• A VLN 1-2 for Mercedes-AMG by GetSpeed Performance and Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER 
• Fourth consecutive overall win at the Nordschleife for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport
• Mercedes-AMG GT4 scores fifth class win in the SP8T category

Dominik Baumann (AUT) and Fabian Schiller (GER) have won the seventh round of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring with their #2 GetSpeed Performance Mercedes-AMG GT3. With its first victory of the season at the Nordschleife, the Customer Racing Team also secures the fourth consecutive VLN race win for the performance and sports car brand from Affalterbach. Second place overall also goes to a Mercedes-AMG GT3: with the #48 car of the Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER, Edoardo Mortara (ITA), Tim Scheerbarth and Lance David Arnold (both GER) secured a podium finish. The top result was completed with the already fifth SP8T class win of the season achieved by the Mercedes-AMG GT4 with starting number 152 by BLACK FALCON Team KNUFFI.

With GetSpeed Performance, the next Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Team has added its name to the VLN winners’ list, following three consecutive race wins for BLACK FALCON AutoArena Motorsport. In the morning qualifying session at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, the team from Meuspath showed a faultless performance and even managed to lock out the front row of the grid with its pair of Mercedes-AMG GT3.

On a rain-soaked track, the GetSpeed GT3s initially also kept their 1-2 lead. As the race went on, however, the #23 car with Fabian Schiller, Janine Hill (GBR) and John Shoffner (USA) that had started from pole position lost ground. Things were going better for the sister car with starting number 2 that had started the race from P2. Starting driver Dominik Baumann was able to pull clear from the rest of the field on the opening laps of the Nordscheife. After his stint of over two hours, the Austrian had built up a lead of well over a minute and handed the car to double starter Fabian Schiller with a comfortable margin. The 22-year-old defended his leading position in a commanding way in spite of a stop-and-go penalty for not having met the required minimum pit stop time. As the track dried out in the closing stages and the field changed back to slicks, Schiller stayed behind the wheel and secured the maiden VLN race win for GetSpeed Performance and the fourth consecutive victory at the Nordschleife for Mercedes-AMG after 25 laps. 

Edoardo Mortara, Tim Scheerbarth and Lance David Arnold also drove a faultless race behind the wheel of the #48 Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER entry. Mortara started the four-hour race from fourth place on the grid and brought the Mercedes-AMG GT3 in for the pit stop on course for a podium finish. After that, Scheerbarth and Arnold also put in consistently fast laps and well-timed driver changes. During the final hour of the race, the trio, racing together in this configuration for the first time, established itself in second place overall, making it a lock-out of the first two positions for the two Mercedes-AMG GT3s. Final driver Arnold then used his routine to bring the 1-2 for Mercedes-AMG home. For the pole-sitting #23 GetSpeed Performance car, the seventh VLN season round ended with tenth place overall.

Mercedes-AMG GT4 with fifth SP8T class win
The participation in the SP8T class also ended with victory as Mehmet Mustafa Kaya (TUR) and Yannick Mettler (SUI) came out on top with the #152 BLACK FALCON Team KNUFFI entry. As a result, the Mercedes-AMG GT4 already scored its fifth class win in the SP8T category from the seven races held so far this season. The BLACK FALCON Team IDENTICA sister car with starting number 162 and Tobias Müller, double starter Tim Scheerbarth (both GER) and Tristan Viidas (EST) as its drivers finished in second place of the SP10 class.

Dominik Baumann, GetSpeed Perfomance #2: “My most recent races here at the Nordschleife were always in the rain, so that was good practice for today. The car handled very well. My first stint was a bit difficult, I briefly had to let our sister car get past. During the first stop, we had slightly different tyres put on the car. Conditions with rain of varying intensity were very difficult. Thankfully, we have always made the right decisions and eventually were able to pull clear out in front.”

Fabian Schiller, GetSpeed Perfomance #2 and #23: “Wow, my maiden VLN race win! We have been working hard all year long and now finally that victory! After all, my teammates already were on the podium twice with the Mercedes-AMG GT3. That we were now able to secure this victory together is simply great! I have been racing together with Dominik since 2017 already. We know each other really well and the joint success today is making me really happy.”

Adam Osieka, team principal GetSpeed Performance: “Today, securing the overall win in the VLN race was our goal. In the most recent races, we already came close a couple of times. Second place, third place, but now, I am happy that it finally worked out with victory. We have invested a lot of time in preparation. That has paid off. Thanks to everybody in the team for the great job.”

Edoardo Mortara, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48: “My last VLN race to date was already a year ago. Now being on the podium again straight away is a great feeling. We had a super race weekend. For Mercedes-AMG, things have gone perfectly with first and second place. Congratulations also to GetSpeed Performance as well as to Dominik and Fabian.”

Tim Scheerbarth, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48: “Of course, this is mega cool. I have been driving in circles here for twelve years now and I had the chance to race the Mercedes-AMG GT3. That this led to P2 straight away is unbelievable. I am just happy!”

Lance David Arnold, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48: “At the end, I was pushing really hard as you always hope that there is still something in store! This time, the typical Eifel weather showed itself again. On slicks at the end, it was very special because we had to head out onto the wet part of the track time and time again while lapping other cars. Especially in these conditions, this second place is really great!”

* excerpt subject to confirmation by the organiser