven Schnabl. For Bachler himself, it was a perfect debut. His first Nordschleife outing this year ended with a victory. ‘Mega,’ said the Austrian happily. ‘I haven't been able to drive on the Nordschleife this year due to scheduling conflicts. That makes it all the more wonderful to be here today, to win and to celebrate a double victory. Sven did a mega job and put us in a position to be at the front.’ His teammates also drew positive conclusions. ‘After the tough 24-hour race for the Falken team, this was a conciliatory race,’ said Dennis Marschall. ‘We had no problems, and the lap times looked good. Of course, we want to win, but we're satisfied for now.’ Frank Stippler emphasised the significance of the Mustang podium: ‘The first podium finish for the Ford Mustang GT3 on the Nordschleife is a milestone – and we also racked up a few kilometres in the lead. The car is fast over one lap, but we still have work to do over the distance. We've already taken a few steps forward and will use the next races to continue working on development.’ In addition to the overall standings, the classes also provided exciting stories. In the highly competitive Cup 2 class of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring, car number 921 with Arne Hoffmeister, David Jahn and Timi Scheerbarth came out on top. The trio finished sixth in the overall standings. David Jahn caused a particular stir when he was voted ‘Driver of the Race’. This was in recognition of his spectacular and fair overtaking manoeuvre against Carlos Rivas, who had been leading the class until then. Daniel Zils, on the other hand, saw his streak come to an end: after 58 class victories in a row, he had to settle for two second places this time around as a double starter. The most numerous class at the KW 6h ADAC Ruhr Cup race was the Cup2 category of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport with 17 starters. Victory went to car number 962 from W&S Motorsport with Joshua Bednarski and Lorenz Stegmann. Second place went to car number 944 with Leonard and Moritz Oehme from Düsseldorf. The podium was completed by Schmickler Performance powered by Ravenol with Horst Baumann, Stefan Schmickler and Markus Schmickler. The large field ensured thrilling duels throughout the entire race, once again making CUP3 one of the crowd favourites and the heart of grassroots motorsport in the ADAC Nürburgring Endurance Series. After six of ten races, Sven Markert and Kevin Wambach lead the overall standings with 90 points. They are followed by Arne Hoffmeister and Tim Scheerbarth with 82 points. The points difference between the two duos remains unchanged, as both won their class. Falken Motorsports also extended its double lead in the NLS Speed Trophy with the double victory: car number 3 is ahead of number 4 with 160 points to 122 points. The next highlight for the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie is just four weeks away. On 13 and 14 September 2025, the NLS will hold its first double-header of the season. A four-hour race will be held on both days, marking rounds seven and eight of the season.
14.08.2025
The ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) returns from the summer break – and straight away with a highlight: The KW 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen on August 16, 2025, promises extra excitement, with the race running over the 50 percent longer distance of six hours. The sixth of ten season rounds on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife will be hosted by MSC Ruhrblitz Bochum. Fans of the popular Nordschleife endurance series can look forward to the return of the spectacular GT3 race cars from Audi, Ford, Porsche, and Lamborghini. While the frontrunners battle for overall victory, the drivers and teams in the “smaller” classes will fight hard for their own wins and trophies. Can Porsche extend its winning streak?After five wins in a row, Porsche is in a strong position – but the competition smells an opportunity. Leading the charge is Falken Motorsports, fielding two Porsche 911 GT3 R and aiming to repeat their two season victories, including a one-two at the season opener. Standing in their way is the Haupt Racing Team, which recently celebrated its first win with the powerful Ford Mustang GT3 in the ADAC GT Masters at the Nürburgring. In SP9 Pro, the local heroes are among the strongest challengers for the overall win. Alongside the “Falken” cars, long-time NLS entrant Black Falcon will also run a 911 GT3 R. In SP9-AM, JUTA Racing and équipe vitesse will each enter an Audi R8 LMS GT3. Adding visual flair is the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo II from Renazzo Motorsport, another quick contender in this class. From DTM and ADAC GT Masters to the NordschleifeFabio Scherer and Emil Gjerdrum have already proven their skills in high-powered GT3 machinery in DTM and ADAC GT Masters. Now the Swiss and Norwegian drivers are returning to the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. “My clear goal is to race at the 24h event in a GT3 car after attending this year’s edition as a spectator,” says DTM driver Scherer. “The Nordschleife fascinates me – the track, the atmosphere, everything. Ideally, I’d like to race with HRT in GT3 here before the end of this year. But one step at a time.” Driving the Hyundai i30 N from Walkenhorst Motorsport, the two will work towards earning their Nordschleife Permit. They’ll share the #466 Hyundai with Matteo Villagomez. Two Cup specialists and a fast lady at Four MotorsThe Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS from Four Motors will feature a strong driver line-up in the AT class. Alessandro Ghiretti and Robert de Haan, leaders in the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland, will race together with Michelle Gatting, who usually drives for Iron Dames in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Tension in the title fightHeading into the 6h race, current championship leaders Sven Markert and Kevin Wambach boast an almost perfect record in the BMW M240i Racing Cup: four wins and one second place. Hot on their heels are Arne Hoffmeister and 2011 VLN Champion Tim Scheerbarth. In the Cup2 class, they have also taken four wins but stumbled at the 24h Qualifiers with a sixth-place finish in the second race on Sunday. Matching their tally are Heiko Eichenberg and Harley Haughton in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS from Sorg Rennsport in Cup3 – although they scored no points at all in NLS3. Tickets and programmeTickets for the KW 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen are available for €25 (children aged 14 and under free) at vln.de/tickets and at the gate. They grant access to open grandstands on the Grand Prix circuit, exclusive spectator areas at Brünnchen and Pflanzgarten, as well as the paddock, pit lane, and starting grid. The fourth round of the NLS Kart Slalom Championship will again be held on the helipad in the paddock. Qualifying for the best starting positions runs from 08:30 to 10:00. Between qualifying and the race, fans will have plenty of time to get close to the cars and soak up the racing atmosphere: from 10:20, ticket holders can join the pitwalk, followed by access to the starting grid from 11:10. Also making appearances on Saturday will be the Nürburgring mascot “Legend” and Sulley from Monsters, Inc. The six-hour endurance race gets underway at 12:00.
18.07.2025
It's starting again in the virtual Green Hell: On Friday evening, July 18, 2025, the starting signal will be given for the DNLS Community Cup of the Digital Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. Until November, a total of four exciting races await the participants and fans. Like all season races, the first race of the season will also run over a distance of three hours, and as in the DNLS and in the real Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, first-class multiclass racing is on the program – because in addition to the top class SP9, participants will also compete in three other classes. The Community Cup is once again aimed this year at hobby sim racers, who can enter the GT3 class without the need for a real driver. In addition to trophies and prize money of more than 1,000 euros, the best participants can also look forward to wildcards for the 2025/2026 DNLS Winter Season, in which professional teams and drivers from the real Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie will also be competing. Around 120 sim racers have announced their participation in the first race of the season. With Norbert Kiss, who recently extended his winning streak in the European Championship at the Truck Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, a well-known name is drawing attention to the DNLS Community Cup. The Hungarian racing driver will compete in the SP9 class with a Ford Mustang GT3. Also returning are Sven Winter and Michael Teusch, the champions of the DNLS 24/25 season. They will start in the SP3 class with a Renault Clio and are aiming for the championship in the Community Cup as well. In the SP9 class, a total of 20 vehicles from six different manufacturers will be at the start, including the BMW M4 GT3, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO, Ford Mustang GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), Ferrari 296 GT3, and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 2020. Teams in the top class include Falken Simracing, HRT eSports by Coanda, SCHERER eSPORT, Nürburgring eSports, and PROsport SimRacing. In the Cup2 class, 14 vehicles will compete, all of the Porsche 911 GT3 CUP (992) model. Teams such as Pole Promotion Esports and LionGP x fenster.com will be represented. The SP10 class will feature 13 vehicles and three manufacturers, including the Mercedes-AMG GT4, Aston Martin Vantage GT4, and BMW M4 GT4 Evo. In this class, teams such as Team Heusinkveld, Eifel Racing by GTÜ, smillaesports x Entropy, and Jung eSport will be competing for victory. For the SP3 class, 11 vehicles have been announced, all of the Renault Clio type. Among others, teams like Wolf Motorsport, Project 91 x Rauh Racing, and SCHERER eSPORT are represented here. Starting at 7:15 PM, the opening race will be broadcast live on Friday evening on the official YouTube channel of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie here.
05.07.2025
Nico Otto and Timo Hochwind make history: In the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 24h fielded by Max Kruse Racing, the duo claimed the first overall victory for a vehicle powered by alternative fuel at the NLS-Light premiere – and the first ever for Volkswagen in the 49-year history of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. Second place went to the father-son team of Philipp and Richard Gresek in the BMW M4 GT4 from Plusline Motorsport. The podium was completed by Kazuto Kotaka and Miki Koyama, who brought the Toyota Supra GT4 from Toyo Tires with Ring Racing home in third. “Congratulations to Max Kruse Racing and Volkswagen on the first win by a vehicle with alternative fuel,” praised NLS Sporting Director Christian Vormann. The team from Duisburg runs the four-cylinder turbo engine on an E20 gasoline blend from Shell. “This is an important signal – not just for the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, but for grassroots motorsport as a whole. As a platform for sustainable development, we will continue to drive this topic forward.” Final-minute showdownThe final phase of the four-hour race was not for the faint of heart. For much of the race, pole-sitters Benjamin Leuchter and Heiko Hammel looked like the sure winners. But just 15 minutes before the finish, onboard voltage issues struck, and the gearbox could no longer be shifted. Victory instead went to their teammates at Max Kruse Racing, who had been saving fuel throughout and managed the race with one fewer stop. “I still can’t quite believe it,” said Hochwind, who drove the final stint. “A big thanks to Volkswagen and the entire team. The car was perfect today, everything worked flawlessly. It’s a shame about the sister car’s retirement.” Otto added, “We focused on fuel-saving and staying clean. Still, we always remained within striking distance of the lead. In the end, that strategy really paid off. It’s an incredible feeling to stand on top of the podium with a Golf.” The Plusline BMW was able to match Leuchter’s pace during the opening stint. Before the final pit stop, Philipp Gresek even briefly took the lead. Over the race distance, however, the duo had little to counter the fast Golf but held a firm grip on the podium. “A real shame for Max Kruse Racing that their lead car retired,” said the younger Gresek, showing true sportsmanship. “We had a race full of ups and downs. But to win our class and finish second overall is just fantastic.” His father Richard added: “An indescribable feeling. A perfect day with perfect vibes – it doesn’t get better.” He echoed the mood of many NLS-Light participants, as the paddock saw plenty of happy faces under the bright summer sun. The battle for third was also decided in the final minutes. Carrie Schreiner and Janina Schall in the BMW M4 GT4 of GITI Tire Motorsport by WS Racing were penalized 35+11 seconds for falling short of the minimum pit stop time during their final stop. The penalty handed third place to the Japanese duo. “We had strong pace, avoided penalties, and the car ran perfectly,” said Kotaka. “Thanks to the entire Ring Racing crew. I’m overjoyed.” Despite narrowly missing the podium, the all-female ‘Girls Only – Ready to rock the Green Hell’ team still celebrated their best result of the season with fourth place. Another reason for WS Racing to celebrate came courtesy of Fabian Pirrone, Jan Ullrich, and Ulf Steffens, who claimed their first class win ever in the BMW M240i Racing Cup class. The trio benefited from the misfortune of the Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels crew – Timis Ionuc, Will Hunt, and Michelangelo Coazzi – whose final-stint driver first took the lead on the Döttinger Höhe, only to miss his braking point in the last chicane and hit the barriers. Strong showing for Schmickler PerformanceVictory in the Cup 3 class of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring went to Schmickler Performance powered by Ravenol. Stefan Schmickler and Horst Baumann edged out the asBest Racing duo Kim Berwanger and Christian Kohlhaas. Baumann, who celebrated his 61st birthday on Friday, impressed race control and track announcers alike with some great moves – earning him the ‘Driver of the Race’ title, awarded by the ILN (Interessengemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring). Schmickler Performance also took two more class wins: Achim and Volker Waver, together with Maik Rönnefarth, won the SP7 class in a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS. In V6, Christian and Thomas Heuchmer were the top dogs in their Porsche 911. Positive feedback following NLS-Light debutVLN Managing Director Mike Jäger gave a positive summary of the event: “We saw many happy and satisfied faces at the NLS-Light premiere – at the team barbecue on Friday evening and on race day. That’s a great foundation to continue developing this format. Of course, we’d have liked to see a few more cars on the grid, but the teams that did participate got their money’s worth – as did the spectators, who enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere in the pit lane and around the Nordschleife. I was personally thrilled to see so many families with children at the track again.” Youth participation was also a theme in the paddock, where two rounds of the ADAC Mittelrhein Slalom Championship took place. Slalom juniors Tommie Lycklama à Nijeholt and Timon-Etienne Quint claimed victory in Class 1, while Noah Servos and Finn Grube won in Class 2. Who knows? Perhaps one of these names will appear in future NLS results. From Light to Maxi: 6-hour race on August 16Following the successful NLS-Light premiere, the series returns on August 16 with its marathon event. The KW 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen is the season highlight of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. With 50% more race time, more points are up for grabs in the championship. The challengers of reigning champions Sven Markert and Kevin Wambach in the BMW M240i Racing from Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels will be looking to score big.
02.07.2025
“Small ones make it big,” was the motto of the Mini Playback Show back in the 1990s. The same could be said of the premiere of NLS-Light. For the first time in the history of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS), a race will take place without the presence of large and powerful vehicles. This time, others take the spotlight. New faces and familiar names are writing their own stories. A big barbecue party for all teams will take place in the paddock on Friday evening to celebrate grassroots motorsport on the most beautiful racetrack in the world. Tickets for the race start at 25 euros, and youths up to 14 years of age enjoy free admission. Those who can’t attend in person can follow the entire race day via livestream. This coming Saturday, NLS-Light will celebrate its debut on the Nordschleife. Although it’s not an official championship points race, nearly 60 cars have registered for the 4-hour event. While the grid is smaller than that of a typical NLS race, it shows the strong interest from teams in the new format. “NLS-Light is a welcome event to give interested teams a low-barrier entry point to experience the NLS,” says VLN Managing Director Mike Jäger. “From the start, we knew that a date just two weeks after the 24h race at the Nürburgring and with seven federal states already on school holidays wouldn’t work for a regular points round. So we turned necessity into a virtue. Our core values—customer friendliness, professionalism, and strong media coverage—remain unchanged. I’m convinced this will be a successful event for everyone.” This time, a different group of contenders will fight for overall victory. In the absence of vehicles from classes SP9, SP-X, SP-Pro, and Cup 2, GT4s, TCRs, and other race cars move to center stage—including entries from Max Kruse Racing. The team from Duisburg is entering three cars in the AT class, including two of the brand-new VW Golf GTI Clubsport 24h. Drivers Benjamin Leuchter and Heiko Hammel (#19), Christoph Lenz and Jasmin Preisig (#333, Audi RS3), and Nico Otto and Timo Hochwind (#76) will share the cockpits. “We’re incredibly excited,” says Leuchter, who also serves as team principal. “Our stated goal is to fight for the overall win. We’ll be up against more powerful cars, but with our front-wheel-drive cars we have an edge especially in the corners—from Hohe Acht to Galgenkopf, we’ll try to maximize our performance. We’re going all in.” A victory would mark not only the team’s first overall win, but also the first for a car running on alternative fuels. Their rivals in the AT class include Carrie Schreiner and Janina Schall in the BMW M4 GT4 from ‘Girls Only – Ready to rock the Green Hell’. In the GT4 SP10 class, Black Falcon is fielding a BMW M4 GT4 for American drivers Judson Holt, David Ogburn, and Denny Stripling. In SP8T, the Plusline and Schmickler Performance teams are also competing with BMW M4 GT4s. Schmickler also has a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS in SP7, while Extreme Racing enters a nearly identical Cayman. Not to be underestimated are the Cup 3 cars from the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring. One of the top dark horses for the overall win is the Porsche 911 Cup (997) of Aimpoint Racing by Gabionen24.de in the H4 class, driven by Axel and Max Friedhoff, who last competed in the NLS in 2023. A colorful standout in the field is the pink and gray Mitsubishi Lancer CT9A from the Fuchs-Turbo team. This speedy estate car has already earned victories in the Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring. Owner Mario Fuchs and Eugen Weber share the cockpit. “I think NLS-Light is a really cool idea, and we spontaneously decided to take part—even though I wouldn’t have minded racing in a regular event with the big cars,” says Fuchs. “Of course, we looked at how our lap times stack up. And if nothing breaks, we should be in good shape for this race.” The local hero from Grafschaft has prepared meticulously. How did he come up with the idea of racing a wagon? “Back when we built it, the estate version was actually cheaper. Everyone supported the idea: ‘Go for it, people will love it,’ they said. And they were right—the color certainly helps too. We’re really happy with the Lancer. In corners, we lose a bit to the TCR cars, but thanks to the aerodynamics without a wing, we make up ground on the straights.” It’s a return to roots for David Pittard, who normally competes in the NLS in an Aston Martin Vantage GT3. This time, he joins Graham Wilson and Andreas Ecker in a Toyota Supra entered by Jacos Paddock from Barweiler. “I’m excited for NLS-Light! I’ll be racing with my long-time teammate Graham Wilson. It’ll be his first race this year, so a format without the faster classes is a great way to ease back in. We’re running with Jacos Paddock in the new Toyota Supra. Back in 2018, I did my DPN with them and we’ve since become good friends. I rent cars from Jaco when I need them, and I also coach his clients. We have a great relationship.” Bringing new talent into endurance racing is a mission for rent2Drive-racing from Döttingen, right by the Nordschleife. For the NLS-Light premiere, local roots play a major role. Marcel Weber and Richard Schäfer from Adenau want to use this stage to prove themselves with strong lap times. Interest in supporting the two young drivers was high even before the race, with their entry backed by a team-initiated fundraising campaign. A group of Renault Clios will also make a comeback—one of them entered by none other than Reinhard Sesterheim, a five-time class winner during his active racing career. For NLS-Light, he’s entering the “Screwdriver Clio” of Holger Goedicke and Lukas Krämer. “The two drivers were eager to race NLS-Light,” he says. “I couldn’t say no to that. The Nürburgring is home for me—I live just 15 kilometers away.” Sesterheim fondly remembers the golden Clio era, when up to 30 of the cars would compete: “In 2011, we won the Cup class with Dominik Brinkmann and Stephan Epp and became vice champions in the VLN.” Epp will also be part of NLS-Light, sharing a Renault Clio III Cup from aufkleben.de – Motorsport with Michael Uelwer and Timo Kaatz. NLS-Light is also the first opportunity for drivers to compete with a national-level A license. One of them is Paul Winter, who shares a BMW 325i from EiFelkind Racing with Markus Fischer and Henning Hausmeier. “I’ve had all the results needed for the international C license for a while now, and I’ve even filled out the application,” says Winter, who has been racing in the RCN since 2022. “But the social media post that a national A license is sufficient for NLS-Light came just in time last week and gave me the push I needed to finally make the jump into the NLS. The performance tests in the RCN are great, but racing on the Nordschleife for real and fighting for positions has been a lifelong dream that’s now coming true. I’m thrilled.” The NLS-Light premiere follows the usual schedule of the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. Qualifying runs from 08:30 to 10:00. The pitwalk starts at 10:20, followed by the grid walk at 11:10, offering fans a full sensory experience of motorsport. Also on-site on Saturday: Racebot and Nürburgring mascot “Legend.” The race begins at 12:00. The new VLN fan collection will be available in the paddock. The livestream kicks off at 08:15 and runs through the entire race day.
