RCN Nürburgring: Markert and Harbeck seize series lead

Nearly 170 teams competed in the sixth round of the 2026 Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring (RCN) series, held under ideal conditions on the legendary Nordschleife. The event, dubbed "Rhein-Ruhr," saw a change at the top of the championship standings as Sven Markert and Lars Harbeck (both Berlin, BMW 320i) claimed the series lead. The pair benefited from a fortunate day when their confirmation lap was disrupted by an unexpected Code-60 zone, costing them 250 penalty seconds. However, their rivals faced identical difficulties, allowing the Berliners to secure their fifth H3-class victory of the season. "We simply had luck," Markert explained. "We were quick as usual, but the confirmation time was just not achievable. As new leaders, we're under pressure now, but we'll handle it."

The overall victory went to Michael Luther and Markus Schmickler (Barsbüttel/Bad Neuenahr, BMW M4 GT4), who dominated proceedings to claim their third win of the season. David Vogt and Marc Basseng (Waldfeucht/Rosenbach, Opel Astra TCR) finished second and set a new lap record in the RS3A class. Third place fell to Reinhold Renger and Marc Andreas Riedl (Rothenburg/Hamburg, Porsche Cayman GT4 CS). RCN series manager Willi Hillebrand praised the event: "A successful gathering. This was excellent promotion for motorsport. We now trust that the final rounds will prove equally positive and exciting."

The series continues to attract family teams, with father-son and father-daughter pairings becoming increasingly common. Notable entries included Guido Witz and his sons Benjamin and Niclas (all Switzerland) in the BMW M240i class, with the family trio aiming to compete in the traditional 24-hour race. The event also saw the return of familiar faces to the Nordschleife, including Marco Schelp (Berlin), who competed before emigrating to New Zealand.

In the RCN Light category, Andrea Heim (Gronau, Renault Clio) assumed the championship lead after claiming victory in class 29. Maximilian Weissermel (Oberursel, Porsche Cayman) posted the fastest time of the day in class 30 and moved to second in the standings, while Nikolas Reihsner (Wittlich, BMW M3) dropped to third after encountering difficulties during his confirmation lap.