Considered to be one of the biggest races in the world, this endurance classic at Nurburgring is an annual race that takes place on the renowned Nordschleife and the Grand Prix track. A total of 188 race cars started in distinct classes, and all 30 GT3 vehicles favoured for overall victory started in the SP9 class. A total of 6 SLS AMG GT3(s) started in the 42nd edition of the endurance race in the Eifel. Each of the AMG customer teams, Black Falcon and ROWE RACING, deployed two gullwings in the race while HTP Motorsport and Car Collection Motorsport started with one gullwing each.
The SLS AMG GT3 of Black Falcon with Jeroen Bleekemolen, Andreas Simonsen, Christian Menzel and Lance David Arnold finished second in the traditional 24-hour race at Nurburgring. Start number 1 initiated from position seven on the grid and crossed the finish line 24 hours later after 159 laps with a backlog of merely 2,59,70 minutes compared to the winner. Start number 22 of ROWE RACING with Michael Zehe, Christian Hohenadel, Nico Bastian and Maro Engel finished the race in the third overall position. The team's achievements were rounded up by HTP Motorsport with start number 15 - the driver quartet with Harold Primat, Maximilian, Kenneth Heyer and Roland Rehfeld came home seventh.
Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management Mercedes-AMG GmbH, said, "It was a narrow and extremely commanding 24-hour race. My congratulations to Black Falcon and ROWE RACING for their podium positions. The achievement of placing three vehicles among the positions 1 to 7 in this strong starting field is a clear proof of Mercedes-AMG's and our customer teams' firm establishment in these competitive surroundings."
The SLS AMG GT3 with start numbers 1, 14 and 22 quickly established themselves among the top competitors in the beginning of the race. From the first hours until the fall of night, the three race gullwings drove in the top five with constantly fast lap times. This year's 24-hour race was a commandingly fast race with numerous fights for the lead and narrow distances between the fastest leading vehicles. With 159 laps driven by the winners of positions one and two, a new lap record was achieved.
Lance David Arnold, Driver, Black Falcon, was absolutely delighted with the achievement, and said, "After my fourth position last year, I am pleased to finish the race on the second overall position. The race was hard and the speed of it incredibly high from the first minute on. I want to thank my driver colleagues and everybody of Black Falcon for their tireless performance."
