Audi Beats Mercedes and Wins 24 Hours of Nürburgring; BMW Disappoints

[JHF]

Just one week after Audi’s thrilling victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Phoenix Racing’s R8 LMS ultra has won the 24 Hours of Nürburgring 2014 - the 42nd incarnation of Germany’s most storied endurance race. The drivers of winning car Number 4 were Christian Mamerow, Christopher Haase, René Rast and Markus Winkelhock.
Audi won after leading throughout the race. The Number 4 R8 was two minutes ahead of a Black Falcon SLS AMG GT3, and ended up winning by almost three minutes. A Rowe Racing SLS finished in third place, giving Mercedes two spots on the podium.

While Audi did not directly contest this race, their win is still a tremendous source of pride for the manufacturer. A Phoenix Racing-piloted R8 GT3 previously won in 2012. Black Falcon stole the race in 2013 with their Mercedes SLS GT3, which marked the first time Mercedes won the competition. Audi reclaimed the title with this win.

Mamerow, Haase, Rast, and Winkelhock set a new distance record this year with 159 laps. It was the first time a Nürburgring winner covered more than 4,000 kilometers (2485.5 miles). The Audi team drove exactly 4,035.102 kilometers (2507.296 miles).

The race began with speed and frenzy, causing many incidents. On early Sunday morning, it really became a two-horse race. There was only a tenth-of-a-second gap between the Number 4 Audi was battling with the Mercedes of the Black Falcon team. However, Audi kept extending their lead in the final third leg, which was impressive when considering how well contested the race was. Nissan, Porsche, Aston Martin, and BMW all sought to win, but none of them made the podium.

BMW’s poor performance is quite the reversal of fortune, given the brand’s 19 wins at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring - the most of any manufacturer.

Below is a list of the top ten race results, as well as pictures and Nissan’s YouTube formerly-live feed of the race - in case you have some hours to see how they lost.



By Nico Grant



Race results
1 Haase/Mamerow/Rast/Winkelhock (Audi R8 LMS ultra), 159 laps
2 Bleekemolen/Simonsen/Menzel/Arnold (Mercedes), + 2m 59s
3 Zehe/Hohenadel/Bastian/Engel (Mercedes) – 2 laps
4 Henzler/Dumbreck/Ragginger/Imperatori (Porsche) – 2 laps
5 Mücke/Turner/Lamy (Aston Martin) – 2 laps
6 Klingmann/Baumann/Hürtgen/Tomczyk (BMW) – 2 laps
7 Primat/Götz/Heyer/Rehfeld (Mercedes) – 3 laps
8 Stuck/Sandritter/Brück/Rostek (BMW) – 5 laps
9 Baumgartner/Werner/Biela/Kaffer (Audi R8 LMS ultra) – 6 laps
10 Busch/Busch/Lauck/Landmann (Audi R8 LMS ultra) – 7 laps

 

[marley71]

BMW disappointed but kept notable company. Compare the base platforms.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

BMW disappointed but kept notable company. Compare the base platforms.

The #20 BMW Z4 GT3 was very much up to par with the R8 and SLS. If it weren't for a mechanical issue with 2 hours to go, the BMW would have been in the thick of the battle for the win.

What's very disappointing is that BMW did not take the win in any class. Completely empty-handed!

The competition has definitely stepped it up, but at the same time, from my memory, the Z4 GT3 has never had a trouble free race. Always something that ends up taking it out of contention, whether it's fielded by Marc VDS Racing, or Schubert Racing. I think it's only win was a couple of years back at the 24 Hours of Dubai. Beyond that, I'm not sure it's finished on the lead lap at any other 24 Hour race.

 

[klier]

What's very disappointing is that BMW did not take the win in any class. Completely empty-handed!

Well, you can't win everything every year. And it's good for companies like Audi, because it's the only way to win for them (when BMW underperforms)

BMW disappointed but kept notable company. Compare the base platforms.

There is no base to speak of. Everything is bespoke. The Z4 or M3/4 shell means nothing.