NLS double-header at Nürburgring: title fight intensifies
The ADAC RAVENOL Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie reaches its climax this weekend with a back-to-back double-header on the Nordschleife. Races eight and nine—the 65th ADAC Reinoldus Endurance Race on Saturday and the 66th ADAC ACAS Cup on Sunday—will each run for four hours, with both starting at 12:00 p.m. The format means every point counts in the championship battle, as this season's standings carry no dropped results. Spectators can attend for 25 euros per day (free for children up to age 14), with tickets available at VLN.de/tickets. A free livestream will be broadcast on VLN.de from 8:15 a.m. both days.
The entry list comprises 136 vehicles from 14 manufacturers, with 26 genuine contenders for overall victory across the SP9 GT3 class and AT 1 alternative-fuel category. The grid features seven brands in the premier class: Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin, Ford, and Lamborghini. Notable entries include Schubert Motorsport's BMW M4 GT3 EVO, the Haupt Racing Team's Ford Mustang GT3, Team KCMG's Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Le Mans winner Kamui Kobayashi, and Max Kruse Racing's three Audi R8 LMS GT3s in the AT 1 class. Dutch driver Loek Hartog, who recently gained international recognition for rescuing rival Ollie Millroy from a burning car during a China GT race in Shanghai, will compete for Dinamic GT in the No. 54 Porsche 911 GT3 R alongside Danish driver Michael Klitgaard Christensen.
In the overall championship standings, the trio of Edoardo Bugane, Yannick Fübrich, and Sven Markert lead with 79 points, having won every race in their BMW M240i Racing Cup class. Alexander Fielenbach and Oskar Sandberg sit second with 64 points in their Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, while the PROsport trio of Anton Abée, Yannik Himmels, and Jörg Viebahn hold third with 56 points. In the NLS Speed Trophy, Schubert Motorsport commands a 121-point lead ahead of 48 LOSCH Motorsport by BLACK FALCON (75 points) and Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol (60 points). The Junior Trophy sees Raphael Rennhofer (Team LIQUI MOLY by BLACK FALCON, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) leading with 55 points, with Santiago Baztarrica positioned as the main challenger at 40 points.
Qualifying sessions run from 08:30 to 10:00 on both mornings, followed by pit walks at 10:20 a.m. and grid walks at 11:10 a.m. Those unable to attend can follow proceedings via the official livestream or "Radio Nürburgring" on rpr1.de and the RPR1 app.