Pole position for the Porsche customer team Manthey EMA at the Nürburgring
The 911 GT3 R of Porsche customer team Manthey EMA set the fastest time in the Top Qualifying session for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Factory driver Kévin Estre proved unbeatable, clocking a lap time of 8:12.741 minutes. This sees the ‟Grello”, shared by Frenchman Estre, Austrian Thomas Preining, and Turkish driver Ayhancan Güven, tackle the Eifel endurance classic from the front of the grid.
For the second attempt, race control shortened the individual time trial to a single flying lap. At the wheel of the Manthey EMA’s Porsche 911 GT3 R, Estre went out third from last in sweltering midsummer heat, with surface temperatures reaching 52 degrees Celsius. The reigning FIA World Endurance Champion delivered a flawless lap, setting the fastest time in four of the nine sectors. Ultimately, the 2021 Nürburgring 24 Hours winner relegated his closest rival to second place by 1.168 seconds.
Local hero Nico Menzel secured the fourth-fastest time in the No. 33 Porsche fielded by the Falken Motorsports customer team. Dutch driver Morris Schuring finished twelfth in the sister car. Fellow countryman Daan Arrow posted the ninth-fastest time but was demoted to eleventh due to a sporting infringement. This places the Black Falcon Porsche third in the SP9 Pro-Am classification.
‟Following the strong performances in the Nürburgring Langstrecken Series and both qualifying races, our customer teams once again impressed on the Nordschleife during Top Qualifying,” said a pleased Sebastian Golz, Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R. ‟Kévin Estre delivered an exceptionally clean and flawless lap – exactly what we expected from him. Naturally, the mood was a little subdued after the accident that forced the Scherer Sport PHX car to withdraw. It’s unfortunate the team had to retire, but the most important thing is that Laurens Vanthoor is okay. Now, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for all the Porsche teams at of the 24-hour race.”
The 24-hour endurance classic in the Eifel region, along with the other 24-hour event in Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), the 12 Hours of Bathurst (Australia), the 1,000 kilometres of Suzuka (Japan), and the 8-hour race in Indianapolis (USA), forms part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. Porsche secured the manufacturers’ title in this unofficial GT3 World Championship in 2024.
Five of the seven Porsche 911 GT3 R in the Top Qualifying
Seventeen racing cars from the top SP9 category, reserved for GT3 vehicles, were eligible to participate in Top Qualifying. Twelve starters for this individual time trial had already been confirmed prior to the 24-hour race. These were selected through a complex process that included the so-called qualifier races held three weeks earlier and the opening three rounds of the Nürburgring Langstrecken Series (NLS) season. Notably, the system assigns a weighting between cars from the SP9 Pro class – which features all-professional driver lineups – and those from the SP9 Pro-Am and Am categories, which also include less experienced drivers. A maximum of 40 percent of the starting field from these Pro-Am and Am classes are eligible for direct entry. This year, six cars each from the SP9 Pro as well as the Pro-Am / Am subcategory secured their spots – including both 911 GT3 R entries from Falken Motorsports, the ‟Grello” from Manthey EMA, and the Pro-Am Porsche fielded by Black Falcon.
The combined results of the first and second qualifying sessions on Thursday determined the remaining five positions on the qualifying grid. Among them was Laurens Vanthoor, who earned a late slot in the individual time trial at the wheel of the Scherer Sport PHX 911. He made the cut just before the end of the night session when the yellow flag zones cleared shortly before 11:30 pm.
The 24-hour race live on TV and via stream
German free-to-air broadcaster Nitro will cover the full 24 hours of the Eifel classic live. Extensive pre- and post-race coverage adds nearly four additional hours of broadcasting. Fans can also follow the action via a free live stream and live timing on the official race website at
Driver comments after Top Qualifying
Kévin Estre (Porsche 911 GT3 R #911): ‟Pole position for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring – that’s always a fantastic feeling! Driving solo on the Nordschleife with fresh tyres, no traffic, and perfect conditions is incredible and a real treat for the fans. It was just a bit too warm for the tyres. I’m very proud of my lap – the Porsche handled perfectly, and I didn’t make any mistakes. After that scary moment, I’m especially glad that Laurens is okay. Now the long race awaits us. We’ve shown we’re competitive in all conditions. We may have the best chance now, but the competition won’t be far behind.”
Nico Menzel (Porsche 911 GT3 R #33): ‟Given the issue we faced during the abandoned Top Qualifying, I’m really pleased with fourth place. I pushed myself to the limit and luckily handled a few edgy moments well. If temperatures remain this high, tyre management will be key. Our main objective is to drive cleanly and without mistakes – that usually brings you to the front on its own.”
Morris Schuring (Porsche 911 GT3 R #44): ‟I was quick over the first few kilometres. Unfortunately, a small mistake at Schwedenkreuz cost me the lap. The important thing is that our 911 is very strong in these conditions, so I’m feeling confident going into the race. It’ll be crucial to preserve every tyre set for as long as possible.”
Daan Arrow (Porsche 911 GT3 R #48): ‟First, massive credit to our mechanics – they put a perfect 911 back on the track for me after Thursday’s incident. Because of that, I hadn’t completed my two mandatory laps, so I had to do that during Top Qualifying. Third on the Pro-Am grid gives us a solid foundation for a strong race.”
Starting grid Nürburgring 24 Hours:
1. Estre/Güven/Preining (FRA/TUR/AUT), Porsche 911 GT3 R, Manthey EMA #911, 8:12.741 minutes 2. Perel/Fernandez/Jefferies/Neubauer (ZAF/GER/ZAF/FRA), Ferrari 296 GT3 #45, 8:13.909 minutes 3. Engel/Martin/Schiller/Stolz (GER/BEL/GER/GER), Mercedes-AMG GT3 #14, 8:14.233 minutes 4. Andlauer/Müller/Picariello/Menzel (FRA/DEU/BEL/DEU), Porsche 911 GT3 R, Falken Motorsports #33, 8:14.279 minutes 11. Arrow/Bünnagel/Kaya/Piana (NLD/DEU/TUR/ITA), Porsche 911 GT3 R, Black Falcon #48, 8:16.181 minutes 12. Boccolacc/Heinemann/Marschall/Schuring (FRA/DEU/DEU/NLD), Porsche 911 GT3 R, Falken Motorsports #44, 8:20.815 minutes
