The Mercedes-AMG GT3 again showed a convincing performance in the second round of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring. At the end of the four hours’ race distance, AMG-Team Black Falcon finished second wit its #6 Mercedes-AMG GT3, closely followed by the #8 HARIBO Racing Team-AMG in third place. Ninth position for the #9 AMG-Team Black Falcon was another top ten result for the performance brand from Affalterbach. In total, there were six Mercedes-AMG GT3 and one SLS AMG GT3 on the grid of the 180 vehicles for the ‘41. DMV 4-Stunden-Rennen’.
Preparation for the ADAC Zurich 24h-Rennen remains a positive affair for Mercedes-AMG: after the podium finish in the first VLN season round and the 1-2 in the 24h qualifying race a fortnight ago, today’s second VLN round ended with another two podium results achieved by AMG Performance Teams: driving the AMG Team Black Falcon’s #6 Mercedes-AMG GT3, Maro Engel (GER), Bernd Schneider (GER), Manuel Metzger (GER) and Adam Christodoulou (GBR) showed a faultless performance to finish second. In an exciting end of the race, Uwe Alzen (GER), Lance David Arnold (GER), Maximilian Götz (GER) and Jan Seyffarth (GER) secured third place with the #8 HARIBO Racing Team-AMG entry. AMG Team Black Falcon drivers Hubert Haupt (GER), Yelmer Buurman (NED) and Maro Engel scored a top ten result as well, finishing ninth with their #9 Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Bernd Schneider laid the foundation for the podium success by AMG Team Black Falcon by setting the fastest time in qualifying to claim first place on the grid for the quartet. The race had a turbulent start: the action got underway in the rain, but the track dried out quickly, after which tyre changes by the teams thoroughly mixed up the order in the opening stages already. Nevertheless, the #6, #8 and #16 Mercedes-AMG GT3 managed to stay within the group of the front runners. AMG Team Black Falcon and HARIBO Racing Team AMG temporarily ran in first and second place during this stage of the race. Halfway through the four-hour race distance, a light drizzle at the Grand Prix track added some excitement. While most of the teams opted to stay out with slick tyres, the #16 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Christian Vietoris (GER), Marco Seefried (GER), Christian Hohenadel (GER) and Maximilian Buhk (GER) switched to rain tyres early, but had to change back soon after that as the track dried out once more. Until the end of the race, the quartet worked its way back up 15th place. A technical problem on the penultimate lap, however, prevented them from finishing the race.
There was bad luck for AMG Team HTP Motorsport’s #26 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Dominik Baumann (AUT), Maximilian Buhk (GER), Stefan Mücke (GER) and Thomas Jäger (GER). A puncture around the halfway point made the team drop back significantly. In order to rack up mileage in testing for the 24-hour race, they rejoined the race and finished in 102nd position.
Next to the AMG Performance Teams, the AMG Customer Sports Teams also shone with good performances. Black Falcon’s #7 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA), Gerwin Schuring (NED) and Indy Dontje (NED), was around the top 20 almost throughout the distance. A technical issue on the penultimate lap then caused retirement. The only SLS AMG GT3 in the field, ran by HTP Motorsport, was also among the 20 best-placed cars for a major part of the race. In the closing stages, however, Moritz Oestreich (GER), Steve Jans (LUX) and Jules Szymkowiak (NED) retired after having innocently become involved in a collision and a puncture on the racing gullwing with starting number #14.
Bernd Schneider, AMG-Team Black Falcon:
“I am really happy with second place. The drizzle halfway through the race made it particularly difficult, but Manuel and Adam did a great job in defending our podium finish. With our Mercedes-AMG GT3, we were able to rack up more valuable mileage for the 24-hour race. Now that is even more important than our podium finish.”
Uwe Alzen, HARIBO Racing Team-AMG:
“I am very happy. We lost some time in the code 60 phases. Had it not been for that, we probably could have finished even further up. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 ran like clockwork. Thanks to the entire team that has done a tremendous job.”
Jochen Bitzer, head of AMG Customer Sports:
“I am very happy with the achievements by our AMG Performance Teams and the AMG Customer Sports Teams, especially as conditions were very difficult at times. However, with regard to the 24-hour race, such challenges are very good for a comprehensive preparation and that was our main goal for today.”