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The competitors at the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE) have the first few hours of racing behind them and the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3, which started from fourth place, is still well in contention. Dirk Werner (DE) produced an outstanding display in the opening stages and actually led the race for the last few laps before the first pit stop. He handed the car over to Dirk Müller (DE), who was replaced at the end of his stint by Alexander Sims (GB). Three hours into the race, the car is currently running fourth. 

The race began superbly for the number 20 car. Martin Tomczyk (DE) made an excellent start and had moved into the lead by the time the cars reached the first corner. He held onto his position at the front of the field until the first pit stop. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) took over the driving duties and soon faced the onset of rain and an increasingly slippery track. On lap 11, Hürtgen crashed in the Pflanzgarten II section of the track, damaging the car to such an extent that it required lengthy repairs, which are still ongoing. 

Dirk Werner (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “I had a lot of fun on the opening laps. The start was pretty exciting, as there was a lot going on from the word go. Like Martin Tomczyk, I was able to pass the Mercedes that started in front of me. After that we had a very nice race, with three BMWs at the front. We did a decent job of negotiating the traffic. That was a great first stint. It was fantastic to see the fans lining the circuit. We are up and running.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “I jumped over a crest in Pflanzgarten. The spot I landed in was every wet and I lost the rear. I didn’t have a chance. I tried to slam on the brakes, but the car spun 360 degrees. I hit the crash barrier with the front right of the car. There was no warning that it would be so wet at this point on the circuit.”