Prensa
October, 19th, 2024 - Falken Motorsports has once again impressively demonstrated its dominance in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS). Klaus Bachler and Alessio Picariello secured a superior victory in the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) with starting number 3 and won the race with a lead of more than five minutes over the competition. This was the fifth victory for the Japanese tire brand. Joel Eriksson and Tim Heinemann, who competed in the sister car with starting number 4, had to settle for 11th place after an incident.
Bachler and Picariello laid the foundation for their success in qualifying. On a wet track, they secured pole position with a lap time of 9:28.375 minutes. Despite an accident in qualifying, the Falken team managed to repair the car in time for the start of the race. The sister car, driven by Eriksson and Heinemann, also shone in qualifying and secured second place on the grid.
In the race, the two Falken Porsches showed a strong performance right from the start and once again proved the performance of the Falken tires in difficult weather conditions. On a drying track, both cars pulled clear of the field on the first lap and finished the first lap with a lead of over 15 seconds.
The lead was extended over the course of the race until an incident 1.5 hours before the end of the race affected the race of the number 4 car. Tim Heinemann slid off the track in the Metzgesfeld section and slightly damaged the Porsche. Despite the setback, Heinemann managed to bring the car back to the pits, where it was quickly repaired by the Falken crew. In the end, however, it was only enough for 11th place overall.
Bachler and Picariello in the number 3 Porsche were unfazed by this incident and drove to a commanding victory. With a lead of 5:24 minutes over the second-placed Audi, they finished the race in the top spot on the podium.
In addition to the sporting performance, Falken Motorsports also showed social commitment away from the track. As part of the event, the Falken Drift Team offered spectacular cab rides in which spectators in the passenger seat could experience the fascination of drifting up close. The proceeds of 2,200 euros from this campaign will be donated to those affected by the explosion in the paddock during the last NLS race.
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.