• Third consecutive VLN win by BLACK FALCON Team AutoArena Motorsport
• Third place by GetSpeed Performance
• Victory in the SP8T class by BLACK FALCON

In highly challenging conditions, BLACK FALCON Team AutoArena Motorsport with starting number 6 wins the 42^nd RCM DMV Grenzlandrennen, scoring the third consecutive VLN race win for the performance and sports car brand from Affalterbach. Next to the overall win, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport also claims third place in the sixth round of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring with the #2 GetSpeed Performance Mercedes-AMG GT3. The victory in SP8T class for the BLACK FALCON entry with starting number 152 rounds out the successful performance.

On a rain-soaked track in the Eifel on Saturday morning, the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams secured themselves very good grid positions for the four-hour race. On his final qualifying lap, Fabian Schiller (GER) posted the second-fastest time with the #23 Mercedes-AMG GT3 by Rooster Rojo GetSpeed J2 Racing. Manuel Metzger (GER), who shared driving duties in the number 6 Team BLACK FALCON AutoArena Motorsport car with Patrick Assenheimer (GER), just like during their victory in the fourth round of the season, ended up in third place. The third Mercedes-AMG GT3 also was classified in the top 5 of the grid: Dominik Baumann (AUT) brought the #2 GetSpeed Performance car back to the pits in fifth place.

As the race got underway, there was another downpour over the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In an entertaining opening stage with some position changes, the Mercedes-AMG GT3s proved to be unfazed by the conditions and held on to their positions in the front-running group of the field. As the rain decreased half an hour into the race, starting driver Assenheimer worked his way up to second in the #6 BLACK FALCON car and gradually extended his margin on the car in third place. On a drying tack, the cars in the front-running group including Assenheimer simultaneously came into the pits for their first stops. The winner of the two previous rounds remained in the car for a double stint and cemented his position as the race went on. With heavy rain again in some parts of the track, Assenheimer benefited from the retirement of the race leader and took over first place just before handing the car to Manuel Metzger.

Metzger defended the lead in a commanding way and further extended the gap. After an early scheduled stop, he brought home an undisputed first place with 25 laps completed and secured the third VLN-Langstreckenmeisterschaft race win in a row for the BLACK FALCON Team AutoArena Motorsport (#6). For Metzger, it was his second victory of the season. In the battle for the 2019 VLN class winners’ trophy, Patrick Assenheimer remains on top of the standings.

Dominik Baumann and Philipp Ellis (GER) showed a very consistent drive throughout the four-hour race in the Green Hell with the #2 GetSpeed car. Initially, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 seemed to be dropping back due to early pit stops, but thanks to a controlled performance, the duo held on to its position among the front-runners towards the end of the race. With its third-place finish, the Customer Racing Team secured its second overall podium result at the Nürburgring since its transfer to Mercedes-AMG prior to this season.

Janine Hill (GBR), who had taken over the wheel of the number 23 car from Schiller, had bad luck at Schwedenkreuz on lap 18 and had to surrender third place overall and the SP9 Pro-Am class lead following a spin. Final driver John Shoffner (USA) also had to deal with the consequences of a light impact. The team decided to retire the car shortly after.

A class win by the #152 Mercedes-AMG GT4 by BLACK FALCON

For the fourth time this season already, a Mercedes-AMG GT4 racked up the SP8T class win. With the #152 BLACK FALCON Team Knuffi car, Mustafa Mehmet Kaya (TUR), Gabriele Piana (ITA) and Miguel Toril Boquoi (ESP) were first across the finish line in their class. The BLACK FALCON Team IDENTICA sister car with starting number 162 and drivers Tobias Müller, Tim Scheerbarth (both GER) and Tristan Viidas (EST) finished second in class SP10.

Action in the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring continues on 28 September with round 7, the 59^th ADAC Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen.

Patrick Assenheimer, BLACK FALCON Team AutoArena Motorsport #6: “We knew that we again had a good performance. But in the Green Hell, you never know how it will play out with the changeable weather. Of course, that we made it through so well is perfect.”

Manuel Metzger, BLACK FALCON Team AutoArena Motorsport #6: “It couldn’t have been better. Patrick again has done a very good job and established a huge lead. With the conditions at the end, bringing victory home wasn’t easy. Fortunately, that worked out well.”

Dominik Baumann, GetSpeed Perfomance #2: “At the end, the car ran really well. In the opening stages, we gambled a bit with the pit stops. Thankfully, that worked out really well at the end. A podium finish is always nice and for me, making my comeback after my accident, it is even nicer.”

Philip Ellis, GetSpeed Perfomance #2: “Weather conditions were really difficult. We came into the pits early for our first stop. The heavy rain at the end allowed us to close up again and we made the best of the situation.”

* excerpt, subject to confirmation by the organiser