Press
Falken Motorsports finished on the podium once again in the eighth round of the ADAC Nürburgring Endurance Series, the 64th ADAC Reinoldus Endurance Race: Tim Heinemann and Benjamin Leuchter took second place overall in the #4 Falken Porsche after a flawless performance. For the sister car, the #3 driven by Julien Andlauer and Joel Sturm, which had led the Falken one-two victory the day before, the four-hour race ended just a few minutes before the checkered flag when it crashed while in the lead.
As on Saturday, when the #3 Falken Porsche 911 GT3 R secured pole position, Sunday morning's qualifying was also marked by a wet track, which slowly dried out during the session. Due to individual yellow phases and heavy traffic, it was not easy for the drivers in the leading group to get a clear lap. Joel Sturm qualified the #3 Falken Porsche in third place on the grid, directly ahead of the sister car driven by Tim Heinemann and Benjamin Leuchter. This set the stage for another podium finish.
After the start, the two starting drivers Joel Sturm and Tim Heinemann pushed further ahead and took the double lead in the first lap. The teal-and-blue Falken Porsches then raced in formation around the legendary Nordschleife. It was only a puncture on the leading #4 Porsche, probably caused by debris on the track, that threw Heinemann and Leuchter back after around an hour and a half. The duo then launched an impressive comeback and were at times the fastest car in the entire field.
For Andlauer and Sturm, the race initially went according to plan. With around 15 minutes to go, they were leading the eighth round of the ADAC Nürburgring Endurance Series. However, on a slippery section of the track, the #3 Falken Porsche with Andlauer at the wheel veered off course, hit the guard rails and had to be retired shortly afterwards while in the lead.
In the final minutes, hopes therefore rested on Tim Heinemann and Benjamin Leuchter. Despite strong lap times, however, the duo was unable to regain the lead. Nevertheless, Falken Motorsports was delighted with a strong result, finishing second overall and securing another podium place.
The next round of the ADAC Nürburgring Endurance Series is already coming up in two weeks: Falken Motorsports will once again compete with the two Porsche 911 GT3 Rs at the 57th ADAC Barbarossa Prize on September 27, which will also be held over four hours.
Falken is reinforcing its position as a sporty, multi-segment tyre brand at THE TIRE COLOGNE 2026. The exhibition presence addresses the passenger car, off-road and commercial vehicle sectors alike, with a strong focus on the design of technical performance characteristics for use under realistic operating conditions.
Despite a strong performance, Falken Motorsports did not have the necessary racing luck at this year’s ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring. After an impressive comeback, the Japanese tyre manufacturer’s team was forced to end the race prematurely in the first half following an unfortunate accident. Up until that point, Klaus Bachler, Morris Schuring, Sven Müller, and Tim Heinemann had been battling for top positions in front of more than 350,000 spectators along the Nordschleife, steadily working their way up the field with consistently fast lap times.
The tyre brand Falken, which belongs to Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH has been selected as one of three finalists for the inaugural Service Award. Presented by the Federal Association of Tyre Retailers and Tyre Repairers (BRV, Bonn), this new award recognises those in the tyre industry who, from the retail sector’s perspective in the passenger car/light commercial vehicle tyre segment, stand out for exceptional service and a trust-based partnership.