Samwise Sportscar & Endurance Newsletter
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Record 161-Car Field Takes Green Flag at 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours
The 2026 ADAC RAVENOL 24 Hours of Nürburgring got underway Saturday afternoon at 15:00 local time, sending the largest field since 2014 — 161 cars — charging into the Green Hell for the flagship endurance event. The race, a round of both the Intercontinental GT Challenge and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, spans the full 25.3-kilometre Nordschleife and runs until 3 PM Sunday. The SP9 class for GT3 machinery attracts factory-backed entries from Lamborghini, Mercedes-AMG, Audi, BMW, Porsche, and Ferrari, making it one of the deepest GT3 grids assembled anywhere in the world this season.
Sources: 24h-rennen.de
Lamborghini Locks Out Nürburgring 24H Front Row in Top Qualifying
Red Bull Team ABT secured a commanding Lamborghini front-row lockout for the 2026 ADAC RAVENOL 24 Hours of Nürburgring, as Luca Engstler set the fastest time in the Top Qualifying 3 shootout on Friday, clocking 8 minutes 11.123 seconds around the 25.3-kilometre Nordschleife. Team-mate Marco Mapelli in the sister No. 130 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 followed in second with an 8:11.468, giving Lamborghini a front-row lockout. Christopher Haase in the No. 16 Scherer Sport PHX Audi claimed third, with the fourth-placed Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG immediately behind. Lamborghini’s strong qualifying pace makes the marque the clear pre-race favourite for Saturday’s 24-hour start at the Green Hell.
Sources: Daily Sportscar
Verstappen Qualifies Fourth for Nürburgring 24 Hours Debut at the Nordschleife
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen will start his 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours debut from fourth on the 161-car grid after a tense Top Qualifying 3 session on Friday at the Nordschleife. Sharing the No. 3 Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO with Lucas Auer, Dani Juncadella, and Jules Gounon, Juncadella clocked an 8:12.005 in the decisive session, placing them 0.882 seconds behind pole-sitter Engstler. Verstappen’s Nordschleife debut is the most-watched storyline of the weekend, drawing record media coverage to one of endurance racing’s most iconic events and adding a significant spotlight to the GT3 category.
Sources: RacingNews365
Pittard Eyes Nürburgring Glory with KCMG Mercedes Ahead of Saturday Start
British GT specialist David Pittard heads into the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours in confident mood, describing KCMG’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 as being in a very good place ahead of the gruelling Nordschleife event. Pittard starts from 10th on the grid alongside 2025 N24 winner Jesse Krohn and Japanese duo Nirei Fukuzumi and Naoya Gamou, with the privateer squad benefiting from strong Mercedes-AMG factory support. Speaking ahead of Saturday’s 15:00 start, Pittard warned that the opening stints in the 161-car field will be frenetic, likening them to SRO sprint racing given the density of GT3 competition. The line-up blends Nordschleife experience with Krohn’s defending champion credentials.
Sources: Daily Sportscar
Rain Creates Treacherous Conditions During Nürburgring 24H Qualifying 2
Heavy rain struck the Nürburgring Nordschleife during Thursday evening’s second qualifying session for the 2026 24-hour race, creating treacherous mixed conditions for the 161-car field. Parts of the circuit were flooded while the ideal racing line in other sectors remained dry, demanding exceptional car control from drivers navigating the 25.3-kilometre layout in darkness. The session determined grid positions 50 through 161 for Saturday’s race, with multiple competitors losing time on standing water. Overnight conditions eased, allowing the Top Qualifying sessions on Friday to run largely unimpeded, though the changeable Eifel mountain weather remained a talking point as teams prepared strategy for the full 24-hour distance.
Sources: 24h-rennen.de
Nürburgring 24 Hours 2026: Key Class Battles and Championship Stakes at Nordschleife
Beyond the headline SP9 GT3 battles, the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours features intense competition across multiple categories, with a 161-car entry list spanning from GT4 machinery through to full factory GT3 programmes. Lamborghini’s front-row lockout makes Red Bull Team ABT the SP9 favourite, but factory-supported Mercedes, Audi, and BMW squads are expected to mount serious challenges over 24 hours on the Nordschleife. The race also serves as a round of both the Intercontinental GT Challenge and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, adding championship stakes to the classic. Max Verstappen’s presence in the No. 3 Mercedes from P4 adds a unique dimension to proceedings on the Green Hell.
Sources: GT World Challenge Europe
WEC Hypercar — Drivers
1. René Rast / Robin Frijns — 35 pts
2. Hartley / Hirakawa / Buemi — 26 pts
3. Sheldon van der Linde — 25 pts
4. Kobayashi / Conway / de Vries — 25 pts
5. Magnussen / Marciello — 24 pts
6. Fuoco / Molina / Nielsen — 23 pts
7. Pier Guidi / Giovinazzi / Calado — 19 pts
8. Dries Vanthoor — 18 pts
9. Tincknell / Gamble — 14 pts
10. Da Costa / Milesi / Habsburg — 12 pts
WEC Hypercar — Manufacturers
1. BMW — 59 pts
2. Toyota — 52 pts
3. Ferrari — 42 pts
4. Aston Martin — 14 pts
5. Alpine — 14 pts
6. Peugeot — 9 pts
7. Cadillac — 8 pts
8. Genesis — 6 pts
IMSA GTP — Drivers
1. L. Heinrich / T. van der Helm (#5 Porsche, JDC-Miller) — leads by 21 pts
2. J. Aitken / E. Bamber (#31 Cadillac, Whelen)
3. F. Nasr / J. Andlauer (#7 Porsche, Penske) — 146 pts behind P1
IMSA GTP — Manufacturers
1. Chevrolet — leads by 16 over Porsche
2. Porsche — 16 behind Chevrolet
3. BMW — 41 behind Chevrolet
4. Ford — 67 behind Chevrolet
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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