Mercedes-AMG Motorsport wins drivers’ championship
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport celebrates four podium finish and early drivers’ championship in the three-hour race of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup at Nürburgring.
📷 © Mercedes-AMG at 3 Hours of Nürburgring. Three official Mercedes-AMG GT3 end 3rd, 4th and 5th.
A new drivers’ title in the Endurance Cup of the European continental series
Having started the race from seventh, Lucas Auer, Maro Engel, and Luca Stolz of Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER secured fourth place in the three-hour race of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup at Nürburgring, thereby clinching the drivers’ championship in the Endurance Cup ahead of the season finale.
Lucas Auer initially crossed the line in sixth place. As penalties were imposed on two rivals at the end of the race, the #48 Mercedes-AMG GT3 moved up to fourth place. With a 27-point lead, the three Mercedes-AMG Performance Drivers have therefore been confirmed as champions even before the last race. They are the first drivers in the series’ history to secure the Endurance Cup title ahead of schedule.
📷 © Mercedes-AMG at 3 Hours of Nürburgring. Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48
For Maro Engel and Luca Stolz, this is their second drivers’ title in the endurance standings of the European continental series, following their victory in 2018. Lucas Auer is celebrating his first title in the Endurance Cup, having already won the overall and sprint class championships alongside Maro Engel in 2024.
📷 © Mercedes-AMG Motorsport at 3 Hours of Nürburgring. Engel, Auer, Stolz celebrating dirvers’ title
Lucas Auer, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48: "The conditions were very tough for everyone today. With all the interruptions, it’s not easy to find your rhythm. But that has also proved to me once again that the GT World Challenge is the most demanding GT endurance series. We can be extremely proud of having been so consistent this season. I’m delighted to have secured my first title in the Endurance Cup. We’ll now continue to give it our all to win the Sprint and the overall championship as well."
Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48: "The last ten minutes were quite nerve-wracking. It was a bit of a struggle at times today, but we’ve been very consistent throughout the season. Thanks to Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, Winward Racing and, of course, my two team-mates. It’s been a pleasure sharing the Mercedes-AMG GT3 with them this season. I’m simply over the moon that we’ve clinched the title today. And here at the Nürburgring, which is like a second home to us."
Luca Stolz, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48: "It was quite a challenge for us from Friday onwards. But within the Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER, we’ve established a mindset that we never give up. That helped us once again this weekend. In the end, we overcame all the odds and are champions. I’m very proud of that. It took Maro and me eight years to win this title again. So, naturally, some of the pressure has now been lifted."
Third place for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing
A number of incidents led to repeated neutralisations throughout the race, meaning that the outcome was ultimately decided by strategy. The three Mercedes-AMG Performance cars initially crossed the finish line in fifth (#3), sixth (#48), and seventh (#17) places. In the final standings, they finished third, fourth, and fifth.
Jules Gounon, Daniel Juncadella and Christopher Lulham, starting from fifth on the grid, secured third place for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing .
📷 © Mercedes-AMG at 3 Hours of Nürburgring. Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing #3
Jules Gounon, Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing #3: "I’m so happy for everyone at Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing to have achieved our first Endurance Cup podium. With so many Pro drivers in the GT World Challenge, you have to deliver a perfect performance and have the pace to drive for a podium eventually. I’m really proud of the progress we’ve made since our very first test and to be on the overall podium in only our fourth race."
Bad luck for Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed
The Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed #17 had a run of bad luck. In qualifying on Sunday morning, the #17 secured the best starting position of all eight Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars. Maximilian Götz, Maxime Martin and Fabian Schiller started the race from second on the grid. During the second pit stop, the team lost second place when the engine failed to start straight away. The #17 Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished in fifth place. “I feel sorry for the team. They put in a very strong performance, secured a good starting position in qualifying and were unlucky during the second pit stop when the engine didn’t start straight away. That set the team back and robbed them of the chance of a possible victory,” said Stefan Wendl, Head of Customer Racing at Mercedes-AMG Motorsport.
📷 © Mercedes-AMG at 3 Hours of Nürburgring. Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed #17
Fabian Schiller, Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed #17: "All in all, it was a good day for us to start with. Thanks to the whole Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed, especially the engineers and mechanics, who work so hard time and again to provide us with a brilliant car. During the pit stop, I pressed the start button whilst the car was still in the air. That’s not allowed under the regulations, so I had to let go of the button again. Once the Mercedes-AMG GT3 was back on the ground, it took five seconds for the engine to start up again. Unfortunately, that set us back. We’ve had a bit of bad luck a few times in the past. So I hope our run of bad luck comes to an end soon and that we’ll be successful together again."
One-two finish in the Bronze Cup
In the Bronze Cup, the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams secured a one-two finish. Reece Barr, Charles Dawson, and Kiern Jewiss from 2 Seas Motorsport had already secured pole position in their class and went on to take the race win. Marvin Dienst, Gabriele Piana, and Rinat Salikhov claimed second place for Winward Racing. The #177 from Grupo Prom Racing Team finished the race in eleventh place in the Bronze category.
📷 © Mercedes-AMG at 3 Hours of Nürburgring. 2 Seas Motorsport #222 (left); Winward Racing #87 (right)
Reece Barr, 2 Seas Motorsport #222: "Securing pole position in the class gave us a good foundation. Even so, you never know what might happen when 55 cars enter the first corner. But we made it through unscathed and stayed with the leading group. Charles Dawson drove a superb middle stint and, following the undercut, Kiern Jewiss confidently secured the result. Pole position and a class win – we’re naturally very pleased with that."
Podium finish in the Silver Cup
The GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros celebrated another podium finish in the Silver Cup. Anthony Bartone, César Gazeau, and Aurélien Panis took third place in their category in the #6 Mercedes-AMG GT3.
📷 © Mercedes-AMG at 3 Hours of Nürburgring. GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros #6
The GetSpeed Team Dubai was forced to retire early after an incident involving contact with two rivals – through no fault of their own – which resulted in a puncture to the #12 Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Mercedes-AMG occupies first place in the intercontinental manufacturers’ standings
Thanks to these results, Mercedes-AMG occupies first place in the intercontinental manufacturers’ standings. For Lucas Auer, Maro Engel, and Winward Racing, the combined overall championship and the Endurance Cup team title are still up for grabs in the remaining three events of the season. First up are two sprint weekends at Zandvoort (18–20 September) and Barcelona (2–4 October). This year’s season finale will be a three-hour race at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão (16–18 October). Source: Mercedes-AMG
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