Falken Motorsports gains experience for the Nürburgring 24 Hours

With a podium at the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers, the dress rehearsal for the legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, Falken Motorsports not only achieved another top result but also gained valuable experience for the endurance classic in the Green Hell. Alessio Picariello and Julien Andlauer drove the teal-and-blue Porsche 911 GT3 R to second place on Sunday.

The first race on Saturday evening, which runs until dark, is a challenge due to heavy rain showers. In qualifying, which took place on a dry track, Julien Andlauer and Alessio Picariello in the #33 Falken Porsche 911 GT3 R secured fourth place on the grid. Starting driver Andlauer even took the lead in the race after a few laps, but the Frenchman slid off the track shortly afterwards and hit the barrier. Although the team quickly repairs the damage, the Porsche is parked for safety reasons.

Things went better for Nico Menzel and Dorian Boccolacci, who shared the #44 Falken Porsche on Saturday. After tenth place in qualifying, they managed a flawless race, which they finished in fifth place overall. Both the team and the drivers gained valuable insights on a wet track and as darkness fell, which could be particularly important for the 24-hour race in June.

Joys and sorrows in the second race on Sunday

The Eifel also proved to be moody on Sunday: the time chase again took place on a damp track, but the Falken tires worked perfectly. With fourth place on the grid for Picariello and seventh place for Menzel, who started as planned Sunday's race together with Dennis Marschall instead of Boccolacci, both Falken duos secure a promising starting position for the race, which is again scheduled to last four hours.

After the start on a damp track, Menzel and Picariello worked their way directly into the top 5. After the first lap, they both head for the pits to change to slicks, which turns out to be the right decision. As a result, both Falken drivers were battling for the lead. However, a puncture, presumably caused by a third party, puts an end to Menzel and Marschall's hopes of a top result. Picariello and Andlauer, on the other hand, finished second overall after a flawless race, thus securing another podium finish this season after Falken Motorsports had already won the first two races of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS).

The task now is to evaluate the experience gained in order to be optimally prepared for the prestigious 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (June 19 to 22).