“72hellride” N24, L24, S24 and 2 pairs of brothers

WECHyperCar

Apr 29

“72hellride.” The three biggest 24-hour races in the world – within just one month. This one-hour documentary vividly and emotionally captures June 2024 and its legendary endurance events at the Nürburgring, Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps. Central to the story are Sheldon and Kelvin van der Linde, as well as Dries and Laurens Vanthoor. The film has been available since 14th April 2025 on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies, and Apple TV.

Car Racing Reporter followed those races and will provide you again this year with extended photos reports about three biggest 24-hour races in the world in June after reporting the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Since inception Car Racing Reporter followed the June three 24-Hours race

24 Hours of Nürburgring

The 2024 edition of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in the “Green Hell” shall be remembered as the shortest 24 Hours race ever as it was red flagged after 7 hours 23’ dur to fog. All four drivers lead the shortened race during several hours.

Laurens Vanthoor associated with Thomas Preining, Kevin Estre and Ayhancan Güven driving the “Grello” 911 Porsche 911 GT3 R second 0.603” behind the winning Audi.

#911 Grello Porsche 911 GT3 R — 📷© Luc Warnotte at Nürburgring 2024. #911 Porsche « Grello »

📷© Luc Warnotte at Imola. #99 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing (left). #27 Red Bull Team ABT Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 (right).

After 5 hours, Augusto Farfus in #99 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 shared with Robin Frijns, Sheldon van der Linde Sheldon and Dries Vanthoor took the lead and gradually increased the gap with its followers until Sheldon van der Linde was involved in a three-car accident while leading the race.

Sheldon van der Linde (#99 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing): “My heart hurts after such an accident, and it wasn't my fault. If I were in that situation again, I would do exactly the same thing. I believe the driver in the other car didn't see me. I was in her blind spot as I passed. I was almost past, and then she hit me on the left rear. Then I hit another car that was completely uninvolved, and that's how it happened. A racing incident. But at the end of the day, we were out after leading for so long and that hurts, also for the team, which puts so much work into it. We work almost half a year towards a 24-hour race, and then it goes so wrong.” Source: BMW Group

Kelvin van der Linde with the #27 Red Bull Team ABT Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 lead the N24 with six hours of racing completed, a minute clear of Charles Weerts with the #72 BMW M4 GT3 until they both pitted which promoted the #16 Scherer Sport PHX Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Frank Stippler back to the lead of the race.

24 Hours of Le Mans

At the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans, pole sitter Kévin Estre associated to André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor battled for a spot on the podium until the end in the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963. At the flag, the best-placed works-run Porsche 963 was a mere 1.167 seconds off third place.

#6 Porsche 963 — 📷© Luc Warnotte at Le Mans 2024. #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963

Dries Vanthoor in the #15 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 he shared with Raffaele Marciello and Marco Wittmann delivered the fastest lap of the qualifying session. Dries Vanthoor was fast again in the Hyperpole but had a slip into the tyre barriers that ended his time chase still securing sixth place on the grid for the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8.

During the race, as Vanthoor was trying to stay on the lead lap in #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 missed the second chicane on cold tyres and had to take to the escape road before rejoining the track, putting him in the thick of the fight with the race-leading #83 satellite Ferrari 499P of Kubica on the Mulsanne straight. Kubica clipped Vanthoor's BMW, pitching him head-on into the barriers.

📷© Luc Warnotte at Le Mans 2024. Left: #20 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8. Center: #15 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8. Right: #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3.

Sheldon van der Linde in sister #20 ended the race but was not classified having covered only 96 laps of the 311 by the winners.

Kelvin van der Linde with #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 ended 34th overall, 7th in LMGT3 class.

24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

The #32 BMW M4 GT3 driven by Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde and Charles Weerts moved from 23rd on the grid to third at the end with strong driving and good strategy amid the numerous difficult tyre choices and a 30-second time penalty for a Full Course Yellow infringement in Hour 14.

Both Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 — 📷© Luc Warnotte at Imola. #20 **BMW Team WRT** BMW M Hybrid V8

Dries Vanthoor (#32 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team WRT, 3rd place): “It was a tough race for us. We weren't the fastest, but we drove a clean race and made few mistakes. We can be very happy about that. Unfortunately, the #998 had a puncture, which brought us back into the fight for the podium. In the end, I gave it my all. Nothing more was possible. I'm glad to be on the podium – especially after the tough month with the races at the Nürburgring and Le Mans. It's a well-deserved third place for our team.”

Sheldon van der Linde (#32 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team WRT, 3rd place): “I'm very happy about the unexpected podium at the end. We were in fourth and fifth place in the last hour and didn't expect to make it to the podium. Unfortunately, the ROWE Racing car had a small problem at the end which is why we slipped onto the podium. But we drove a very clean race. I'm very happy that we're back on track for success. The past two years have been very difficult for our car with retirements and some problems. But I'm glad we made it to the podium. We're on the leaderboard in the championship, which is important for the rest of the year. I'm happy for the whole team because they've worked very hard over the past two years. They deserve it.” Source: BMW Group