Nurburgring Qualifying Latest: Fines, flames and running repairs

The first qualifying session at the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nurburgring was anything but calm. Numerous incidents forced the race officials to issue a penalty, and an all-female team driving a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup had to withdraw.

Q1 on the iconic Nürburgring Nordschleife proved brutal. Ricardo Feller crashed at Metzgesfeld after hitting a puddle, all before completing a single lap. Lionspeed GP is working hard to repair their #24 Porsche in time for Q2 tonight. Meanwhile, Haupt Racing Team saw the V8 in their #67 Mustang literally go up in smoke, and Christopher Mies left a massive oil trail at Schwedenkreuz. Fortunately, HRT’s headquarters sits right beside the circuit in Meuspath, allowing them to rush their car in for essential repairs this evening.

Nurburgring 24 Hours: Watch Top Qualifying LIVE and free today

Withdrawal of WS-Racing and Penalty for Black Falcon Driver

The #35 Aston Martin from Walkenhorst Motorsport never even got on track due to technical issues that couldn’t be resolved in time for Q1. Yet the team remains determined and refuses to give up.

Not all teams are as lucky. Michelle Halder, Janina Schall, Carrie Schreiner, and Fabienne Wohlwend from Giti Tires Motorsport by WS-Racing suffered their own setback. Schall, driving the #146 Porsche Cup car, collided at high speed behind Black Falcon Team Zimmermann’s #900 Porsche Cup machine, while Alexander Hardt was caught in the chaos on the Schumacher S as the black car burst into flames.

Although Schall avoided a penalty, the damage means the entire women’s team will miss the rest of the week’s action. It’s still unclear whether Black Falcon will withdraw their Zimmermann entry. While teams aren’t allowed to use a spare car during competition, they can return their damaged ride to the workshop for a full rebuild. Like Haupt Racing Team, Black Falcon is based in Meuspath.

UPDATE 18:30: René de Boer (of Rebocars) confirmed after an update from Paul Meijer that Black Falcon has received permission from the organisers to swap the chassis. Meijer, one of the drivers in the #900 Zimmermann Porsche alongside Hardt, Benja Hites, and Benjamin Koslowski, added further insight into the situation.

Hardt was handed a €300 (£260) fine for failing to adhere to the German motorsport association’s safety rules. Instead of seeking refuge behind the barriers, he remained next to the burning Porsche.

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