Winward Racing Triumphs at Nürburgring Nordschleife in NLS2
Winward Racing made a remarkable return to the Nürburgring Nordschleife, clinching victory in the 58th ADAC Barbarossapreis, the second round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS). The #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing AMG GT3 EVO, driven by Max Verstappen, Daniel Juncadella, and Jules Gounon, secured a commanding win, finishing 59.524 seconds ahead of ROWE Racing’s #99 BMW M4 GT3 EVO.
The race saw Verstappen initially lose the lead to Christopher Haase’s #16 Scherer Sport PHX Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II at the end of the first lap. After a closely contested first stint, Verstappen reclaimed the lead into Tiergarten at the end of lap seven. Following the first pit stops, Juncadella took charge of the race, pulling away from the competition until handing the car over to Gounon with two hours remaining.
Despite a strong undercut from the #99 BMW, Gounon maintained the lead after an intense battle with Dan Harper, comfortably pulling ahead in traffic and keeping the challenge at bay. As the race progressed, Verstappen emerged with a 45-second lead over a tight pack for second place.
Ultimately, the #99 BMW, driven by Harper and Jordan Pepper, finished in second place, while Falken Motorsports’ #44 Porsche 911 GT3 R, driven by Tim Heinemann, claimed third. The top five was rounded out by the winning SP9 Pro-Am entry, the #48 LOSCH Motorsport By Black Falcon Porsche, followed by the #45 Realize Kondo Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 and the #34 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo.
The race was largely incident-free, though three SP9 Pro entries suffered mechanical issues, necessitating unscheduled pit stops. The next round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie is scheduled for 11th April 2026.
Key Results:
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3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing: Winward Racing
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99 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO
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44 Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2)
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48 LOSCH Motorsport By Black Falcon Porsche
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45 Realize Kondo Racing Ferrari 296 GT3
Contextual Insight:
This victory marks Mercedes-AMG’s first NLS win since the 2024 finale, emphasizing the brand’s resurgence at this iconic circuit after a six-season hiatus. The strategic pit stops and effective overtake maneuvers played significant roles in Winward Racing’s success today.
