The 52nd edition of the 24-hour Nürburgring race unfolded under challenging conditions, with dense fog shrouding the iconic Nordschleife circuit. Despite the adverse weather, the endurance event provided thrilling moments and unexpected twists.

Limited Racing Hours

Only a brief window of approximately seven and a half hours allowed for regular racing conditions before a prolonged break of over 14 hours ensued. Ultimately, the race concluded with just five formation laps behind the safety car. The provisional results indicate that the #72 BMW M4 GT3, fielded by BMW M Team RMG, secured third place. However, the official final result remains pending.

BMW M4 GT3 Battles

The #72 BMW M4 GT3, adorned in the design of BMW M Motorsport Premium Technology Partner Shell, started from pole position with high hopes of victory. Its driver lineup featured Max Hesse (GER), Dan Harper (GBR), and Charles Weerts (BEL). Meanwhile, the ROWE Racing #98 BMW M4 GT3, piloted by Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Marco Wittmann (GER), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Augusto Farfus (BRA), secured seventh place. The #99 BMW M4 GT3, shared by Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), Robin Frijns (NED), and Farfus, led the race early on but retired due to an unavoidable accident.

Turbulent Start

The 24-hour race began with rain on the starting grid, turning tire choice into a lottery. The #72 BMW M4 GT3 and the #98 BMW M4 GT3 both switched to drying wets after the formation lap, while the #99 car had already started on those tires. Farfus impressively charged from seventh on the grid to the front within 20 minutes.

Unfortunate Retirement

Tragedy struck the #99 BMW M4 GT3 in the fourth hour. While lapping, van der Linde was hit on the left rear by a slower car, resulting in a collision and retirement. The fight for victory ended abruptly against the track barrier.

Fog-Induced Suspension

As fog thickened over the Nordschleife, the race was suspended at 23:22. At that point, the #72 car held second place, and the #98 car was in seventh. After the extended break, the field returned to the track behind the safety car for five formation laps. The order was determined based on standings before the red flag, considering accrued pitstop times. The #72 secured third place, while the #98 finished eighth after a pit stop.

Class Victories

BMW M Motorsport teams celebrated nine class victories. Notably, in the SP10 class, FK Performance Motorsport achieved a one-two finish with the BMW M4 GT4. The SP8T class saw the BMW M4 GT4 claim all three podium spots, including former BMW M works drivers Timo Glock and Timo Scheider.

Class Winners Overview:

• SP10: #188 BMW M4 GT4, FK Performance Motorsport (Maxime Oosten, NED; Nick Wüstenhagen, Nick Hancke, Lorenz Philipp Stegmann, GER)
• SP8T: #145 BMW M4 GT4, Cerny Motorsport (Timo Glock, Timo Scheider, GER; Jeroen Bleekemolen, NED; Peter Cate, GBR)
• M240i: #650 BMW M240i Racing, Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels (Sven Markert, Philipp Stahlschmidt, Nick Deißler, GER; Ranko Mijatovic, SUI)
• SP3: #275 BMW 318ti (Marc David Müller, Christopher Groth, Alexander Becker, GER)
• SP4: #152 BMW 325CI (Ingo Oepen, Henrik Launhardt, Thorsten Köppert, GER)