23 hours of racing are complete and everything is still up for grabs. In the battle for the overall lead, Manthey #911 and Rowe #98 continue to duel for the lead, while at the same time the Manthey team is protesting the sporting penalty (+100 seconds) imposed by the race director. Temperatures are high, but the expected tire damage has largely failed to materialize. Many teams are now taking it easier in order to reach the finish line safely.
#8 Veremenko / SELV / Erhart / Kaffer (Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II)
1:17 p.m. the pit stop was too short and therefore the team receives a time penalty of 50 seconds.
2:16 p.m. Elia Erhart: “The conditions are basically good, but there are many Code 60. I only had one free lap under green in my race. The track conditions are good, the weather is hot, but that’s good. Unfortunately, we had a small collision yesterday evening that cost us three laps. That was a pity. But we’re second in class, that’s okay – we can be satisfied.”
#13 Albrecht / Knechtges / Asch / Bliss (VW Beetle RSR)
2:01 p.m. The Beetle is briefly at post 116 (Wehrseifen), but can then continue.
#27 Pepper / Bortolotti / Juncadella (Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2)
2:10 p.m. in slow ride on the carousel
14:23p.m. arrives in the pit lane and is pushed into the pits. A gearbox failure forces the team to retire.
#28 Mapelli / Engelhart / Engstler (Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2)
1:10 p.m.: The third-placed Abt-Lamborghini comes to a stop. Luca Engstler gets out and Christian Engelhart gets on board
1:15 p.m. Luca Engstler: “Our race has gone well so far. Unfortunately, we are not fast enough to keep up with the Porsche and the BMW. That’s a shame because the team did a flawless job. We didn’t get a penalty and we didn’t mess up a pit stop. If you’re five minutes behind, it hurts. But we can’t do more than maximize our package.”
2:18 p.m. completes its routine stop
#37 Palette / Böckmann / Bastian (Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3)
1:29 p.m. comes to the routine stop and Marek Böckmann takes over the wheel
13:33p.m. Nico Bastian: “It’s getting really hot in the car. There are still a lot of accidents. The GT3s and the small cars don’t get along. That’s an extreme pity. Our car is running well. We are constantly too slow, but constant. If we arrive, we’ll get a good result.”
#55 Kim / Bruins / Holzer / Cho (Porsche 911 GT3 R (992))
14:09p.m. Marco Holzer: “The weather is perfect, but it’s wild on the track. As soon as one Code60 is lifted, the next one comes elsewhere. Due to the many scattered traces of operating fluids, there is a lot of dirt on the track. That’s actually way too much action for this late stage of the race. I drove a double stint, which was very exhausting. But of course it’s also our job here. Our race was part of a development programme for our tyre partner from the outset. The car runs like clockwork, but we lack a little pace. But we are also still at the beginning of the program. The fact that we’re still fighting for a top 10 place makes it all the nicer.”
#59 Dörr / Dörr / Strycek / Ortmann (McLaren Artura Trophy Evo)
14:01p.m. Ben Dörr: “We got through again without any problems. Unfortunately, we had some bad luck with Code 60. With slow vehicles in front of me, which cost a lot of time.”
#77 Walker / Hagnauer / Ruhrmann / Kiefer (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS)
13:59p.m. Puncture rear right. On the road at slow speed
14:59p.m. Georg Kiefer: “We still had chances for P2 in the class after we had to change the entire engine at the beginning. We then decided to attack with new tyres before my last stint. But unfortunately I had a warning sign of a creeping puncture on the first lap and had to slowly return to the pits. Without the engine failure, we would have had a chance of a podium finish. But it’s a mega performance from the whole team and arriving is everything now, although I would have wished the whole super squad a trophy from the bottom of my heart.”
#97 Reeh / Lachenmayer / Trompeter / Schall (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (997))
1:23 p.m. comes to the pit stop and Ralf Schall takes over the wheel
14:48p.m. Pit stop with driver change
14:51p.m. Ralf Schall: “I drove my last stint. It was now absolutely hassle-free and relaxed. We have a five-lap lead over second place in class.”
#98 Farfus / Krohn / Marciello / van der Linde (BMW M4 GT3 EVO)
13:31p.m. Team Principal Hans-Peter Naundorf: “I think it’s relatively open between the two cars. The Porsche had caught a stupid code 60, so we got to it, were able to suck ourselves in on the Döttinger Höhe and passed. But we’re still expecting an exciting race. The Porsche still has a lot to offer. They won’t give up and their drivers certainly have the knife between their teeth now. They try everything, we would do the same. I think there will be an exciting finale. Augusto Farfus has now had two double stints in a short time, he has to cool down first.”
2:09 p.m. comes to a stop: Kelvin van der Linde takes over the wheel from Raffaele Marciello
2:14 p.m. Raffaela Marciello: “It’s very hot and not easy. Last week at Le Mans it was also very warm. But when you’re fighting for victory, you don’t feel tired.”
#160 Nakayama / Alesi / Kotaka / Koyama (Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO 2023)
2:04 p.m. is pushed into the pits
#310 Klingmann / de Wilde / Weerts / Bräutigam (BMW M2 Racing (G87))
13:47p.m. Charles Weerts: “So far we have had a very clean race without penalties or problems. We try to keep it up until the end. We seem to be ahead in our class. BMW’s goal is to find out what the car can do. As a driver, you always want to win when you go to a race track. That would be nice. But my personal goal would be an overall victory, not a class victory.”
#410 Croci / Ackermann / Marshall / Larbi (Porsche Cayman GTS)
14:12p.m. drives out of the pits after a break for repairs
#418 Lamadrid / Mendieta / Kroner (Porsche Cayman 718)
13:46p.m. Xavier Lamadrid: “It’s extremely warm outside. But I’m Mexican and I know the heat. We thought we’d finish the race in third place, but it looks like we’ll keep moving up. Let’s see what happens.”
#466 Abrahamsen / Ehrl / Ottis / Ganser (Hyundai Motor Company I30N)
14:31p.m. Sarah Ganser takes over the wheel at the pit stop
14:37p.m. Tazio Ottis: “My stint was good. Unfortunately, we had problems earlier and they didn’t make our race any easier. We had to change both wheel carriers. But this race is just mega, it’s always great to drive here. My stint at night was gigantic. I’ve always wanted to do it.”
#650 Markert / Rziczny / Erlbacher / Gaukler (BMW M240i Racing Cup)
14:24p.m. Adrian Rziczny: “My stint was very good, I drove through it very relaxed. It was very, very hot in the car. You also have to pay more attention to the oil temperatures. Since we have a good lead, we can actually drive it home relaxed.”
#667 Simon / Drinkwater / Manley / Breakell (BMW M240i Racing Cup)
14:03p.m. Pit stop without driver change
#718 Griesemann / Griesemann / Adorf / Volte (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS M)
14:57p.m. Pit stop with tyre change, but without driver change and refuelling.
#776 Goroyan / Brink / Mavlanov / Berthon (Audi RS3 LMS TCR)
1:56 p.m. Danny Brink is ready for a driver change, car arrives
#900 Hardt / Rosenberg / Ludwig / Kiefer (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992))
2:46 p.m. at the Sorg-Porsche, the brakes are changed for the remaining 75 minutes. Alex Hardt takes the wheel.
2:54 p.m. Thomas Kiefer: “I’ve experienced all kinds of things. There was a lot of code 60. At the end it went and suddenly the round was completely green. That didn’t suit me so well with the high temperatures. But everything went well.”
#901 Grütter / Grosse (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992))
14:45p.m. Comes to the pit stop with tyre and driver change.
#911 Estre / Güven / Preining / Pilet (Porsche 911 GT3 R (992))
1:02 p.m.: The Manthey Porsche receives a time penalty of 100 seconds for causing a collision.
1:03 p.m. comes to the routine stop
2:17 p.m. comes to the routine stop: Kevin Estre takes over the wheel
#919 Jodexnis / Jodexnis / Chrzanowski / Scharmach (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992))
13:04 p.m. had a collision with another vehicle before the impact.
#939 Shao / Schicht / Linden / Graberg (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (Typ 982))
14:26p.m. Pit stop with driver change: Tommy Graberg joins in
#969 Maximilian / Wagner / Strube / Stewart (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (Typ 982))
1:42 p.m. Maximilian: “I had a very nice stint. We had a lot of Code 60. But otherwise everything was good and it was driven fairly. We have air conditioning and that’s a very nice luxury.”
