The always unnecessarily confusing qualification process for the 2023 ADAC TotalEnergies 24h Nürburgring continued over the weekend with a pair of qualifying races ahead of the German classic, which takes place this year from 18-21 May.
A global first-ever overall victory for the new Ferrari 296 GT3 came in Sunday’s 4-hour race with the #30 Frikadelli Racing Ferrari taking the win in a 62-car race, Earl Bamber, Nick Catsburg, David Pittard and Felipe Fernandez Laser edging out the winning car from Saturday’s 2-hour race, the #2 GetSpeed-Mercedes-AMG of Adam Christodoulou and Dani Juncadella.
Tim Heinemann and Martin Ragginger in the #44 Falken Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R completed the Sunday podium ahead of the #16 Scherer Sport Audi and the #911 Manthey Porsche.
The Ferrari took control of the race from the start, passing both front-row qualifiers, the Porsche 911 GT3 Rs of Falken Motorsport (#33) and the #24 of Lionspeed by Car Collection Motorsport.
The GetSpeed AMG’s Saturday victory came over the #911 Manthey and #24 Lionspeed by Car Collection Motorsport.
Martin Tomczyk, Timo Scheider and Mike Rockenfenfeller brought their Audi home in fourth after a last-lap overtake on the Frikadelli Ferrari, crewed in the two-hour race by Earl Bamber and David Pittard.
The races also saw the Nurburgring race debut for the new Mercedes AMG GT2, two cars running in both races in the SP-X class with the #46 Team HRT car of Frank Bird and Elia Erhart coming home 27th overall on Saturday and in a fine 14th place overall on Sunday when the pair were joined by Thomas Jäger and Jörg Viebahn. A second AMG GT2, the #222 run by Team Schnitzelalm had engine troubles on both days scoring a double DNF.
KCMG meanwhile scored a double win in SP10 for their Toyota GR Supra GT4 Evo, Josh Burdon and Eduardo Liberati taking victory on both days and getting the Supra into the top 120 on Sunday.
Images courtesy of Frozenspeed
