Victory for Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed in the 24h Qualifiers at the Nürburgring
Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing secured a race win and a pole position in the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers. Adam Christodoulou (GBR) and Daniel Juncadella (ESP) in the number 2 Mercedes-AMG GT3 were victorious in both qualifying and the two-hour race on Saturday. In the four-hour race on Sunday, they then took the runner-up spot. The number 11 Mercedes-AMG GT3 fielded by Schnitzelalm Racing also won both races in the SP9 Pro-Am class. In the overall standings, drivers Kenneth Heyer, Marcel Marchewicz, Luca-Sandro Trefz (all GER) and Colin Caresani (NED) finished eighth and eleventh on the two days.
Successful debut for the Mercedes-AMG GT2
It was also a successful race debut for the Mercedes-AMG GT2 on the demanding Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Frank Bird (GBR), Elia Erhart, Thomas Jäger and Jörg Viebahn (all GER) sharing the cockpit of number 46 car fielded by Mercedes-AMG Team HRT were winners in the special SPX class in both races at the very first attempt. In the second race on Sunday, they finished 14th overall, which made the Mercedes-AMG GT2 the best non-GT3 car in the general classification. A second Mercedes-AMG GT2 was entered by Mercedes-AMG Team Schnitzelalm. The number 222 car took the chequered flag on Sunday in second place in the SPX class, making it a one-two for Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing in this category.
Three questions for Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing
The Mercedes-AMG GT2 made its racing debut last weekend in the ADAC 24h Qualifiers at the Nürburgring and in the season opener of the Fanatec GT2 European Series in Monza. The most powerful homologated car in the history of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing was an instant hit, registering two class wins in the so-called ‘Green Hell’ and a class pole position in Italy. Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing, talks about the teams’ first impressions of the new vehicle and takes a look into his crystal ball.
The Mercedes-AMG GT2 was in racing action for the first time this weekend. What has been the initial feedback from drivers and teams?
Stefan Wendl: The drivers simply love the Mercedes-AMG GT2. The fact that the car was throttled back to comply with the Balance of Performance specifications and that we deliberately limited the top speed in order to make it slot neatly into the class segment at the Nürburgring doesn’t change anything: all the drivers had big grins on their faces and enjoyed our new GT2, even under difficult prevailing conditions. This creates the perfect conditions for competing on the demanding Nordschleife. The race at Monza was a bit different. Here, it was a case of GT2 cars racing among themselves, with ‘Gentleman’ drivers on a formidable high-speed track. The pole position in the Am class emphatically underscored the high ambitions we have for this car.
What other competitive outings are planned, apart from the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring?
Stefan Wendl: We see the 24-hour race as another test occasion which we have placed in the hands of our Customer Racing teams. At Monza, the first Mercedes-AMG GT2 went into action in the Fanatec GT2 European Series, and on the coming race weekend at the Red Bull Ring, we want to enter another one in the GT2 series. In addition, our technical team and HWA are working flat out to complete more cars and to supply other GT2 racing series worldwide as quickly as possible. The vehicle will add another chapter to the unparalleled success story of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing.
So, is the new AMG GT2 ready for the standout event of the racing calendar at the Nürburgring?
Stefan Wendl: The fact that we were able to use the Qualifiers as a dress rehearsal is a big advantage for the 24-hour race. For the first time, we were able to test the Mercedes-AMG GT2 under racing conditions in the ‘Green Hell’. In the process, we gained some important insights that we will be incorporating into further preparations for the big 24-hour race in May. After all, the Nordschleife places exceptional demands on man and material. We at Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing want to approach the 24-hour race itself with the necessary seriousness. We will be aiming to make it through to the finish line. That’s the number one objective, because we know that finishing the race on the debut appearance of a new car is anything but a matter of course.
News snippets: Results and Facts & Social Media News
GT World Challenge Europe: On the opening weekend of the 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS at Monza, the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing teams racked up multiple class podiums. Ezequiel Perez Companc (ARG), Magnus Gustavsen (NOR) and Alexey Nesov (BUL) in the number 90 Madpanda Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished the three-hour endurance race second in the Silver Cup. The number 79 Haupt Racing took third in the Bronze Cup, and the number 2 Team GetSpeed scored the same result in the Pro-Am classification.
GT2 European Series: At Monza too, the first Mercedes-AMG GT2 delivered to a customer made its racing debut in the Fanatec GT2 European Series. Thomas Jackermeier and Jens Liebhauser (both GER) drove the most powerful homologated race car in the history of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing to pole position in the Am class in the second qualifying session. The Fanatec by HRT duo finished the two races in ninth and seventh place overall.
GT4 European Series: The new season of the GT4 European Series also got underway at Monza. In the season opener on the legendary Italian race track, Jakob Knoll (CZE) and Filip Vava-Atanackovic (ESP) in the #16 Mercedes-AMG GT4 of NM Racing Team finished in the Pro-Am Top Three, coming third in race two and fourth in race one. The number 4 Mercedes-AMG GT4 of BCMC Motorsport powered by EastSide Motorsport with Marc de Fulgencio (ESP) and Marcel Lenerz (GER) at the wheel had two Top Ten finishes - a P9 in Race 1 and a P6 in Race 2.
British Endurance Championship: On the second race weekend of the British Endurance Championship at Brands Hatch, Australia’s Matt George and British driver Chris Jones secured class victory in the #21 Mercedes-AMG GT4 fielded by Team Venture Innovations.
Thailand Super Series: Two class wins for Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing also came at the opening round of the Thailand Super Series in Buriram. Nattanid Leewattanavaragul and Dechathorn Phuakkarawut (both THA) in the #99 Mercedes-AMG GT4 of YK Motorsports Billionaire Boy By Sunoco were winners in their class in both races.
North Island Endurance Championship: Paul and Anthony Pedersen (both NZL) made a podium appearance on the second race weekend of the North Island Endurance Championship at Hampton Downs. They finished second in the #96 Mach One Engineering Mercedes-AMG GT3 after three hours of racing. Martin Day and Christina Orr-West (both NZL) won their class in the #11 Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Dayle ITM.
