NLS 4: the only GT3 pro surviving the storm wins

NLS

Aug 7

ADVAN x HRT’s #9 Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Salman Owega, David Schumacher and Hubert Haupt claimed victory of the ROWE 6 Stunden ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen this Saturday at the Nürburgring Nordschleife ahead of three Cup 2 Porsche 911 GT3 R Cup after a downpour of rain eliminated eight of the top SP9 contenders.

Mercedes tops qualifying

3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 did top the morning qualifying session with #48 Mercedes Amg Team Landgraf ahead of both ADVAN x HRT #6 and #9.

📷 Luc Warnotte at NLS 4 2024. #48 Mercedes Amg Team Landgraf and ADVAN x HRT #9 leading the pack during formation lap.

The Grello withdraw

Since Friday early evening accident involving an exploding pressurized cylinder injuring 22 people, Manthey EMA decided to withdraw its Grello-liveried #911 Porsche 911 GT3 R from the ADAC Ruhr Cup. Thomas Preining, Ayhancan Guven and Laurens Vanthoor have not been able to share the “Grello”, looking for a second win (NLS2) or a fifth podium after two P2 (NLS 1 and 3 and one P3 at NLS 4).

📷 © Luc Warnotte at 24 Hours of Nürburgring 2024. #911 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) with Vanthoor, Preining, Estre, Güven were second, 0.603 sec. behind the winners.

Eight GT3 contenders out

📷 Luc Warnotte at NLS 4 2024. Three Porsche 911 GT3 R enter the Mercedes Arena end of lap 1 (#5 Herberth Motorsport, #54 Dinamic GT and #4 Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R of Nico Menzel) ahead of Jules Gounon in the #48 Team Landgraf GT3 and #17 PROsport Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

When cars were exiting the Grand Prix track entering the Nordschleife in the beginning of their second lap, a downpour of rain eliminated eight of the top SP9 contenders in two pile-ups.

📷 Luc Warnotte at NLS 4 2024. From top left to bottom: Then leading Porsche entries from Herberth Motorsport (5) and Dinamic GT (54), Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Rs of Nico Menzel (#4), Jules Gounon in the #48 Team Landgraf GT3, #17 PROsport Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Alex Lynn’s #3 Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R, #35 Walkenhorst Motorsport, Alexey Veremenko’s #8 JUTA Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II all eliminated in two pile-ups.

New start after 1 hour 45’ red flag

Surviving #9 Team Advan X HRT Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo took the lead from second start at 2pm to distanciate two GT3 Audi (#33 and #50) and #25 Porsche.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at NLS 4 2024. Second start exiting Grand Prix track

While the Audi and Porsche contenders were descending the overall ranking, Salman Owega, David Schumacher and Hubert Haupt in the #9 Team Advan X HRT Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo secured an easy victory in the ADAC Ruhr Cup, 3:29.597 clear of the #148 Black Falcon Team 48 Losch Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Steve Jans, Tobias Mueller and Gabriele Piana.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at NLS 4 2024. Salman Owega, David Schumacher and Hubert Haupt in the #9 Team Advan X HRT Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at NLS 4 2024. #148 Black Falcon Team 48 Losch Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Steve Jans, Tobias Mueller and Gabriele Piana

Three remaining SP9 behind three Cup2.

The SP9 Am-winning #50 Equipe Vitesse Audi R8 LMS GT3 piloted by Michael Heimrich, Lorenzo Rocco and Arno Klasen ended fifth overall behind three Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

The best of the two remaining Pro-Am GT3, the #25 Huber Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R driven by Hans Wehrmann, Joachim Thyssen and Thomas Kiefer finished 11th overall while the #33 Car Collection Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT3 driven by Alex Fontana, Klaus Koch, Florian Spengler and Johannes Stengel crossed the line two places further back in 13th.

📷 © Luc Warnotte. From left to right: #50 Equipe Vitesse Audi R8 LMS GT3, #25 Huber Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R, #33 Car Collection Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT3.

Next NLS races

NLS5 on October 19 and NLS6 on November 16.