Fog forces the interruption of the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring; the resumption of the race anticipated this morning

Sunday June 2, 2024 by Philippe Brasseur

The climate within the Eifel massif, the German Ardennes, as soon as once more reveals all its aspects this weekend throughout the 52nd version of the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring.

After the solar on Friday for the final {qualifications}, it was below gentle rain that the beginning was given this Saturday at 4 p.m. native. However as evening started to fall, temperatures rose barely. A cocktail which inevitably induced the formation of more and more dense clouds of fog.

The race administration due to this fact determined to deliver out the purple flag round 11:15 p.m., after 7 hours and quarter-hour of racing. The No.16 Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II from the Scherer Sport PHX workforce was main on the time, with 46 laps coated. As occasion rules dictate that no parc ferme guidelines apply throughout such a compelled break, this permits groups to alter tires, refuel and restore any broken autos till the race can be restarted this Sunday morning. At present, as daylight has simply dawned on the Nürburgring and fog persists on sure sections of the circuit, the beginning may happen round 8 a.m., at greatest.

The stopping of the race, which already occurred in 2021 for a similar causes, was inevitable given the circumstances, resulting in the gradual deterioration of visibility situations across the well-known and harmful Nordschleife. “For security causes, we should cease the race if visibility is just too restricted. The marshals across the Nordschleife and the Grand Prix circuit should above all be capable to see their colleagues on the opposite facet of the observe, in addition to the flags and light-weight indicators, and be capable to give their very own indicators accordingly,” explains the director of Walter Hornung race. “Over the previous few hours, we’ve mentioned the scenario with a number of meteorologists, who’ve come to the identical conclusion: visibility won’t enhance earlier than this Sunday morning,” he added, to clarify the choice to such an extended break.

The race course will then recurrently verify the visibility situations this morning, by way of inspection laps, and can announce the restart with an applicable delay. There may be little hope that the revival can be given within the subsequent half hour. Greater than 250,000 spectators attend the occasion.

Behind the main Audi led by Christopher Mies, on the finish of the race we discovered the BMW of Daniel Harper, who began in pole place, and the Porsche of Kévin Estre. The primary Mercedes, that of Luca Stolz’s crew, is 4th. Mikaël Grenier and his teammates occupy twenty seventh place, with no actual hope of victory anymore sadly. Within the TCR class, Bryan Herta Autosport’s Hyundai Elantra N leads its class. Ontarian Mark Wilkins, who’s making his debut on the occasion, is a part of the quartet of drivers of this automotive, ranked forty first general.

126 crews took the beginning however quite a few accidents have already occurred throughout the first 7 hours of racing, all on the outdated a part of the circuit, the Nordschleife.