- Ten years after its last victory, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport has once again won the prestigious ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring. The Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL, comprising Maro Engel (GER), Maxime Martin (BEL), Fabian Schiller, and Luca Stolz (both GER), triumphed in the 54th edition thanks to an impressive team performance, finishing over two minutes ahead of its nearest rival.
- For Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, this marks a historic third victory in the Eifel classic, following triumphs in 2013 and 2016. Maro Engel was already part of the winning quartet in 2016. Martin, Schiller, Stolz, and Winward Racing celebrated their first victory in the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
- Starting from 25th on the grid, the #80 Mercedes-AMG GT3 managed to make up several places right from the start.
- When the rain started to fall for the first time after around four hours, the team made the right decision and switched to MICHELIN wet tyres early on. Thereafter, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL and Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing held first and second place for the majority of the race.
- During the night, the two performance cars repeatedly swapped the lead in a series of close battles on the Döttinger Höhe.
- With four hours to go, Lucas Auer (AUT), Jules Gounon (AND), Daniel Juncadella (ESP), and Max Verstappen (NED) were initially forced to retire the #3 car from Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing due to a faulty driveshaft. The car rejoined the race for the final lap and was classified in 37th place.
- Even in the closing stages, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL remained flawless despite changeable weather conditions and a few incidents, crossing the finish line in commanding fashion after 24 hours and 5 minutes 27 seconds, having completed 156 laps.
- In total, the two Mercedes-AMG Performance Teams led for 129 laps.
- Toyo Tires with Ring Racing finished 17th overall. SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm finished the race in 101st place following an extended repair stop.
- The #26 car from PROsport Racing Team BILSTEIN was in the top 10 in the early hours of the morning. With five hours to go, a broken splitter forced the team to retire.
- PROsport Racing celebrated another success in the SP10 class: Yannik Himmels (GER), Lluc Ibañez (ESP), Guilherme de Oliveira (POR), and Jörg Viebahn (GER) took third place in their category with the #176 Mercedes-AMG GT4.
- KCMG initially established itself among the leading group at the start. After four hours, the #47 Mercedes-AMG GT3 was hit from behind by a rival and was unable to continue the race.
- For Maro Engel and Maxime Martin, this was their second victory in the second round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. Having already secured victory at the season-opener in Bathurst, the duo also claimed the maximum 25 points at the Nürburgring, extending their lead in the drivers’ championship.
- In addition, Toyo Tires with Ring Racing secured six points for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport in the IGTC manufacturers’ championship – Mercedes-AMG therefore is in the lead of the standings.
- With 161 cars entered, 41 of which in the GT3 class alone, the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring boasted its largest field of entrants since 2014.
- The 54th edition took place in front of a record crowd of 352,000 spectators, who created a spectacular atmosphere throughout the event.
>> Results ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring
“This is a truly significant achievement – I couldn’t be prouder. The 24h Nürburgring is one of the biggest and most important endurance races for us, and we were determined to win it again. I am overwhelmed that we have managed to do so after ten long years with the Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL. As is so often the case in motorsport, however, joy and disappointment are never far apart. For long stretches, we witnessed a close battle between our two performance cars. That is why it is particularly unfortunate that the race came to an early end for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing. My thanks go to everyone involved who supported this extraordinary event.”
Christoph Sagemüller, Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport
“I am very proud that we were able to win the 2026 24-hour race. We prepared meticulously for this event and the changing conditions. All that hard work paid off. When the rain first started to fall, we were able to make the decisive move forward on the track and also make the right strategic decisions. This time, we also had the bit of racing luck that you simply need in this race. Together with the Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL, we delivered a flawless race. The sister car also delivered a strong performance. That is a remarkable achievement, especially here on the Nordschleife. But the other six cars also had good pace. Mercedes-AMG Motorsport put in a very strong overall performance – and for that, everyone involved deserves great respect and my heartfelt thanks.”
Stefan Wendl, Head of Customer Racing, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport
“We’ve had to wait ten long years for this success. Although rain wasn’t exactly the weather I’d hoped for in the final half-hour, I was still able to hold onto the position with confidence. Thanks to the team for getting the car back in such good shape after my mistake in qualifying. I feel very sorry for the sister car. Both Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars were really fast. But I’m just glad now that our hard work has finally paid off after such a long time. Thanks to all the spectators. The atmosphere was fantastic all weekend.”
Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL #80
“It’s fantastic to secure this victory for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport after ten years. For me, it’s also finally my first win in what is now my 15th appearance. After three second-place finishes and a long wait, it feels absolutely brilliant. My father won here in 1992, and now I’ve done it, too. It’s a dream come true for me. All in all, it’s simply been an unforgettable weekend.”
Maxime Martin, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL #80
“This victory is something very special. I’ve been competing here in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 since 2019 and have always dreamed of winning the race. That dream has now come true. The race was particularly challenging mentally. It rained on and off in various places. You never knew what to expect on the next lap. But we had the strongest package this weekend and we put it to perfect use on the track.”
Fabian Schiller, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL #80
“It’s an incredible feeling to have secured this overall victory. All the pressure just lifts at once, because the final minutes were incredibly nerve-wracking. I’m delighted that we’ve been so successful this year with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. The Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL provided us with a fantastic car. We knew that, with the crew, we had what it takes to succeed. Now, after an emotional rollercoaster ride, we’re right at the top. We can simply enjoy this.”
Luca Stolz, Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL #80
“We can be very proud of our performance, even if the disappointment over the result is still weighing heavily on us. Although we managed to get out on track again at the end, it was, of course, a bitter finish for us. The Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, as well as Dani, Jules, and Max, did an incredibly good job throughout the weekend.”
Lucas Auer, Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing #3
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