Sometimes the Nordschleife shows you everything that makes her special in a single weekend. The double-header on 12 and 13 September was one of those: a photo finish under dry Eifel skies on Saturday, survival in pouring rain on Sunday. Two races, two winners and a championship that is still wide open.
NLS 8: Decided in the Final Metres
I've seen plenty of NLS races, but this one stood out. After four hours and 27 laps, Schubert Motorsport took the win with Jens Klingmann, Jordan Pepper and Ugo de Wilde in the BMW M4 GT3 EVO. The margin was 0.308 seconds. That's nothing on a track more than twenty kilometres long.
The action started right from the green flag. Pepper immediately took the lead from David Jahn's Gamota BMW, lost it again, and took it back with a move through Schwedenkreuz where he even used the grass. With 133 cars on track and one Code 60 after another, you simply had no idea who was going to win.
The decisive moment came half an hour from the end. Klingmann and Morris Schuring in the Falken Porsche came up behind the Walkenhorst Aston Martin together, and on the Döttinger Höhe Klingmann dived past. From then on the Porsche was all over him, and in the final laps they ran side by side several times. This is why I love this sport.
Behind them, Max Kruse Racing provided the surprise of the day. Dominik and Marcel Fugel, together with Benjamin Leuchter, claimed a historic third place in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II, including the AT1 class win on alternative fuel. Nobody saw that coming.
NLS 9: Powerboating on the Nordschleife
Sunday was a completely different story. It started dry, but the first rain arrived on lap six, from half distance rain tyres were a must, and in the final hour things got truly wild. The aquaplaning was so bad that drivers had to lift even on the straights.
Falken got their revenge for Saturday. Tim Heinemann set the fastest time in qualifying, a 7:51.957, and together with Morris Schuring won from pole, with Nico Menzel and Flynt Schuring second in the sister car. Two brothers on the podium together, and for Flynt it was his very first GT3 race. A debut to remember
The #48 Black Falcon car had perhaps the craziest story of the day. Tobias Müller missed a Code 60 board, ran into the back of a VW Golf and picked up a drive-through. Then he spun in the rain at the Mutkurve without hitting anything. And still they finished on the podium, with the SP9 Pro-Am win.
For Saturday's winners it was over quickly. Ugo de Wilde slid off at Brünnchen in the first shower. And in the championship, the Adrenalin M240i #650 retired for the first time this season, blowing everything wide open ahead of the finale.
My Cars of the Weekend
BMW M4 GT3 EVO #77 (Schubert Motorsport). From winner on Saturday to retirement on Sunday. That's how brutal the Nordschleife can be.
Porsche 911 GT3 R #44 (Falken Motorsports). Just short on Saturday, unbeatable in the rain on Sunday.
Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II #75 (Max Kruse Racing). On the overall podium running alternative fuel. Respect.
Toyota Supra #524 (SRS Team Sorg Rennsport). The real title drama was in the production cars. Piet-Jan Ooms and Ionuc Catalin Timis arrived in the Eifel level on points with their Adrenalin rivals and won their class on Sunday. They now head to the finale with a four-point lead.
The Never-Give-Up Story: Sorg Rennsport #969
When people talk about a race weekend, it's usually only about the winners. For me, the #969 of Sorg Rennsport was one of the best stories of the weekend.
On Saturday, technical problems forced the car into the pits. Frustrating, but that's part of the Nordschleife, and you hope for a clean race on Sunday. But on Sunday the #969 had to come in with technical problems again. Two days in a row, and in the heaviest rain of the season.
At a moment like that, you'd understand if a team called it a day. But not Sorg. The mechanics kept working, the car went back out, and on Sunday the drivers brought the #969 home to the finish. No trophy, no champagne, but for the team that finish felt just as big as a victory. This is what endurance racing is all about: never giving up, keep working and bringing the car home no matter what.
On to 10 October
Two races, two winners and a championship that will only be decided in the final round. The finale is on 10 October, and of course I'll be there again.
You can find more photos from this weekend on my Instagram or in the galleries on my website.