The ADAC RAVENOL Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie is heading into the second half of the season. This coming Saturday (20 June), the 1st ADAC Eifel Trophy is on the programme at the legendary Nordschleife. A glance at the provisional entry list promises a diverse field, ranging from top international drivers and ambitious newcomers to a strong GT3 contingent. Tickets are available from 25 euros at VLN.de/tickets. Children aged 14 and under get in for free. Those unable to attend in person can follow the race day via the free live stream on VLN.de.
From Le Mans straight to the Green Hell: Kobayashi and Frijns go on the attack
Just one week after his overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Kamui Kobayashi is heading straight from the Sarthe to the Nordschleife. True to the motto ‘work before pleasure’, the top Japanese driver is going on the attack in the Eifel. Kobayashi will be driving the No. 47 Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Team KCMG in the SP9 PRO class. “Le Mans and the Green Hell are two completely different challenges. Following that magnificent victory, I’m now looking forward to lining up on the grid with KCMG again after a great experience at NLS3,” says Kobayashi. “My aim is to continue improving in the GT3 car on the Nordschleife. This is another fantastic opportunity to continue my learning process on this legendary circuit. With an all-Japanese driver line-up, we’re confident we’ll have a successful race day.” At Le Mans, Robin Frijns had to settle for second place behind winner Kobayashi; now it’s time for a rematch in the Green Hell. The Dutchman will be driving the BMW M4 GT3 for Schubert Motorsport.
Nordschleife debuts for Scott Speed and Tim Tramnitz
Alongside Kobayashi, other high-profile drivers are joining the starting grid and making their NLS debuts. Former Formula 1 and NASCAR driver Scott Speed will be racing for Mühlner Motorsport in the No. 999 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS in the CUP3 class. Tim Tramnitz is also a newcomer. The young German driver, who has competed successfully in the FIA Formula 3 Championship over the past two years and was a member of the Red Bull Racing junior team, has been a BMW works driver since this year. He will be driving the BMW M240i Racing Cup, bearing start number 651, for the Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels, with the aim of completing the necessary laps to obtain his Nordschleife permit. “For me as a German driver, this upcoming NLS debut is simply a huge deal. Getting my permit now with BMW and hopefully competing in GT3 soon is an absolute childhood dream come true for me,” says Tramnitz. “Every German motorsport enthusiast simply associates racing with the Nordschleife – which is why I’m really looking forward to it. In the long term, the goal is quite clear: to compete for victory in the GT3 class at the Nürburgring 24-hour race at some point!”
A full GT3 field: new cars and an AT debut for équipe vitesse
Even after the 24-hour race, the top class remains strongly contested, with around 20 GT3 cars set to feature on Saturday’s starting grid. What is particularly striking is the increase in new cars in the AM and Alternative classes. Among the new entries are the No. 6 Audi R8 driven by Pierre Lemmerz and Alexander Kroker (SP9 AM) and the No. 11 Audi R8 LMS GT3 from Max Kruse Racing in the AT 1 class. Also new to AT 1 is the second Audi R8 LMS GT3 fielded by équipe vitesse, bearing start number 18. The team is expanding its programme and will be running this GT3 car on environmentally friendly Racing eFuel 98 E10. In the cockpit, experienced racing driver Carrie Schreiner will be joined by Andreas Ziegler and Roland Froese. Team principal Jil Herbst emphasises: “The use of synthetic fuels for the future of motorsport is a matter of great importance to us. We are delighted with this top-class driver line-up, which has come about through long-standing contacts and our shared goal of promoting women in motorsport.” The team’s well-known sister car, bearing start number 50, will compete as usual in the SP9 AM class.
A fresh start: Mario Fuchs is back in action
Mario Fuchs is making his second attempt in the NLS, having been forced to retire early due to a technical fault during his debut last year. Together with Eugen Weber and Axel Duffner, he will be lining up in the SP3T class in the Mitsubishi Lancer CT9A with start number 333, the car in which he recently won the RCN race as part of the 24-hour event. Fuchs is optimistic about the upcoming race weekend: “We’d actually been planning to take part for quite some time, but due to scheduling clashes, preparations for the 24-hour race and the specific additional technical regulations, it’s only now that it’s worked out. Our Mitsubishi requires a great deal of maintenance, which is why a full season is unfortunately not financially viable. But the fantastic crowd, the many enquiries from fans and the superb organisation of the NLS simply won us over. What’s more, Eugen Weber and Axel Duffner really put the pressure on us to finally get this project off the ground. We’re absolutely delighted and are hoping for a long, successful race.”
A varied supporting programme around the circuit
The race weekend also offers a varied programme away from the Nordschleife. In the Historic Paddock, the second round of the 2026 NLS Youth Karting Championship gets underway at 10:00, with young drivers weaving their way through the cones in electric karts. At the same time, the young drivers of the ADAC Slalom Youngster Cup (ADAC Mittelrhein) will be demonstrating their sporting precision on the tarmac at the helipad in the paddock. In the area of the old Südschleife, the ADAC Clubsport Rally Sprint Cup for the Central Region will also be making an appearance with rounds three and four, in which young motorsport talents will complete a spectacular special stage on varying surfaces through close teamwork. But it’s not just motorsport on the agenda: the ‘STAGE National Championships’ in cheerleading will be taking place at the same time in the ring°arena.
Tickets for the race weekend cost 25 euros (children up to the age of 14 go free) and are available at VLN.de/tickets and from the ticket offices on the day. The ticket includes access to the open grandstands on the Grand Prix circuit, the Brünnchen and Pflanzgarten spectator areas, as well as the paddock, the pit lane and the starting grid.
Qualifying to determine the starting grid positions will take place on Saturday morning from 08:30 to 10:00. Afterwards, fans will have the opportunity to see the cars and drivers up close during the pit walk from 10:20 in the pit lane and the subsequent grid walk from 11:10 on the starting grid. The four-hour endurance race will start promptly at 12:00. Anyone unable to watch the spectacle in person can tune in to the official live stream on VLN.de from 08:15 or follow the action via ‘Radio Nürburgring’ on rpr1.de and in the RPR1 app.
