A Lamborghini wins the 3 Hours of Nürburgring

SRO

Jul 29

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Nürburgring. Franck Perera, Marco Mapelli and Jordan Pepper in the #163 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 winners of the 3 Hours of Nürburgring.

Even though the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 has demonstrated being fast during this season and definitively the #163 Grasser Racing Team one, it never won a Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered By AWS Endurance Cup race the last three seasons! The 3 Hours of Nürburgring was the first since 2021 with the #163 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 dominating the race from lap 1 till checkered flag.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Nürburgring. Patric Niederhauser in the pole sitting #96 Rutronik Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R lost his lead in the first lap due to a flat tire after a contact with Ferrari #71 and Mercedes #48.

The 3 Hours of Nürburgring was almost played in the first lap as the GRT Grasser Lamborghini took the lead to keep it until finish despite being under pressure during the two first hours by Lucas Auer - Maro Engel in the #48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann Filter Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. Daniel Morad in the #48 Mercedes was even in the lead after pitting but Franck Perera (#163 Lamborghini) took the lead back in the first curve.

#163 GRT Grasser Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 in front #48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann Filter Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at Nürburgring. At the spin, after the first lap, #163 GRT Grasser Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 took the lead to keep it until finish despite being under pressure during the two first hours by Lucas Auer - Maro Engel in the #48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann Filter Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO

Last minute drama for podium seats

Ayhançan Güven and Dorian Boccolacci in the #22 Schumacher CLR Porsche 911 GT3 R were in third for almost the whole race distancianted by Engel and Auer in the #48 Mercedes during the first two stints. Laurin Heinrich (#22 Porsche) came back in the bumpers of Morad’s #48 Mercedes to pass him for P2 in the spin with 3 minutes to go!

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Nürburgring. #22 Schumacher CLRT with Bocolacci, Heinrich and Güven on board.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Nürburgring. Lucas Auer, Maro Engel and Daniel Morad in the #48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann Filter Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO.

6 different makes are represented in the top 6.

Ricardo Feller, Alex Aka and Christopher Haase with the #99 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 end fourth.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Nürburgring. Mattia Drudi was the fastest with #007 ComToYou Aston Martin Vantage GT3

Philipp Eng, Marco Wittmann and Nick Yelloly on board of the #98 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 end fifth after Nick Yelloly worked its way up from 13th place to fourth in the first hour. However, due to a too-short pit stop, the trio had to serve a 15-second penalty which took away all chances of a podium finish.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Nürburgring. Nick Yelloly on board of the #98 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 during first stint.

Philipp Eng (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 5th place): “Unfortunately, we didn't have an optimal qualifying, which is why we only started from 13th place but the car was strong, even in the race. We made many good changes, the balance was really good. Of course, it was a pity that we received the penalty. That can happen. Much more wouldn't have been possible towards the front anyway but the team did a great job, we drivers didn't make any mistakes - and fifth place is a good result." Source: BMW Group

Nicki Thiim, Mattia Drudi and Marco Sørensen in the #7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage EVO end 6th following a penalty for the squad. The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa winners keep their place at the top of the Endurance Cup standings (team and driver) thanks to the misfortune of Augusto Farfus, Dan Harper and Max Hesse who end 11th after a contact in the “Mercedes Arena” followed by a spin which relegated the #998 BMW M4 GT3 to 29th place after just a few corners.