Ferrari 296 GT3 Wins 24 HOURS OF NÜRBURGRING: Historic Victory For Prancing Horse

In an exceptional setting with 235,000 spectators in the stands, Ferrari wrote a page in motorsport history by winning its first 24 Hours of Nürburgring, one of the world’s most prestigious endurance races, now in its fifty-first year. The Frikadelli team’s 296 GT3, crewed by David Pittard, Felipe Laser, Nick Catsburg and Earl Bamber took the chequered flag in triumph after 162 laps, the longest distance ever completed at the German event.

After winning the qualifying race in April, the 296 GT3 of Frikadelli Racing Team came to the Nürburgring, targeting an important result. It lined up as one of 136 crews on the grid, renewing the tradition of one of the world’s biggest and most demanding races on the 25-kilometre-plus track that combines the Nordschleife and the GP track. 

Since the green flag on Saturday at 4 p.m., the team remained among the leaders, proving it had what it took to fight for victory. Speed and consistent pace allowed the Germans Pittard and Laser, Dutchman Catsburg and New Zealander Bamber to move into an early lead, occupying top spot for most of the race. In the only tricky moment, early on, when the 296 GT3 suffered some damage to the bodywork and rear extractor due to a puncture, the technicians did the repairs in record time. They used the car’s design features to stay within the time window for pit stop tyre change and refuelling, without therefore accumulating any delay. 

In the finale, the German team’s excellent strategy allowed them to anticipate the twentieth pit stop. Thus Pittard, at the wheel for the final stint, could protect his lead against the BMW of Dries Vanthoor, who finished 41 seconds behind.

Antonello Coletta, Head of Ferrari Attività Sportive GT: “The 296 GT3’s win today at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring is a historic, long-sought victory that makes us extremely happy and proud. To have interrupted the German manufacturers’ many years of hegemony over this race in this top-level competitive scenario is a truly incredible achievement. To win on what is recognised as the world’s most challenging track, certainly, one of the most complete and demanding, with two victories and finishing with all three cars shows that the 296 GT3 project is solid and that, with a non-penalising Balance of Performance, its performance meets expectations. We have invested ideas, innovations, solutions and an unparalleled engineering effort into this car, not least to enable the teams to intervene quickly in critical situations, as today’s race highlighted when the leading car suffered a puncture. I want to congratulate Frikadelli Racing, which has pursued this victory for years and can now deservedly celebrate a historic achievement, as well as Rinaldi Racing, a team with a long association with Ferrari, for winning in the Pro Am class and giving us a truly memorable weekend”.