Nürburgring 24 Hours 8 hour update: Grello holds firm, drama shakes top contenders

After the red flag caused by a power outage, the The 53rd ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring resumed with the #911 Manthey EMA Porsche, driven by Thomas Preining, holding a commanding lead. However, the battle for the podium has been shaken by a series of dramatic incidents. The #33 Falken-Porsche, which had been running a strong second, was eliminated in a heartbreaking head-on collision with the #94 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup at Ravenol-S. The #98 Rowe-BMW, now in second, narrowly avoided the same crash but carries a 32-second penalty for an earlier collision. Meanwhile, the defending champion, the #1 Scherer-Porsche, retired early due to accident damage, leaving the field wide open for new contenders.

Race Resumes with Manthey and Falken in Control

Following the red flag, the starting grid was set based on the classification two laps prior to the interruption, per regulations. This placed the #911 Manthey EMA Porsche and the #33 Falken Motorsports Porsche at the forefront. Both cars maintained their positions through the early stages post-restart, with Estre setting a blistering pace, including a new fastest race lap of 8:12.532 at 8:36 p.m., averaging 185.492 kph around the 25.378 km circuit.

Behind them, the #98 Rowe Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO, driven by Augusto Farfus, Jesse Krohn, Raffaele Marciello, and Kelvin van der Linde, showcased a stellar climb. Starting the resumed session in fifth, van der Linde executed two key overtakes: passing the #45 Ferrari 296 GT3 of Perel/Fernandez Laser/Jefferies/Neubauer at 8:13 p.m. at the end of the start/finish straight to claim fourth, and then overtaking the #14 Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Engel/Martin/Schiller/Stolz at 8:26 p.m. on the GP track section to secure third. By the five-hour mark, Rowe Racing’s BMW sat firmly in the top three, trailing the leading Porsches.

Incidents and Drama Unfold

The restart brought immediate challenges for several teams. At 8:22 p.m., Christopher Haase in the #1 Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II ran onto the grass in the Kesselchen section while avoiding the slower #34 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO. Haase lightly tapped the Aston Martin before brushing the guardrail. A quick pit stop for checks, refueling, and a tire change allowed the Audi to continue without major delay.

Elsewhere, the #8 Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II of Veremenko/SELV/Erhart/Kaffer spun at the Swallowtail approach at 8:46 p.m. but rejoined the race unscathed. The #45 Ferrari 296 GT3 struggled post-restart, dropping from fourth to 22nd by the 12th lap, highlighting strategic or performance issues.

The #170 Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Kinoshita/Tischner/Tönges was involved in a collision at 8:10 p.m. in the Ravenol-S section, hitting the #939 Mühlner Cayman at the end of the start/finish straight. Heiko Tönges later commented, “We had a good start, but I passed a Cayman on the inside while another was on the outside, using the full track width. We’re both partly to blame.” Both cars sustained damage but continued, with Tönges noting potential radiator issues.

At 8:45 p.m., the #677 BMW M240i Racing Cup of Alpiger/Neuhauser/Seibel/Tauber triggered a brief Code 60 in the Schwalbenschwanz after a collision at checkpoint 179, but the car managed to turn around and continue. Meanwhile, the #945 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport reported heavy smoke and power loss at Döttinger Höhe at 8:34 p.m., with Otto Klohs stating, “We’re investigating to avoid total engine failure.”

The #959 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, driven by Eichenberg/Haughton/Simon/Cate, faced trouble at 8:49 p.m. after contact with the #98 Rowe BMW at Kallenhardt. Björn Simon reported, “Peter Cate was hit by the Rowe BMW, causing a head-on collision. The suspension is bent, and the radiator is likely defective. We’re working on repairs.”

Six-Hour Mark: Catastrophic Collision Shakes Up the Order

As the clock passed the six-hour mark, a dramatic incident altered the race’s complexion. The #94 Sante Royale Racing Team Porsche, driven by Stefan Kiefer, was tapped into a spin at the first chicane, leaving it stranded in the middle of the track. The second-placed #33 Falken Motorsports Porsche, with Julien Andlauer at the wheel, arrived unsighted and collided head-on with the stranded car. Andlauer limped back to the pits, where the Falken team began extensive repairs, dropping them from contention for the lead.

This incident elevated the #98 Rowe Racing BMW into second place, capitalizing on their earlier gains, while the #911 Manthey EMA Porsche maintained its lead, unscathed by the chaos behind. The #14 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed entry moved into third, with the top three now separated by mere seconds after five hours, as shown in the official standings.

Teams Battle Through Challenges

Despite setbacks, teams like the #77 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS demonstrated resilience. After replacing its entire engine during the red flag period in an impressive 2 hours and 45 minutes, the car rejoined six laps down but was back in action by 8:36 p.m. Hubert Haupt in the #63 Ford Mustang GT3 noted tire pressure and temperature issues, stating, “I had to take it easier on the last two laps due to rising tire pressure and temperature.” Meanwhile, Steve Brown in the #150 BMW M4 GT4 EVO emphasized a cautious approach, saying, “We played it safe at the start, focusing on the long game for the night stint.”

The 2025 ADAC Ravenol 24 Hours of Nürburgring has reached the eight-hour mark, with the #911 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), affectionately known as “Grello,” maintaining its lead despite a chaotic restart following a red flag. The race has seen intense battles, strategic pit stops, and devastating incidents, with the Nordschleife living up to its reputation as a relentless challenge. Here’s the latest from the Green Hell as night falls over the Eifel mountains.

Key Moments Since the Restart

#911 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) (Estre / Güven / Preining / Pilet): The “Grello” continues to dominate, with Thomas Preining pushing hard to maintain the lead. A pit stop at 10:16 p.m. for a tire change saw Preining remain in the cockpit, keeping the car’s rhythm strong. Kevin Estre earlier noted the car’s pace but highlighted challenges with traffic, stating, “I felt like I had a lot of bad luck in traffic, but the car feels good.”
#33 Falken-Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) (Andlauer / Menzel / Müller / Picariello): Disaster struck at 10:02 p.m. when Julien Andlauer collided head-on with the stranded #94 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in Ravenol-S. The crash ended the team’s race, with Andlauer lamenting, “We were doing well, getting the most out of it… It’s a real shame.” Nico Menzel added, “This feels like a bad dream. We had every opportunity to win.”
#98 Rowe-BMW M4 GT3 EVO (Farfus / Krohn / Marciello / van der Linde): The Rowe-BMW inherited second place after the #33’s demise but faces a 32-second penalty for a collision with the #959 Porsche 718 Cayman. A driver change at 10:39 p.m. saw Jesse Krohn take over from Raffaele Marciello. Hans-Peter Naundorf noted, “We can be happy to be in second place… We feel quite comfortable in the cooler temperatures.”
#1 Scherer-Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): The defending champions suffered an early exit due to accident damage, with Luca Ludwig limping to the pits at 10:55 p.m. after an impact. The team’s hopes of a repeat victory were dashed early.
#14 Mercedes-AMG GT3 (Engel / Martin / Schiller / Stolz): A promising run ended abruptly after a pit stop at 10:37 p.m. revealed a loss of traction. Maro Engel exited the car, and Fabian Schiller reported, “Apparently, we’ve lost all the traction. It was a tough two and a half hours out there.” The car was pushed back to the pits, signaling the end of their race.
#64 Ford Mustang GT3 (Olsen / Maini / Stippler / Owega): A strong recovery from an earlier puncture was halted by a crash at Schwedenkreuz at 10:44 p.m. Frank Stippler escaped unharmed, but the car was too damaged to continue. Team Principal Ulrich Fritz said, “The car is pretty badly damaged… But the important thing is that Frank Stippler is fine.”

Class Battles and Notable Performances

SP7 Class: The #909 Ertl / Ertl / Ertl / Benndorf Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) leads a tight battle, with Lukas Ertl taking over at 10:51 p.m. However, a brake issue reported by Maxi Ertl threatens their lead, with the #80 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 just two seconds behind. The #97 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (997) remains in contention, less than 30 seconds back.
SP4T Class: The #88 Subaru WRX, once leading by three laps, lost its advantage after extended pit time, handing the lead to a new contender in the class.
Production Cars: The #500 BMW 330i, driven by Oskar Sandberg, holds the lead among production cars, showcasing consistent pace in a field plagued by incidents.
GT4 Class: The #150 BMW M4 GT4 EVO, with Jimmy Broadbent at the wheel, is closing in on the leading McLaren of Dörr Motorsport, now just five seconds behind.

Driver Quotes and Insights

Danny Soufy (#7 Lamborghini Huracan GT3): “The traffic is as crazy as ever… The sun was difficult because I didn’t have the right visor. I often went into corners blind.”
Max Kruse (#10 VW Golf 7 GTI TCR DSG): “It’s different running around in 30-degree heat or in the car in 80-degree heat. That’s why you’re pretty exhausted after eight laps.”
Henry Walkenhorst (#30 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO): “The 50, 55 degrees we have in the car are really manageable… There was a lot going on outside, including some heavy stuff.”
Dorian Boccolacci (#44 Falken-Porsche 911 GT3 R): “This is my first 24-hour race in a GT3… Unfortunately, our sister car had an accident.” The team now faces a slow puncture, forcing a pit stop.
Samantha Tan (#317 MINI John Cooper Works Pro): “It’s incredible here, the atmosphere is crazy… It’s completely different for me. People don’t give enough credit to the drivers in the slower cars.”

Incidents and Penalties

Penalties: The #13 VW Beetle RSR, #50 Audi R8 LMS GT3, #140 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, #466 Hyundai I30N, #786 Lamborghini Huracan GT3, and #17 Mercedes-AMG GT3 all received time penalties for pit lane speed violations or insufficient pit stop times, ranging from 30 to 93 seconds.
Crashes and Recoveries: The #982 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 suffered a significant crash at Hohenrain but is being repaired. The #170 Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 stopped with a technical issue at Quiddelbacher Höhe, while the #300 Dacia Logan faces potential clutch damage, limping back to the pits.

Looking Ahead

As the race moves deeper into the night, the cooler temperatures are expected to improve track conditions, potentially leading to faster lap times. However, the high number of Code 60 zones and accidents underscores the Nordschleife’s unforgiving nature. The #911 Manthey EMA Porsche remains the car to beat, but with the #98 Rowe-BMW and other contenders like the #27 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 lurking, the fight for the podium is far from decided. Teams will need to balance speed with reliability to survive the remaining 16 hours of this grueling endurance classic.

Stay tuned for further updates as the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours continues to unfold!