•     Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed starts the 24-hour race from third and eighth place
•     Comprehensive programme in the Mercedes-AMG Fan Base and showroom at the ring°boulevard
•     Stefan Wendl: “Maro and Adam got the maximum out of their lap.”

Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed created a solid starting base for the 53rd edition of the ADAC RAVENOL 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in today’s Top Qualifying session. Maro Engel (GER) achieved a lap time of 8m 14.233s in the individual time trial on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, putting the #14 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in a promising third position on the grid. Adam Christodoulou (GBR) qualified eighth in the #17 sister car. 

After an accident in the Schwedenkreuz area, the original Top Qualifying session had to be red-flagged due to repair work on the track. A new session was scheduled two hours later. This left the 16 remaining participants with just one instead of the originally scheduled two timed laps to secure the best possible grid position for the race. Maro Engel and Adam Christodoulou secured two top ten places. Jay Mo Härtling (GER) ended his lap in the #11 SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm Mercedes-AMG GT3 prematurely for safety reasons. However, due to a speeding offence in the Code 60 area the day before, the car will start tomorrow’s race from the back of the first grid group. Qualifying was luckier for the team’s #111 Mercedes-AMG GT4, which is on pole position in the SP10 class.

>> Result Top-Qualifying

Thursday: Mercedes-AMG Teams use qualifying sessions for preparation
Two practice runs were already on the programme for the Eifel Marathon participants on the day before the Top Qualifying session. Due to their previous results in the Nürburgring Endurance Series and the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers, the three Mercedes-AMG GT3s had already been confirmed as participants in the Top Qualifying session in advance. According to the regulations, they therefore had a total of 55 minutes less practice time available on Thursday.

The AMG Customer Racing Teams used the remaining four and a half hours primarily as a test opportunity for the season highlight on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. In the two qualifying sessions, the set-ups were optimised, the various tyre specifications were tested at different temperatures and the typical routine work was carried out. In the evening session, the drivers were also able to familiarise themselves with the challenges of the Eifel circuit at dusk and in the dark. 

With the end of the third qualifying session today at 5:45 pm, the teams will start their final preparations for the endurance classic. Although the Top Qualifying participants were not allowed to take part in the final qualifying session due to the regulations. A 40-minute warm-up will be held on the track tomorrow for the more than 130 participants before the starting signal for the 24-hour race is given at 4:00 pm.

Supporting programme: Organisers and Mercedes-AMG offer a wide range of fan activities
The Adenau Racing Day on Wednesday evening once again kicked off the event weekend this year. The traditional parade attracted numerous spectators, who lined up in the centre of Adenau for the cars and drivers.

Independently of this, Mercedes-AMG again offered its fans a varied programme away from the track. The Mercedes-AMG showroom in the ring°boulevard houses an exhibition area with historic Mercedes-AMG racing cars as well as a fan shop and a racing simulator. Further simulators are set up in the Mercedes-AMG Fan Base in the paddock. There, visitors can try their hand at driving the Mercedes-AMG GT3 on the virtual Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit. The participant with the fastest lap time will qualify for the ‘Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Virtual Championship – Season One’. In addition, the official autograph session with all Mercedes-AMG drivers took place in the AMG Fan Base at midday.

Figures, Data, Facts

“With P3 and finally P8, we initially achieved a solid result. In unusually warm conditions for the Eifel and with only one timed lap, Maro and Adam got the maximum out of today. However, we still have some work to do in terms of race pace. We will therefore use the remaining time until the start of the race to adapt our Mercedes-AMG GT3 to the prevailing conditions.“
Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing

“First of all, a big thank you to the Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed. We didn’t have the easiest day yesterday and did a great job overnight. The car felt good in Top Qualifying. Third place on the grid is a great starting position from which anything should be possible. Congratulations to Kevin Estre on pole. And I’m also relieved that Laurens Vanthoor got out uninjured after his accident. We are now looking forward to the task ahead.“
Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed #14

“To be honest, I had hoped that we would be a bit closer to the top. The conditions are unusual. It’s consistently warm and the track temperature is over 40 degrees. That’s why we still need to fine-tune the set-up a bit and then we’ll see what’s possible. The race will be long and tough – everything is definitely possible tomorrow.“
Adam Christodoulou, Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed #17

The Media Guide and images are available at the following links:

>> Mercedes-AMG 24h Nürburgring Media Guide for download

>> High-resolution images from the event