The “Interessengemeinschaft Langstrecke Nurburgring” (ILN, Nurburgring Endurance Racing Interest Group), a collaborative group founded in 2018 by Olaf Manthey, has waded in in the wake of yesterday’s surprise announcement of an additional 24h Nürburgring Series planned for the 2027 season.
The highly influential ILN is of the opinion that a second series of endurance racing events on the Nordschleife, held in parallel with the existing Nurburgring Langstrecken Series (NLS), would ultimately weaken all those involved and could significantly reduce the number of high-calibre endurance races on the circuit.
There is particular comment aimed at the timing of the announcement, that the proposal to introduce a new and additional series comes at too short notice and comes at the expense of planning certainty for the teams and participants.
“As was the case in 2023 during the dispute over the Nurburgring Endurance Series NES – which ultimately failed – the same principle still applies: two racing series competing in parallel for the limited dates available on the Nurburgring Nordschleife make no sense from the perspective of the teams and participants – in other words, the customers,” emphasises Martin Rosorius, Chairman of the ILN. “Motorsport only works when we work together! We therefore appeal once again to all those involved: sort out your differences and finally pull in the same direction to find an economically sound and long-term viable solution for endurance racing on the Nordschleife. This also means that the ADAC and its three participating regional clubs must adopt a unified stance.”
The ILN has clearly decided to go hard early in the looming and returning crisis between two competing racing interests at the ‘Ring making it clear that the aim of constructive discussions between the individual organisers, the Nurburgring and the ILN (as the representative of the teams and participants) must be to find a viable future for endurance racing at one of the sport’s most beloved circuits.
They make it clear too that discussion and hoped for agreement must also include bringing an end to the long-standing legal dispute between the circuit operator and the VLN, as the organiser of the NLS.
“Looking ahead, the ILN would like to see clear organisational structures and designated points of contact for all endurance races at the Nurburgring,” said Rosorius.
“We remain at the disposal of all parties involved to find constructive solutions, drawing on the collective expertise of the ILN’s members. Planning certainty is of the utmost importance to our teams. We will therefore only consider changes from 2028 onwards.”
The ILN notes too that significantly rising spectator numbers at the 24-hour race and also at the NLS rounds underline that the global boom currently enjoyed by motorsport is also boosting endurance racing at the Nurburgring and that the major investments being made by the circuit operator – for example, to drive forward the digitalisation and modernisation of the historic circuit – are fuelling this positive development.
“We must now capitalise on this potential and utilise the available resources to further develop endurance racing on the Nordschleife,” emphasises Rosorius.
“However, parochialism amongst the racing series and disputes stand in the way of this and jeopardise the NLS’s nearly 50-year-old tradition, which, in the ILN’s view, is worth continuing.”
The ILN was founded in December 2015 on the initiative of Olaf Manthey. Since August 2018, the action group has operated as a registered association. Martin Rosorius is now chair, with Nicolas Raeder (Manthey) as deputy chair. The executive committee also comprises Alexander Böhm (Black Falcon), Daniel Sorg (Sorg Rennsport), Matthias Unger (Adrenalin Motorsport), Ron Moser (Scherer Motorsport), Sven Schnabl (Schnabl Engineering), Ralf Zensen (Racing Group Eifel) and Dirk Adorf (Drivers’ Working Group).
The aim of the ILN is to consistently represent the interests of both large and, in particular, small teams in the Nurburgring Langstrecken Series (NLS) and the Rundstrecken Challenge Nurburgring (RCN), as well as in the 24-hour race on the Eifel circuit.
Pic: Frozenspeed
