Falken Motorsports experiences turbulent dress rehearsal for ADAC TotalEnergies 24h race at Nürburgring

The final test kilometers before the 50th anniversary edition of the ADAC TotalEnergies 24h race at the Nürburgring have been completed: Falken Motorsport sent two Porsche 911 GT3 R into the race at the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers. After a turbulent dress rehearsal with ups and downs, the racing team is looking forward with hope to the season's highlight, which takes place in just three weeks.

For the dress rehearsal, Falken Motorsport sent their two Porsche 911 GT3 R with a strong driver line-up to the Eifel. The #33 Porsche was piloted by Jaxon Evans, Sven Müller, Patrick Pilet and Marco Seefried, while Klaus Bachler, Lars Kern, Alessio Picariello and Martin Ragginger turned the wheel in the #44 sister car.

The first top qualifying session, which decided the grid positions for the first race on Saturday evening, already took place on Friday. In a thrilling individual time trial, the two Falken Porsche finished 20th and 21st.

The first incident followed in the warm-up. The #44 Porsche was heavily damaged when Klaus Bachler had to swerve to avoid a crashed car and touched the track barrier. Fortunately, the Austrian was uninjured, but a race start was impossible. With the remaining sister car, the team gained important datas in the following three-hour race and finished in 14th position.

Ups and downs on Sunday

Thanks to a night shift, the mechanics from Falken Motorsports were able to repair the #44 so that both Porsche 911 GT3 R racecars were on the grid. In the morning qualifying session, which was again held as an individual time trial, the #44 Porsche finished in eighth position, while the #33 took 17th on the grid.

In the second race, again over the distance of three hours, Falken Motorsports experienced all the ups and downs of racing. While Alessio Picariello put in a strong performance and successively moved the #44 Porsche forward, Marco Seefried retired after an accident during the first hour of racing. The team then concentrated on the remaining car, which finished in sixth place overall after a good performance.

Now the 50th edition of the legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is on the calendar. From May 26 to 29, Falken Motorsports will be fighting for overall victory in one of the world's most important endurance races in the Green Hell.