2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours: ROWE Racing Triumphs After Manthey EMA’s Penalty
In a dramatic conclusion to the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours, the #911 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R 992 crossed the finish line first, only to be relegated to second place following a controversial 100-second penalty. The #98 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo took the ultimate victory, marking BMW’s 21st overall win in the event.
The penalty was imposed on the Manthey crew with three hours remaining due to Kevin Estre’s collision with the #179 Dörr Motorsport Aston Martin GT4, resulting in significant repercussions for the Porsche team’s aspirations.
Despite leading for 133 of 141 laps, Estre’s late race advantage proved insufficient after the penalty was applied. As the clock approached the finish, the Manthey team’s appeal against the judgment was rejected, cementing the BMW’s win.
Key Race Insights:
- Driver Lineup for ROWE: Augusto Farfus, Jesse Krohn, Raffaele Marciello, and Kelvin van der Linde played pivotal roles in orchestrating the comeback. The BMW managed to rebound from a mere two-and-a-half minutes off the lead at the halfway point.
- Final Stages: Following a shorter final pit stop, Estre led until the last lap, only to see victory slip away. He held a 22-second gap before the penalty adjustment.
Hans-Peter Naundorf, ROWE’s team principal, expressed pride in the team’s performance: "The team that made the fewest mistakes is the one that wins."
Finishing third was the #54 Dinamic Porsche, which inherited the position after the #28 ABT Sportsline Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO II suffered issues in the final hour. The Lamborghini, which had shown strong pace throughout, needed a rear-brake change that ultimately cost it critical time.
Attrition and Challenges:
The race featured notable attrition among several top teams:
- Falken Motorsports suffered a double retirement, with both Porsche 911 GT3 Rs unable to finish.
- Mercedes-AMG’s #14 car retired before the 12-hour mark due to a drivetrain failure, while the #17 limped to only 101 laps before also parking.
- Kondo Racing’s Ferrari, which had led early on, ultimately crashed out after multiple punctures.
The #65 HRT Ford Mustang GT3 achieved SP9 Pro/Am honors with a fifth-place finish, marking a notable debut for the team as a Ford partner.
In class results, Hyundai celebrated a 1-2 finish in TCR, with the #830 Elantra N TCR taking victory. The best-placed car outside of SP9 was the #948 Losch Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, which won its class and finished 11th overall.
Overall, the 2025 event was marked by strategic challenges, technical misfortunes, and a dramatic finish that sealed ROWE Racing’s place in the annals of Nürburgring 24 Hours history.
