NÜRBURG, Germany – The 2026 ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring kicked off with a high-stakes Qualifying 1 session that saw Fabian Schiller master a rapidly changing track to put Mercedes-AMG at the top of the timesheets.
In a session that transitioned from bone-dry conditions to a late-session downpour, Schiller, driving the No. 80 Ravenol-sponsored Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo for Winward Racing, clocked a dominant 8:14.957. His lap was a staggering 3.112 seconds clear of the nearest challenger, as the Eifel weather once again played a pivotal role in the proceedings.
Verstappen Leads Early, ROWE Responds
The session initially looked set to be a dream debut for F1 star Max Verstappen. Driving the No. 3 Verstappen Racing-entered Mercedes-AMG, Verstappen held the top spot during the opening hour with a lap of 8:18.539.
However, as the track rubbered in before the rain arrived, the order shifted. Raffaele Marciello made a late charge in the No. 1 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo to take second place, despite the track becoming increasingly greasy. Verstappen’s time ultimately stood for third overall, followed by Dan Harper in the No. 99 ROWE BMW and the Manthey Racing “Grello” Porsche 911 GT3 Evo in fifth.
Early Incidents and Fire
The session was marred by a frightening incident on the Grand Prix circuit. Alexander Hardt was forced to bail out of his No. 900 Black Falcon Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car as it caught fire. Moments after Hardt escaped the vehicle, the stationary, burning Porsche was struck by Janina Schall in the No. 146 Giti Tire Motorsport by WS Racing entry. Both drivers were reported safe, but the collision caused a significant disruption to the session.
Other notable casualties included:
- Ricardo Feller: The Lionspeed GP Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo suffered nose damage after Feller hit a wet patch and crashed between Metzgesfeld and Kallenhard.
- HRT Ford Mustang: While the No. 64 Mustang impressed with the 8th fastest time, the sister No. 67 car—crewed by stars like Christopher Mies and Dennis Olsen—stopped on track with a fluid leak.
- Konrad Motorsport: The No. 7 Lamborghini faced mechanical woes, with smoke trailing from the engine bay in the pit lane.
Weather Shift
The final 20 minutes of the two-hour session saw the heavens open, forcing the field to switch to wet-weather tires. The change in conditions effectively locked in the top times, preventing any late-session “hero laps” and leaving the teams to focus on gathering data for potential wet-weather stints during the race.
Teams now look ahead to Qualifying 2, a three-and-a-half-hour night session (8:00 PM – 11:30 PM CEST) that will provide the drivers with their mandatory night-running laps and a final chance to tune their machines before Friday’s knockout Top Qualifying shootout.