RCN Schwedenkreuz 3-Hour Finale Set for Nürburgring Season Decider
The Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring concludes its 2026 season on 24 October with 140 cars entered for the 3-hour Schwedenkreuz endurance race.
The 2026 Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring (RCN) season comes to a close on Saturday, 24 October, with its traditional finale: the 3-hour "Schwedenkreuz" race. A total of 140 entries have been registered for the eighth and final round of the campaign. The event will get underway at 15:00 on the start-finish straight of the Nürburgring.
The endurance race will be contested over the 24.358-kilometre circuit combination, merging the GP short layout with the Nordschleife. Pit stops and refuelling will take place in the GP pit complex, featuring a mandatory minimum pit-stop time of 10 minutes. The R4 category once again leads the grid with 24 cars entered, followed by 16 starters in H3, 11 cars each in R2A and H4, and 8 teams in RS3A.
Championship leaders and favourites Sven Markert and Lars Harbeck (Berlin, BMW 320i) arrive with an unblemished record in class H3. A final class victory would seal the overall title. Their only remaining challengers are Jens Schneider and Robin Reimer in class R4. To have any chance at the crown, the Schneider/Reimer duo must win their competitive 24-car class—facing rivals such as Sascha Steinhart, Jan Buchwald, and Peter Elkmann (all in BMW 325i machinery)—while hoping Markert and Harbeck fail to win H3 for the first time this year. Third in the standings ahead of the finale is Christian Koch (BMW 325i, class H4).
Decisions also remain open across other classifications. David Vogt (Opel Astra TCR) looks to secure the RCN Overall Winner Cup, while four drivers remain in contention for the RCN Ladies Trophy, led by Lisa Ganser and Sophie Hoenjet in a Seat Leon Cupra. In the RCN Junior-Cup, table leader Elias Funke (Renault Clio RS) tops the candidate list. Other prominent entries include Ralf Schall and Janina Schall in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Andreas Schwarz in a Cupra Leon Super Racer, Alain Dutronc and Torsten Kratz in a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS, Erich Petrich in a BMW M3, and Axel and Andreas Schwelgien in a BMW M3.
On-track action begins on Saturday with free practice at 11:30, immediately followed by qualifying from 11:45 to 13:00, ahead of the race start at 15:00.