NÜRBURG, Germany – The drama of the revamped, multi-stage knockout format culminated in a sensational front-row lockout for Lamborghini. Under pressure in the final individual time-trial shootout (TQ3), Luca Engstler delivered a flawless performance to secure pole position for the 54th edition of the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring.
Engstler, piloting the No. 84 Red Bull Team Abt Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, laid down a blistering 8:11.123 around the 25.378-kilometer circuit. He edged out teammate Marco Mapelli in the sister No. 130 Abt Lamborghini by just 0.345 seconds, perfectly executing the team’s strategy after Mapelli had set the initial pace on the opening flying laps.
“The key was to leave your brain in the garage and just give it everything,” a thrilled Engstler said after stepping out of the car. “I tried to squeeze out every last drop, and it worked.”
Heavyweights Collide in Rows 2 and 3
The fight behind the Bulls from Kempten was hyper-competitive. Christopher Haase was the final driver to cross the timing line in the No. 16 Scherer Sport PHX Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II, snatching 3rd place with an 8:11.984.
He will share the second row with his fierce Nordschleife rival, Max Verstappen. While Verstappen turned heads by setting a provisional top time earlier in the morning during Top Qualifying 2, it was teammate Dani Juncadella who took the reins for the final TQ3 shootout. Juncadella clocked a highly respectable 8:12.005, giving the star-studded No. 3 Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 an ideal P4 starting spot.
Thomas Neubauer recovered from an early off-track excursion through the grass at Hatzenbach to secure 5th place for the No. 45 Kondo Racing Ferrari 296 GT3, ahead of Maximilian Paul, who rounded out a dominant day for the Italian manufacturer by placing the No. 7 Konrad Motorsport Lamborghini in 6th.
Heartbreak and Shocks in the Knockout Stages
The road to TQ3 was ruthless, highlighted by a massive shock for one of Thursday’s fastest teams.
During Top Qualifying 2, DTM star Maro Engel suffered an uncharacteristic crash in the No. 80 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG—the very car that topped Q1. Engel lost traction on tires that hadn’t reached optimal temperature, impacting the barriers at Hatzenbach and eliminating the entry before they could even contest the top-12 shootout.
Defending race winners ROWE Racing also endured a quiet final session; their top entry, the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3, could manage no better than 9th on the grid. Meanwhile, Manthey Racing’s famous “Grello” No. 911 Porsche, driven by Thomas Preining in TQ3, dropped down to 8th after an off-track moment cost the team critical seconds.