The 2013 ADAC Zurich 24 Nürburgring 24 Hours lived every bit up to its reputation as one of motor racing’s most popular gatherings. And the 210,000 spectators who braved the elements to enjoy the action were rewarded with an exceptional show, even though the race was neutralised for a period of nine hours when the organisers preferred not to take risks with the safety of the drivers during the torrential overnight rain.
As a result, the 2013 Nürburgring 24 Hours was something of a race ‘of two halves’, the first of which was dominated by MICHELIN partners Aston Martin, Audi, BMW and Porsche whose crews traded the lead several times before the Red Flag was shown six hours after the start.
Action resumed this morning (Monday) at around 8am, with competitors in the order they were in when the Red Flag came out, albeit with the gaps that had existed at that moment reduced to nothing. The continuing bad weather and a number of incidents ended up upsetting the chances MICHELIN’s partners had of winning the SP9 GT3 class. The N°25 BMW Z4 G T3 (Martin/Piccini/Buurman/Göransson) run by BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS nonetheless took the chequered flag in second place to crown a thrilling come-back. Helped by its MICHELIN tyres, the Belgian team also had the satisfaction of posting the fastest race lap (8m22.088s) on Lap 84.
In the race’s other classes, more than 70 cars competed on MICHELIN rubber and went on to claim a high number of class wins. The list included victory in the SP7 class which went to Manthey Racing’s N°18 Porsche 911 GT3 RS of Lieb/Dumas/Luhr/Bernhard who also came seventh overall. They even challenged for the outright lead before the Red Flag was shown. Meanwhile, Peugeot Automobiles secured a one-two- three result in the SP 2T class which showcased the outstanding performance and reliability of the Peugeot 208 GTis running on Michelin ‘Customer Competition’ tyres.
With eight wins to its name in the Eifel Mountains between 2004 and 2012, the French tyre firm was able to deepen its understanding of the unique German venue, as Serge GRISIN, the Manager of MICHELIN Motorsport’s Four-wheel Programmes, explained: “Once again, we were able to demonstrate the advanced technical features of our tyres and the high standard of service we are capable of providing at one of the world’s most challenging circuits, namely the Nürburgring’s infamous Nordschleife (25km, more than 70 turns). Given the mixed weather conditions, all the different types of tyre we had with us were fitted by our partners. As a result, we were able to collect a significant amount of data. This will help our preparations for next month’s Le Mans 24 Hours, because the sizes used by the majority of the GT3 cars at the Nürburgring are the same as those used in Le Mans’ LM GTE Pro and AM classes (front: 30/65-18 and 30/68-18 / rear: 31/71-18).”
Philippe MUSSATI, the Director of MICHELIN’s ‘Customer Competition’ Department, added: “The ‘Green Hell’ is a very challenging track, which is why our customers are so exacting. They demand tyres which are not only competitive but also versatile enough to cover the highly changeable range of conditions, as well consistent over stints of between eight and 10 laps (250km) on a single set of tyres. MICHELIN had more than 5,000 covers available at the race for our customers and we proved once again that we were perfectly up to the job. The MICHELIN P2G performed particularly strongly in the rain when grip was really at a premium and was a cornerstone of the brand’s success. Also, a high number of teams racing on ‘Customer Competition’ tyres successfully double-stinted on several occasions. Last but not least, I would also like to highlight the quality of the service which the teams received from the 45 staff who were at the Nürburgring to meet their needs.”
The MICHELIN tyres available for the 2013 Nürburgring 24 Hours were the fruit of the MICHELIN Total Performance concept which consists in working simultaneously on all the parameters that contribute to a tyre’s overall performance, even those which are generally believed to be irreconcilable.
Source : Michelin