The legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife is set to host one of its most competitive races in years as the 24h Nürburgring prepares for its 53rd edition in 2025. With over 140 vehicles confirmed across 20 classes, this year’s Corpus Christi weekend promises to deliver spectacular racing action that motorsport fans simply cannot afford to miss. The Nürburgring 24h race is the second race of the endurance triple-heading, coming straight after the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Defending champions face fierce competition
Scherer Sport PHX enters the race as defending champions, proudly carrying the coveted #1 starting number as they chase their eighth overall victory in the team’s storied history. The German squad will field their proven Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II with an experienced driver lineup featuring Christopher Haase, Luca Ludwig, and Markus Winkelhock.
Despite Audi’s official withdrawal from GT3 racing, making the beautiful R8s essentially “young used cars,” recent performances suggest these Ingolstadt machines remain formidable competitors. The Juta team’s recent pole positions in NLS races demonstrate that Audi’s legacy continues to burn bright on the Nordschleife, with four R8s total set to compete in the prestigious event.
However, Scherer PHX faces an intriguing challenge from within their own stable. The team has expanded their arsenal this year to include the Porsche 911 GT3 R, acknowledging the Stuttgart manufacturer’s dominance throughout the 2025 season.
Porsche sets the pace as 2025’s Nürburgring 24h benchmark
The numbers don’t lie—Porsche has been the manufacturer to beat in 2025. Every single Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) race this year has concluded with a Porsche 911 GT3 R taking the checkered flag. This remarkable streak includes Scherer PHX’s recent double victory in the 24h Qualifiers, Falken Motorsports’ triumphs in the first two NLS races, and Manthey EMA’s success with their distinctive #911 “Grello” machine.
Manthey EMA brings particular pedigree to the fight, matching Scherer PHX’s seven overall 24-hour victories and leading the race’s all-time statistics. Their exceptional driver lineup, combined with Scherer PHX and Falken Motorsports, creates a trio of Porsche teams that represent the strongest contenders for overall victory.
With seven 911 GT3 Rs entered, Porsche leads the GT3 class numerically as well as competitively. The Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo and Lamborghini Huracan GT3 each contribute four entries to round out a manufacturer battle featuring eight different brands in the premier GT3 category alone.
Depth across all classes promises universal excitement
While the GT3 spotlight burns brightest, the racing action extends far beyond the top category. The two Porsche Cup classes combined field nearly two dozen participants, many of whom have proven capable of challenging GT3 machinery, particularly in wet conditions where driver skill can overcome raw performance.
The GT4 category showcases its own compelling narrative with ten cars from five different manufacturers, ensuring that the “smaller” GTs deliver anything but small thrills. At the opposite end of the performance spectrum, the VT2 production car class demonstrates remarkable diversity with six front-wheel-drive entries, ten rear-wheel-drive machines, and representation from six different brands.
Environmental consciousness meets competitive spirit through eleven vehicles competing with alternative fuels, highlighting how racing continues to push boundaries in sustainability while maintaining the pure excitement that defines motorsport.
Exotic entries and heartwarming stories
Beyond the headline-grabbing battles, the 24 Hours showcases the beautiful diversity that makes endurance racing special. ‘Ollis Garage’ returns with their beloved Dacia Logan (#300), while the ‘White-Angel’ VW Beetle RSR (#13) demonstrates Bernd Albrecht’s team’s ground-up engineering passion.
MDM Racing’s pair of BMW 318ti entries (#275/#277), supported by RAVENOL, exemplify the privateers who form the race’s emotional core. These PS underdogs from Ensdorf represent the grassroots enthusiasm and private initiative that creates the unique 24h family atmosphere.
The Saugmotoren Motorsport team’s Porsche 997 (#97) carries historical significance as likely the last representative of the sixth-generation 911, a model that concluded production in 2012.
New faces join the Nordschleife legacy
Innovation and tradition intersect beautifully with several notable debuts. Dörr Motorsport introduces the McLaren Artura Trophy Evo (#59) in SP8T, marking McLaren’s first Nürburgring 24h appearance since 2014. Even more significant, Lynk & Co makes its maiden voyage to the Nordschleife, becoming the 68th manufacturer to enter the race’s eternal statistics. Their 03 TCR (#827), fielded by Fancy by Teamwork Motorsport with an all-Chinese driver lineup, represents global motorsport’s expanding reach.
A Festival of Speed Awaits at the Nürburgring 24h 2025
For racing enthusiasts, this is more than just a race—it’s a celebration of automotive passion, excellence, and the indomitable human spirit that drives competitors to tackle one of the world’s most challenging circuits for 24 relentless hours.
