2022 NLS 3: Augusto Farfus and Connor De Philippi win
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
NLS 3, the second race of the season (NLS2 was cancelled because of snow), saw a fantastic battle between ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 #99 and BMW Junior Team BMW M4 GT3 #44. Both cars have been leading each almost half of the race; statistically, 14 laps for BMW #99 and 12 for BMW #44.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
Augusto Farfus and Connor De Philippi with their ROWE Racing BMW #99 won the race 0,582” in front of BMW Junior Team #44 driven by Daniel Harper, Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
Since Augusto Farfus qualifyed first during the qualification session early morning, Connor De Philippi could start from pole and take an authoritarian lead during the first stint. Each of the second and third hours saw the BMW Junior Team #44 initially leading until ROWE Racing BMW #99 took the lead back. After two laps in the last hour Max Hesse (BMW #44) took the lead back. After 3 hours and 45 minutes both BMW head led the race during 12 laps each.
With a bit more than 10 minutes to go, Augusto Farfus took the lead back with his ROWE Racing BMW #99 and had a fierce battle with Max Hesse (BMW #44) to keep the lead.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
The tension was very visible in the ROWE Racing stand. One didn’t have to look at the monitors to see what was going on. The tension was very palpable looking and listening to the engineers’ reactions and their relief when the fourth hour was over with the victory of Augusto Farfus and Connor De Philippi.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
Junior driver Max Hesse end 0,583” behind. Together with Daniel Harper and Neil Verhagen driving the BMW Junior Team BMW M4 GT3 #44, they take the second step of the podium.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
BMW trust the whole podium with P3 for Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW M4 #34 driven by Christian Krognes, Andy Soucek and Sami-Matti Trogen.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
Toksport WRT Porsche 911 GTR3 R #27 with Matt Campbell, Julien Andlauer and Matthieu Jaminet end P4. They prevent BMW from trusting the first four positions of NLS3 as ROWE RACING BMW M4 GT3 #98 end in P5 with John Edwards, Sheldon Van Der Linde and Marco Wittman.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
The first Audi R8 LMS GT3 #16 driven by end sixth more than 2 minutes behind the winners.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
Maxime Martin end P7 together with Marco Sorensen and David Pittard driving the TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 #21.
Adam Christodoulou, Marco Engel and Maximilian Götze end eights with their Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 #8.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
Audi Sport Team Phoenix Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO2 #15 of Kelvin Vna Der Linde and Robin Frijns end Ninth.
Mercedes-AMG Team Bilstein Mercedes-AMG GT3 #12 driven by Manuel Metzger and Luca Stolz ended tenth 2:58.344 minutes behind the winners.
Wrong weekend for Porsche
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
#18 KCMG Porsche 911 GT3 #3 driven by Dennis Olsen, Josh Burdon and 12 Hours of Sebring winner Earl Bamber ended 18th after being in the forefront the first hals of the race.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
#911 Mathey-Racing driven by Porsche Works drivers Kevin Estre, Frederic Makowiecki and Laurens Vanthoor had to retire due to an accident. Until then, they were the only Porsche able to challenge the BMW’s even for the lead.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Nürburgring Endurance Series 3-2022.
#3 and #4 Falken Porsche 911 GT3 Rs did withdrawn due to an insufficient supply of tyres in the optimum compound for the track conditions. It is an impact from a raw materials shortage for all major tyre manufacturers as a result of the sanctions placed on the Russian state due to their actions in Ukraine.
