NLS: Spectacular racing debut for the BMW M3 Touring 24H – ROWE Racing wins with the BMW M4 GT3 EVO.

Nürburgring. You dreamed it. We built it. We race it: The BMW M3 Touring 24H passed its baptism of fire at the season opener of the Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie (NLS) on the legendary Nordschleife (GER). The car not only attracted attention from fans and media, but also impressed on the track. Jens Klingmann (GER) and Ugo de Wilde (BEL) finished in a strong 13th place overall, winning the SPX class. Dan Harper (GBR) and Jordan Pepper (RSA) in the #99 BMW M4 GT3 EVO initially celebrated a second-place finish but were later promoted to overall winners after the Mercedes crew around Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen (NED) was disqualified.

In front of an impressive crowd of 25,000 spectators, four BMW M4 GT3 EVOs and the BMW M3 Touring 24H lined up on the grid. The second ROWE Racing car with Augusto Farfus (BRA), Raffaele Marciello (SUI), and Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) started from third place but dropped back to 25th after a technical issue required a repair stop.

Schubert Motorsport celebrated its comeback on the Nordschleife. The #77 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, driven by Klingmann, de Wilde, and Charles Weerts (BEL), finished the race in twelfth place – directly ahead of the BMW M3 Touring 24H, which was surrounded and admired by fans both in the pit lane and on the starting grid. The #23 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of customer team Gamota Racing finished 16th overall, which also meant third place in the SP9-Pro-Am class.

Hans-Peter Naundorf (Team Principal ROWE Racing): “At our last two appearances here, we took two wins, and now a second place. The last three events at the Nürburgring have gone very well for us. After the snow last weekend, we were finally able to get enough laps in. We were able to do what we had planned: tyre work and giving the drivers the laps they needed. The most important thing was that everyone got to drive. It’s a good feeling for everyone here that we made it onto the podium. We’re all happy.”

Jordan Pepper (#99 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, ROWE Racing, 1st place): “For me, there was a lot to learn in my first race for BMW M Motorsport on the Nordschleife. Many thanks to everyone in the team who helped me settle in quickly. It was a lot of fun. The guys are great, and now I know why they’ve always been the toughest competitors in the past. I’m happy with how it went. The podium is a nice bonus. I’ve learned a lot, but I also know what I still need to work on to be at the absolute top level for the 24-hour race.”

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal Schubert Motorsport): “Overall, we are very satisfied with the premiere of the BMW M3 Touring 24H. We can match the pace, similar to the GT3 cars. The first developments with the Yokohama tyre are also very positive. Now we want to continue doing a clean job – from the qualifying race to the 24-hour race. For us at Schubert Motorsport, returning to the Nordschleife is of course something special.”

Jens Klingmann (#81 BMW M3 Touring 24H, BMW M Motorsport, 1st place SPX class): “We can draw an entirely positive conclusion. For us, it was important to collect as many kilometres and as much experience as possible with the BMW M3 Touring 24H – also with the Yokohama tyre. We are also very satisfied with the pace, the balance, and our learnings. There are no vibrations, no rattles, and even the little things that are important, especially for the 24-hour race, we have now started to sort out. All in all, I really enjoyed it. And you can see from the outside, on the grid and during the formation lap, the fans, how they cheer us on, take pictures, clap, give a thumbs up. The support from the community is fantastic. The love we put into the details is reflected back to us from the outside, and it’s really a joy to see that.”