Participation boom at the 24h Nürburgring

• 161 cars: Largest 24h starting grid since 2014

• Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen leads a top-class Mercedes-AMG line-up

• A top group of nine manufacturers and 49 cars guarantees action and excitement

The ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring will more than live up to its reputation as a motorsport festival of superlatives this year: With 161 cars entered, this will be the largest starting grid in over a decade – the last time more teams were represented at the endurance classic in the Green Hell was in 2014, with 165 cars. Due to the huge rush of teams, even the regulations, which originally limited the field to 150 entrants, are being amended. This has also been made possible because many racing teams are limiting their space requirements, thereby making room for their competitors and colleagues. A first glance at the entry list promises an extremely competitive field, with nine GT3 manufacturers and over 40 cars in the top class. At the same time, the 2026 race will thrive on what has always defined the 24h Nürburgring: genuine multi-class racing, featuring world stars, works drivers and Nordschleife specialists alongside ambitious privateers. Tickets, information and everything you need to know about the event can be found at www.24h-rennen.de.

Max Verstappen is a prominent debutant who is attracting particular attention. The Formula 1 world champion will be on the starting grid with his Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, sharing the Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella – three team-mates who rank among the absolute best, both in terms of their track record and their Nordschleife expertise. Together, they form a line-up that is likely to set the benchmark for many competitors. The course of the season so far on the Nordschleife also underlines this potential: at the NLS season opener, the team initially secured victory before a disqualification cost them the win; at the 24h Qualifiers in mid-April, they continued their preparations with further laps in the lead, before a technical fault led to a retirement.

World-class drivers in the leading group

Even beyond the Verstappen car, the field at the top in 2026 is exceptionally strong. In the top classes SP9, SP-Pro, SP-X and AT1, there are a total of 49 cars all fighting for the desired places in the three-stage top qualifying. The battle for the best starting positions is therefore set to be particularly intense this year, and the pressure is already immense in qualifying. After all, in the ‘24h sprint’ – which the endurance classic has evolved into – a good starting position is more important than ever if you want to compete for overall victory.

The defending champions from Rowe-BMW are fielding two of their BMW M4 GT3s in the hunt for victory this year – each with a line-up of top works drivers in the cockpit. Equally strong is the line-up from their brand colleagues at Schubert, who complete the BMW contingent. At Porsche, Manthey is once again leading the charge, sending the ‘Grello’ #911 into the race with Kévin Estre, Thomas Preining and Ayhancan Güven – meaning there are two DTM champions in the car. Preining secured the title in 2023, while Güven was crowned champion in 2025. Estre, meanwhile, won the 2021 24h Nürburgring in the Manthey Porsche. The winners of the 24h Qualifiers, Scherer PHX (Audi), are also represented, whilst Abt (Lamborghini), Walkenhorst (Aston Martin), Dinamic and Lionspeed (Porsche), HRT (Ford) and other top teams are bringing driver line-ups to the Ring that leave little to be desired.

Nine manufacturers in the top class, excitement across the entire field

The immense quality at the top is also reflected in the diversity of brands. With Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche, nine manufacturers are represented in the top class. Added to this are a total of 22 further classes, in which teams are also competing for victories, podium places and prestige. Outside the leading group, things are set to be particularly exciting in the GT4s in SP10 (13 entrants) and in the two Porsche Cup classes (Cup 2 with 11 entrants and Cup 3 with 17 entrants). And so it becomes clear that the icing on the cake of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring is its diversity: whilst the battle for overall victory rages at the front, countless other stories unfold across the field, making the race so unique.

Huge starting grid – made possible by team spirit

The fact that 161 cars will be able to line up on the grid in 2026 is by no means a given. This is because the regulations previously stipulated a maximum of 150 cars – primarily because the space available in the paddock and the pits barely meets the teams’ requirements: where in the past a workshop tent was sufficient for many teams to carry out all their servicing, today the trucks are lined up in rows. To nevertheless give all the aforementioned participants a chance to start, intensive coordination has been necessary over the past few days. Staff from organizing ADAC Nordrhein found solutions in discussions with numerous teams, reorganised the layout and reviewed every square metre that had been requested as space requirements. Thus, through a great deal of hard work, the way was cleared to accommodate the huge starting grid. “We are delighted with the extraordinary response to the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring 2026,” says race director Walter Hornung. “The fact that we can bring this large and high-calibre field to the start is only possible because so many teams have cooperated. I would like to express my sincere thanks for that. This demonstrates the special spirit of the endurance racing community at the Nordschleife: from world-class stars to amateur drivers, everyone is pulling together because everyone wants to be part of this special race.”

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