In the third qualifying session, the spotlight shifted away from the frontrunners and onto the cars in starting groups 2 and 3. In largely dry conditions, lap times initially tumbled across all classes, and those who made the most of the weather window were rewarded. Around halfway through the session, however, heavy rain swept across parts of the Nordschleife, ruling out any further improvements.
#10 Wasel / Lenz / Kruse / Dralle (VW Golf GTI Clubsport 24h)
12:30 p.m. Matthias Wasel is currently at the wheel of the Max Kruse Racing Team Golf after complaining of severe back pain following yesterday’s running. Today, the team is once again working on the setup to make the car more comfortable for all drivers.
#89 Knappmeier / Knappmeier / Groneck (VW GOLF 7 GTI TCR DSG)
12:28 p.m. For exceeding the speed limit in a Code 60 zone, the team will have to serve a 30-second stop in the pits after the first lap on Saturday.
#90 Schwarze / Cartelle / Sagrera / Pierre (Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2)
12:48 p.m. After a longer repair break overnight in the team’s home garages, the Supra has now started the third qualifying session.
#91 Ertl / Ertl / Ertl / Benndorf (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991))
12:33 p.m. Lukas Ertl: “It was actually quite good. There were a few spots where it was drizzling, so we were a little cautious there, but that passed quickly. Unfortunately, there was a Code 60 just before Döttinger Höhe on the fast lap. Still, the car is running well and we’re feeling positive. Yesterday evening it was a bit tricky out there in the rain, but I only did one lap. The risk of damaging the car was simply too high. Today, though, it felt quite good to drive.”
#145 Cate / Bednarski / Schütze / Bleekemolen (BMW M4 GT4 EVO (G82))
12:27 p.m. For exceeding the speed limit in a Code 60 zone, the team will have to serve a 30-second stop in the pits after the first lap on Saturday.
#164 Brodmerkel / Still / Vöhringer / Schöll (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS)
12:38 p.m. Spin at marshal post 99 (Adenauer Forst), car continues.
#176 de Oliveira / Himmels / Ibañez / Viebahn (Mercedes-AMG GT4)
12:51 p.m. Jörg Viebahn: “It was a bit chaotic leaving the pits today. Everyone wanted to go out at the same time to set a quick lap. I needed to get a time on the board, and it was relatively busy until about halfway around the track. After that, it improved, and the second lap was significantly better. Yesterday we hardly did anything. Why risk the car? In the end, it doesn’t really matter. We did a little setup work in the rain and tried a few things with the lights. We were taking it pretty easy.”
#302 Lauck / Kim / Wallenwein / Azcona (Hyundai Motor Company ELANTRA N1 RP)
12:24 p.m. Led the field onto the Nordschleife as the first car for the 65-minute practice session.
#320 Smudo / Bollerslev / van Ramshorst / López Cesaratto (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992.1))
12:28 p.m. Impact at Eiskurve, able to continue slowly.
#321 Mache / Brink / Rosenbach / Primke (VW GOLF 7 GTI TCR DSG)
12:28 p.m. For exceeding the speed limit during a Code 60 zone, the team will have to serve a 30-second stop in the pits after the first lap on Saturday.
#448 Weber / Knötschke / Müller / Krey (Porsche Cayman S*)
12:28 p.m. The Porsche Cayman S is currently the fastest production-based car in the field.
#480 Dupré / Nett / Nett (Audi S3-Lim*)
12:29 p.m. Christoph Dupré leads the class for production-based cars with 2-litre turbocharged engines and either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive in the Audi S3 fielded by his father Claus’s team.
#500 Stahlschmidt / Leisen / Zils / Sub7BTG (BMW 330i*)
12:29 p.m. In the VT2 rear-wheel-drive classification, the Adrenalin BMW leads by just 0.132 seconds over the Toyota Supra in Ravenol colours driven by the Tack/Röss/Röss trio mentioned above.
#519 Tack / Röss / Röss (Toyota Supra*)
12:25 p.m. The trio built around local brewery owner Malte Tack is unveiling a new livery this weekend.
After starting the season in snow-white trim, the Toyota Supra now appears in blue-and-gold Ravenol colours.
#524 Ooms / Seki / Baar / Eisberg (Toyota Supra*)
12:48 p.m. Was towed away by the DMSB unit along Döttinger Höhe.
#577 Obermann / Leissing / Rosam / Trompeter (Cupra Leon Competición TCR)
12:37 p.m. Went off in the area of marshal post 91 (Aremberg) but was able to continue without damage.
#830 Basseng / Lauck / Bastian / Azcona (Hyundai Motor Company ELANTRA N TCR)
12:25 p.m. Currently in 45th place overall, the TCR Hyundai is the highest-placed front-wheel-drive car in the field.
#899 Anhorn / Anhorn / Lamesch / Marechal (BMW M2 Racing (G87)*)
12:31 p.m. Heavy contact with the barrier on the right-hand side in the Flugplatz section.
#918 Scheerbarth / Salewsky / Rebhan / Gatting (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992))
12:25 p.m. While yesterday the RPM Porsche (#777) was still able to hold the lead in the Cup 2 class, the two Mühlner Porsches (918 and #904) have now taken over the lead among the Cup 911 entries.
#925 Miller / Lander / Allen / Wehrmann (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992))
12:40 p.m. Spin with light contact in the Adenauer Forst area.
#952 Kraus / Saltvedt / Koch / Lindloff (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (Typ 982))
12:58 p.m. Alex Koch: “That was my first qualifying lap today. Traffic-wise, it actually went quite well, and I’m pretty happy with the time. Unfortunately, there was a long Code 60 at the end of Döttinger Höhe, which more or less ruined the lap for us. Other than that, though, we’re quite satisfied so far. It drizzled a little, but the track was dry. In terms of grip, it was completely different from yesterday. I was out there first in the rain and later at night in the hail. That was quite an experience. I basically had the whole track to myself because nobody else was out anymore. I’ll never forget that. Of course, you’re driving slowly, battling the car and battling the weather, but you also have much more time to take everything in – all the fans, the barbecues, the illuminated signs, the fireworks, whatever the guys and girls out there had set up. It was really great.”
#962 Oberheim / Miemois / Stegmann / Wiedmann (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (Typ 982))
12:26 p.m. The Cup 3 class leader has come to a halt at the exit of Schwalbenschwanz with technical problems.
The DMSB unit is currently towing the Cayman back to the pits.