Road 35: N24 Special

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NÜRBURGRING OR MOTORWAY. FALKEN HIGH PERFORMANCE T YRES

Official sponsor 24h-Race Nürburgring

Better grip and greater driving pleasure - the AZENIS FK453 delivers outstanding traction in wet and dry conditions without compromising

on comfort. Falken‘s FK453 tyre enhances the road qualities of sporty cars for an even more direct and authentic driving experience.

falken-europe.com

facebook.com/Falken.Motorsports

From race track to road.

ON ME ED W

hen you’ve experienced the Nürburgring 24-Hour ROYLE MEDIA & ROAD – as a mentalist endurance racer or a forestRoad Magazine is published by dwelling fan – no motorsport ever comes close happy publishing & PR team, Royle Media. Contact us for your own to exciting in quite the same, paradigm-shifting way. It’s brand magazine – print or diggy the best circuit racing experience there is... end of story.

It’s a couple of years since we last went out, so we were – and perfect PR or SoMe. thrilled when Falken Motorsport (and Nick Bailey, Claire Phil & Bonnie Royle Dumbreck and Tiggy Atkinson of Propel Technology, www. www.roylemedia.co.uk propel-technology.com) invited us to sample the unique www.facebook.com/roylemedia N24 delights again – and follow the fortunes of their allwww.twitter.com/RoyleMedia new Porsche 911 GT3 R. Our massive behind the scenes ROAD SNAPPER: Neil Denham Falken feature in this N24 special of Road gives a true www.neildenham.co.uk insight into what this unique racing challenge is all about.

We also cover Aston Martin – in their 100th year – makROAD USA: Ashley Van Dyke ing history and breaking records with their Hybrid Hydrowww.avdmotorsports.com gen V12 twin turbo Rapide S and kicking ass in their Prodrive-built GT3 Vantage beast: Ground-breaking stuff.

ROAD RACER: Neil Primrose Then there’s the story of Mercedes-Benz’s first ever www.islaracing.com N24 win with the Black Falcon SLS and the other two top www.travisonline.com teams that made the final five in the biblical, bionic SLS ROAD I.T GURU: Steve Davies AMG GT3’s. And we share the full top 20 N24 results. www.skiddmark.com Finally, we’ve got a round-up of some other items of special interest in the 41st ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24Follow Road on TWITTER, like us Hour – including the sparkling debut of Peugeot’s 208 GTi, on FACEBOOK, enjoy our daily Manthey Racing and Sabine Schmitz’s 911’s, the BMW BLOG & visit our own Royle Media Z4M GT3 beasts, our pal Tim Schrick and rapper, Smudo publishing & PR website, by in a biodiesel Scirocco and the vast fleet of Toyota GT86’s clicking on the blob links below. that took part in the ultimate endurance racing challenge.

Enjoy our N24 special, and share FREE Road magazine with your mates. See the blog and Social Media for more!

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T H G I L N F HE E K T ALGETSE H H T T FOADIND WI N R H ES KE B E EN AL N24 SC E F @ TH 3 R GT

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alken Tyres – celebrating their 30th anniversary this year – are one of the most popular entries in the N24. Their unmistakable blue and turquoise livery, and their choice of cool, cult cars to race at the ultimate Nürburgring endurance event is a heady, crowd-pleasing mix.

This is Falken’s 14th N24 campaign. It all began in 1999, with an R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R, which rocked the crowds with a hugely impressive 6th place, on the team’s debut! And so the seed was sown for Falken, who became sponsors in 2001 and are now main sponsors, and race here

every year, in great cars.

They returned with the R33 GT-R 2001-2005 – twice finishing fifth overall – before switching to a 350Z. And in recent years, Falken have moved up the classes and onto the ever-popular, ultrarapid Porsche 911 GT3 R, which netted them P49 in 2011 and a DNF in 2012.

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This 41st 2013 ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24-Hour is their third attempt in the Type 997 911 GT3 R. Proving their popularity with the drivers as well as the fans, the team presented an unchanged (in three years), highly-skilled driver line-up

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of the youthful raw talent of Sebastian Asch (son of Europe’s most successful Porsche Cup racer, Roland Asch), the experienced endurance hands of Scotsman, Peter Dumbreck and two Porsche factory drivers, Wolf Henzler and Martin

Ragginger: Quite a line-up!

The aim was clear – a top 10 finish. And that’s no mean feat, given the quality of the competition – with factory entries from BMW Motorsport (Z4M GT3), Aston Martin Racing (Vantage V12 GT3), scores of Audi R8

V10 LMS Ultras, seven Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 and no less than 34 Porsche 911s, including four from multiple past 24-hour winners, Manthey Racing.

In order to challenge top teams like these, Falken have built and developed

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a brand new GT3 R for the N24 – following a dramatic write-off in a wet VLN race running up to the N24.

The GT3 R now has a new aerodynamics package with wider wings, new front splitter with double canards and the largest rear wing imaginable to increase downforce and reduce lift. Larger arch vents aid cooling and the car runs fatter, grippier tyres thanks to fat 12-inch rims

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up front and 13-inch rears.

These huge one-piece forged alloy wheels enable massive (new compound and construction for 2013) 300/660x18 front tyres and 330/710x18 rears – available in four slick, two intermediate and four wet compounds, with softer tyres for night stints. The wheelbase is extended and a softer front anti-roll bar is fitted for the unique N24 set-up.

Finally, the car is festooned with four massive flashing spotlights to compliment the yellow headlamps – critical for the N24, to warn slower traffic of the impending arrival of the ultra-rapid GT3 R. And top teams like Falken get a blue flashing light for further ‘**** off!’ clarity! Mean.

Other than these modifications, free brake pads, dampers and tyres, the

Falken GT3 R is as Porsche built it, according to race regulations: 4.0-litre, flat-six, normally-aspirated Boxer, 520PS (@7,250rpm) engine, rear-driven via a six-speed sequential dog box (with paddle shifts). The GT3 R also has sophisticated traction control and race tuned ABS systems with double de-clutching functionality – which is essential in the wet at this narrow,

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constantly altering surface, variable weather uber-track.

Developing the right tyre and 911 set-up for the Nürburgring 24-Hour is a massive ask. Falken say: “The Porsche 911 is a difficult car to tune tyres for. The rear tyre performance is so critical for the 911, as you must generate a lot of grip here, but it’s hard to find a good balance between the grip, consistency and controllability. We have tried to generate a lot more downforce this year, to allow greater cornering speed, but this has affected peak speed.

Then there is the Eifel weather: It might be dry behind the trackside Dorint hotel, but raining on the track. It’s so changeable.”

It’s tough for the drivers too, as Brit, Peter Dumbreck says: “It’s one year since I was here and I’ve done two wet laps and one in the dry for qualifying, on the world’s most dangerous, bumpy and blind circuit.”

“N24 is the biggest club race in the world. It takes the pomp out of endur-

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ance racing and it’s becoming more professional. It’s hectic and unique – you’re on track with Renault Clios and top GT3 cars. The closing speeds are unreal, on a track that’s unbelievably narrow in these wide GT3’s: One tiny mistake and you are off and into the wall, right in front of the 1000’s of fans, who can get so close to the action here.

Racing here (especially at night) is like no-where else: You can smell the fires and BBQ’s, smoke drifts across the track, fireworks go off, you can see people having a beer – it’s like the forest comes alive around you. It’s like driving through a massive fairground ride.”

On Saturday, Falken’s GT3 R qualified P22. And highlighting the competitiveness in the top teams, the P1 Phoenix Audi R8 V10 LMS Ultra ran 8:17.212, P2 Aston Martin GT3 ran 8:18.362 and Falken ran 8:25.247 – just eight seconds off P1, and lying 22nd on the grid: The N24 is brutally competitive.

At 5pm on Sunday (after Schumacher lapped an F1 car and 007 Daniel Craig had left the grid), the insane, 24-hour sprint fairground ride began, with its three grid rolling start, and insane speed – in dry conditions. You’d never know this was a 24-hour race, judging by the 8:20-something laps, bumper-to-bumper, airborne dog fights and the frenetic, relentless pace. It’s THE best racing sight.

Falken’s Martin Ragginger, Sebastian Asch, then Wolf Henzler avoided the multiple crashes and muscled the GT3 R up to just outside the top 10 impressively. Then, as night closed in, so the forecast rain came – heavily. All the cars piled in for intermediates, then wets, then wetter wets, as the track became a snaking river under the constant deluge, and fans dived for cover under their makeshift shelters and deep-stoked their pallet fires trackside.

Now, the Falken GT3 R was in its element. The new Falken wets are superb – as

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is Peter Dumbreck. He took the car in P8 as night fell on the Green Hell and I’ve never witnessed a stint like it – in foul conditions, with spray reducing visibility to near zero and standing water forcing high-speed aquaplaning.

Peter was initially phased: “To be honest, it was scary.

This was my first proper drive and the spray was terrible – it was just a wall of white! Then there was oil

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on the track from Bergwerk all the way home. The car would just push on at the front as you tried to turn in, then the back would step out and the TCS kick in at every turn. It was insane.

I let competitors pass me being extra careful – but still went on the grass and almost went into the barrier.”

Then something magical happened inside car No.44: “I bided my time and the car suddenly just came to me

and I felt really happy with it. The tyres felt amazing. I was having a lot less moments, so I started to push and everyone else suddenly seemed to be driving in slow motion.”

And compared to Peter and the Falken GT3 R, they were. In a jaw-dropping display of brave, skillful, wet weather racing, Peter Dumbreck went from P11 to P1, in under nine laps. I have never witnessed wet driving

like it: Utterly amazing.

The team were thrilled and Falken’s dream of an N24 podium – even a win – was alive. But, for the first time I can ever remember, the drenched, foggy N24 was red flagged. Conditions were unsafe, as Wolf Henzler said: “The visibility was near zero and there was standing water on the Dottinger-Hohe straight, where the top cars do over 180mph. You do not want to

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ting tight in the top 10, within shout of the lead – going brilliantly on wets, but slowheavy, then light, then off, ing against the competition then on – making conditions on intermediates and slicks. treacherous and awkward.

Then, with just four hours Teams were in turmoil pick- left, going strong and up in crash there. They made the ing tyres, and the accidents, fifth place, the Falken GT3 right call to stop the race.” spins and drama multiplied R span off the slippery GP So, before midnight, the and the race lead changed circuit, deep into the infield, race was stopped overhands countless times, getting stuck on the soaking night, until 8am – and evemaking a winner impossible grass. The subsequent tow ryone breathed an audible to predict. It was there for cost four minutes and many sigh of relief, soaked to the the taking for any of the top places. And their N24 bad skin: Classic N24 drama. luck continued, as they then handful of teams.

A wet morning came – first The Falken GT3 R was sit- got hit by a spinning back

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marker, causing a costly unscheduled pit stop.

And so, sadly, the top 10 dream evaporated. But, Falken raced hard in the final hours and managed their best 911 N24 placement – P20 – after 82 laps and 2050Km’s mental, tough endurance racing, just six laps off P1 pace (Mercedes-Benz SLS) with an 8:39.113 best lap: Solid.

Without the spin and subsequent shunt, maybe the podium, or top 911 beckoned? And for a brief, wonderful moment in the rain sodden night, the Falken

GT3 R led the Nürburgring 24-Hour. That’s something to be very, very proud of.

Falken Motorsport said: “The race had many highlights but a few low points too. We are of course disappointed we couldn’t keep our top 10 position, but that is the way of motor racing.

We are already looking forward to our next VLN outing here this year.”

Factory Porsche Driver Wolf Henzler added: “We were very competitive in the wet conditions. Both Team Schnabl and the Falken tyres were great.”

And wet driving God, Peter Dumbreck summarised: “The luck wasn’t with us but it was great to fight up at

the front. I think it was the toughest N24 I have ever been in.”

Following one team – especially one as masterful, slick, prepared, knowledgable, rapid and nice as Falken – is a great way to enjoy this most incredible of endurance races.

The focus on one team’s tale of triumphs, trials and tribulations helps you understand the effort, emotion and determination needed to win in this unique race at this harsh circuit.

The Falken GT3 R showed its definitely got the pace.

The drivers have the ability.

The team the know-how. It’s only a matter of time – and N24 luck – before we see the popular Falken team in the Top 10 here. So bring on the 42nd N24. It can’t come soon enough!

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Side show

Falken drift show @ N24 PICS: Jordan Butters

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he very best “fantertainment” is what main sponsors, Falken Tyres promised us at the 2013 N24 – in the 30th anniversary year for the popular far eastern tyre kings owned

by Sumitomo Rubber Industries.

Of course, one great way to simultaneously entertain and inspire people to get into a pass time that’s sure to keep rubber sales booming is to lay on the ultimate drift show. And Falken did just that at the superb, fun Müllenbachschleife track on Saturday night.

The Falken Drift Show has been a staple part of the N24 circus for years now,

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and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular – they do it right.

This is not just one car slowly snaking sideways around a dull airfield. This is drifting done on a large scale – four cars abreast, tandem exhibition drifting, show casing the very best, bumper-to-bumper ChokuDori, dirt drops, clutch kicks, Inertia feint drift and e-braking (to name but a few D1 terms). Banzai!

The sight and sound of the army of turquoise and blue drift cars in their immaculate livery and with perfect specifications was superbly entertaining.

“Choosing the right tyres for drifting is all about grip,

evenness of wear and durability –basically everything you’d expect from a regular tyre,” said Nadine CeroneSchatz of Falken PR. “Our drift team uses only road tyres that are generally available. No semi-slicks.

No prototypes. And with all

these features, Falken’s new AZENIS FK453 is the ideal basis – for all the precision and performance the drift team needs.”

“We’re particularly proud to show off our performance in the world of racing and drifting here at N24 on

this our 30th global anniversary,” said Yukio Yoshida, Corporate Planning Director at Falken. “Under the heading of ‘30 Years of Performance,’ we aim to communicate passion for the Falken brand.” Job done Yukio!

Job done Falken!

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n o t s A 4 2 N y r a r e t n Ce s r a t s r e sup

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o mark t w o h w o n k e r u s Aston with g in k a e r -b d r o c e r – th eir 100th a GT3 in g in m r o t s id r g & Hydro g en

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ou’ve got to take your hat off to Aston Martin – and not just for making stunning, sorted, swift race and road cars with massive V8 and V12 engines! To mark their auspicious 100th anniversary, the super-slick British brand arrived at the world’s greatest endurance race with 100 amazing Aston Martin’s to parade the famous 25Km circuit before the N24 start, entertaining the fans. And the AM Racing brought three amazing endurance racers: 1. The Prodrivebuilt, Bilstein-livery Vantage GT3, making its debut on the Nordschleife, No.007 (how cool?); aiming for no less than a win (see on).

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2. A close-to-production spec V12 Vantage, aiming for class honours. And 3. A paradigm-shifting V12 Twin Turbo Rapide S – running a ground-breaking Hydrogen Hybrid system, aiming to make history as the first hydrogen-powered car to compete in, and to undertake zero CO2 emissions laps of, an international motor race – driven by no less than AM CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez: Legend.

No poxy, PR-spun launch in a road car of the worldchanging “transition in world economy” Hydrogen hybrid system that could future-proof the performance car and motorsport world, oh no. Aston Martin

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do things properly – entering the eco record breaker in the toughest endurance race on the planet, in front of a global audience, on the car-killing Nürburgring Nordschleife. Respect is due.

The Hydrogen car approach – a collaboration between two business partners made in heaven, Aston Martin and Alset Global, Hydrogen specialists – is nothing short of genius, as Aston Martin’s Special Project boss, David King explains:

“The combustion engine car industry is 200 years old.

Our starting point was not to re-invent the wheel, but to revolutionise the existing technology, with a new fuel integration. This might be the only way to take advantage of enjoying performance cars in 20-30 years.

“All our R&D focus was on making zero-emissions Hydrogen technology work with the internal combustion engine. I became a believer very quickly in the

Hybrid Hydrogen car. Alset created a very convincing case. And our idea of making a 500bhp, six-litre, V12, twin turbo race car run zero emissions laps is a remarkable thing.”

Incredibly, just nine months before the N24, the goal was set – to build a Rapide S into a Hybrid petrol and Hydrogen endurance race car and run a minimum of two laps in the N24 with zero emissions.

Aston Martin and Alset

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Happy 100th

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s if breaking records with their Hybrid Hydrogen car and getting on the front row of the grid with their GT3 wasn’t enough to celebrate 100 years, Aston Martin also sent 100 amazing Aston Martin’s onto the famous track prior to the race.

And what a sight it made, with a heady mixture of post-WWII classics like the DB1 and DB2, through 1950’s and 1960’s aces like DB Mark III, DB4, GT Zagato and the iconic DB5 and DB6. And the droolfest continued through the DBS,

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V8 Vantage, Virage, V12 Vantage, DB7, DB9, One77 and all current models, including the new Rapide: Utterly jaw-dropping stuff and the perfect way to celebrate 100 years of the ace AM brand, wot wot!

worked extremely hard with the N24 race scrutineers to achieve this dream – with the obvious issue of safety of paramount importance, not to mention jumping several technical hurdles.

A raft of safety and technical changes needed to be made by Alset to the V12 Rapide – including the crea-

tion of a 4.5bar, single port Hydrogen injection system, a state-of-the-art Hydrogen fuel cell, fault detection systems and huge amounts of crash testing. And Aston had to turbocharge the V12 (to deal with the power loss of fueling on a gas), which meant thermal management modifications, new pistons,

gaskets, manifolds, exhaust system and ECU re-mapping galore to create petrol, Hydrogen and mixed maps.

Then of course there was the small matter of making it a racing car, with roll cage, safety etc. Mission!

“There was a lot of development work that went into the project, in a very short

time. This was the first time we’d ever turbocharged the V12 engine and Alset brought so much expertise.

Our working relationship has been superb. We aimed to make the car as close to production as possible. It was not all about speed,” adds David King.

Plus there was the not

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inconsequential matter of creating a mobile Hydrogen re-fuelling station – provided by Alset Global’s partner, Linde, via its TrailH2-gas mobile refuelling truck. Hydrogen was stored at 350 bar and a full (3.2Kg) refill was reduced to just 30 seconds per pit stop by the end of the race: Amazing!

The No.100 Aston Martin Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S was the sole entry in the special E1-XP2 class. And, rewarding the team’s ambition and reflecting their technical achievement, the Hybrid Hydrogen system ran faultlessly throughout the gruelling race – demonstrating the reliability, safety and durability of the technology which could be on a series production vehicle

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within a couple of years.

In the 24-Hour race, the car reached 160mph (255kph) on pure hydrogen, producing zero emissions!

Its final placement of P112 with 61 laps was an epic achievement – paving the way for the future of modern motorsport.

“This is an historic day for two reasons: besides being the first hydrogenpowered race car to compete and undertake zero CO2 emissions laps, it has showcased the most practical technology available to fundamentally, and within a very short period of time, address the challenge of global emissions, without disrupting the automotive industry,” said Jose Ignacio Galindo, CEO and founder

of Austrian Alset Global.

Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez said: “I am incredibly proud of the Aston Martin team, and our partners Alset Global. We have written a little motorsport history.”

Witnessing this historic moment at this legendary race was one of the highlights of my motor hack career. The significance of this project can’t be underestimated. Aston and Alset have shown the world a 500bhp, V12, twin turbo car can be 100% eco, while sounding and looking tremendous. A huge round of applause is due – and for doing it in such style, at the coolest race on the planet.

Aston Martin & Alset Global – Road salutes you!

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Attack from the front Qualifying P2 – just one second off pole – the Vantage GT3 set out its debut N24 stall in style

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arking “Aston Martin’s most focused attempt yet to challenge for honours at N24” in eight successive years of coming to compete at the iconic race, the Prodrive-built international championship-winning V12 Vantage GT3 made quite an entrance – qualifying P2, on the front row of the grid, just

1.150 seconds off the leading Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS Ultra, with a ballistic 8:18.362 lap time of the 25,378-metre uber-circuit.

Certainly one of the best looking, awesome sounding and greatest livery cars in the race, the GT3 also came with four top name drivers – Darren Turner, Stefan Mücke, Allan Simonsen and

the legendary Pedro Lamy Pedro. And just for good measure, Prodrive boss, David Richards CBE was here to extol his extensive experience and race craft to the team – who we spied pep-talking on the grid.

Aston Martin won the Nürburgring 1,000 km race in 1957, ’58 and ’59. And the British sports car makers,

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were here to beat the Audi R8 LMS Ultra’s, MercedesBenz SLS AMG GT3’s, Porsche 911 GT3 and RSR’s, BMW Z4 GT3’s and anyone else who fancied a pop at winning this awesome race.

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Top 40 qualifying on Saturday was dry. And the Aston Martin GT3 was utterly epic – laying down the gauntlet to the top teams they meant business. And so it was when the race began – with

the Aston initially letting the P1 Phoenix R8 out of touch, then letting the G-Drive R8 through too. But the GT3 always stayed in range of the lead. Then, just a few hours into the race, the popular

Aston GT3 made its move, making two bionic, ballsy passes to take P1: 007 would be proud.

In P1 the blue and yellow beast stayed, roaring out fastest laps and holding off

the R8’s, Z4’s, SLS’s and 911’s challenging behind, only ever briefly losing the lead on pit stops, but regaining it again. And as the red flag came down at 10:30pm, in the rain and

fog, the GT3 led the race.

“If only it could have stopped there,” Aston said!

In the end, the team managed P10, 86 laps and were just two laps down. Quite a debut, for quite a car.

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SLS clean up at the green hell history is made as three sls AMG GT3’s nail the top 10 at N24 2013

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ercedes triumphed in style for the first time at the 41st N24 with an historic, dominant wet weather performance by the thunderous Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3’s – with the Black Falcon overall winner and the Rowe Racing cars finishing third and fourth, side by

side, just one lap behind.

The stunning sight of these gull wing beauties and the biblical sound from their burbling 6.3-litre V8’s was amazing to witness – making your chest vibrate as they rumbled past at pace.

Absolutely ace!

The highly experienced N24 regulars (& Dubai 24Hr

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and Bathurst winners), Black Falcon secured their first overall win in the Nürburgring 24-Hour with fivetime DTM champion Bernd Schneider (Germany), Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands), Sean Edwards (GB) and Nicki Thiim (Denmark) driving from sixth position on the grid to finish the legendary endurance race 2:39 minutes ahead of the P2 BMW Sport Trophy Z4, after 88 unreal laps.

The Black Falcon victory

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was rounded off by positions three and four for Rowe Racing, with Thomas Jäger a double entrant, taking the cockpit in two SLS AMG GT3’s prepared by Rowe – hardcore! In Gull wing #22, the former DTM driver, along with Klaus Graf, Jan Seyffarth and Nico Bastian (all Germany), came home in third place overall.

Jäger, at the wheel of car number 23, aided by teammates Lance David Arnold, Alexander Roloff and Jan

Seyffarth (all Germany), finally took the chequered flag in fourth place.

Alexander Böhm, Black Falcon General Manager: “The ultra-reliable SLS AMG GT3 was once again the cornerstone for this historic victory. All the drivers did a great job – we were really fast, especially in the wet.

A big thank you to all team members!”

Hans-Peter Naundorf, Rowe Racing Team Manager said: “I am extremely

pleased with securing P3 and P4 with #22 and #23, especially as we were forced to retire last year while in the lead. My thanks go to all drivers and team members. Congratulations to winners, Black Falcon.”

Uli Fritz, Head of AMG Customer Sports, commented: “We were not among the favourites to win, as we are not a works team. We are very excited about this historic success.

We have won every major 2013 endurance race with the SLS AMG GT3 and now the legendary 24-Hour race here at the Nürburgring. My congratulations go to all AMG customer teams, and many thanks to tyre partner Dunlop for the excellent manner in which they have supported our team.”

The SLS GT3 really is stamping its mark on world endurance racing, and long may it continue. Heroic!

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N24 RESULTS

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No plac our se like of the racers n24 n24

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election of some e superb sights & s at n24 2013

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aking it’s racing debut at the 41st N24 were not one, not two, but three fabulous Peugeot 208 GTi race cars.

Eight lucky drivers from eight EU countries were picked in the cool 208 GTi Racing Experience program to race in the N24... and the gamble paid off, big time.

The fiesty French flyer – sounding superbly like a rally car not racer – pounded round the endurance race and surprised many

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with its pace and reliability, from the tuned 300bhp 1.6litre turbo engine.

All three 208’s finished, all in the top 45 – with P30 (79 laps, just nine off the lead!), P37 (78 laps) and P44 (75 laps). Bravo!

Brit, Bradley Philpot was having a ball: “I think the qualifying laps tripled my NBR experience, so it was in at the deep end. But I’m hooked now and the car has been superb.”

Très, très bon Peugeot!

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hat would N24 be without Manthey Racing – five times winners in six years in their legendary RSR? And, judging by the breath-taking pace of the leading 911 in the dry, had it not been a wet race, there could easily have been a sixth historic win. Not to be this year though, with P7 the final result for the legendary RSR, just one lap down and still top 911. But they’ll be back...

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abine Schmitz and Klaus Abbelen once hit the podium of N24 in their 911 and that was very special indeed for this privateer team – one which we were lucky enough to witness and report on firsthand. Good times.

The loveable local legends made P16 this year in “the fastest burger” Frikadelli Racing 911 GT3 R, completing 84 laps and four laps off the leading SLS. Once again the popular “Ring Queen” showed the men how to race a 911 in style. Respect.

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ne of our all-time favourite N24 cars is the BMW Z4. Easy to over-look next to the legendary racer that is the 911, or the R8 and SLS new kids on the block, the diminutive Z4 doesn’t look as potent. But under-estimate these absolute GT3 weapons at your peril. They are properly quick.

Point proved – car No.25 run

by BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS (catchy!) came in

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ur very good schnell freund, TV star, sideways God and racer, Tim Schrick was racing a VW Scirocco TDi Biodiesel run by Four Motor – with his Hamburg hip hop hero pal, Smudo also at the helm!

The celebrity team kept the lean, green, diesel machine rolling into P127, some 35 laps off the pace, completing 53 laps... not the fastest, but certainly the team to stick with for a great party, laughs and good times. Cheers chaps!

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P2, still on the same lap as the winning Black Falcon SLS, just 2:39s off victory and fastest lap 8:22.086!) And Z4 No.20 came sixth, just one lap down.

Their small size gives them superb traffic-passing ability and they have stunning straight line speed, top speed and agility. They also happen to look rock hard and sound bloody great. Overlook the N24 Z4 GT3’s and you miss out...

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here were almost 10 Toyota GT86’s in the 41st N24 – with three being run by Toyota themselves, in GT86 ‘Cup’ spec.

And what the GT86 lacks in V-max straight line speed and pulling power up the long Nordschleife hills, it more than makes up for in character – and price.

We were told you could spec-up a GT86 like these for around £35K, which is about a 10th of an SLS. Sure, it’s not going to be winning here, but what a

cool, fun, reliable car to race with at the N24, or any endurance race! We love them – especially in the red and white livery.

The top (Swiss Team Racing) GT86 finished P91, with a line of the factory Cup cars all finishing together in P93, P94 & P95 and others coming in P97, P106 & P114.

They may have been 20 laps down on P1, but they had almost 70 laps of the best race in the world and all finished, smiling. Cool.

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PICS: ROYLE MEDIA & WWW.NEILDENHAM.CO.UK

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ightfall fun and games at N24 may have been short on track this year – thanks to the unreal rain and fog and subsequent race cancellation – but fab forest life was on its usual top form regardless of the race red flag.

BBQ’s burned, fires ferocious, beer consumption biblical and the trackside, campsite, scaffold-filled atmosphere was as mad & magical as ever.

There is no place like it to watch motorsport. Roll on 2014 N24...

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