GRT claims first endurance win for Lamborghini in three years at Nürburgring

Text: Rick Kiewiet

Images: SRO

GRT Grasser Racing Team took Lamborghini to its first Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup victory in almost three years, clinching the win in a fiercely contested third round at the Nürburgring.

Jordan Pepper, Marco Mapelli, and Franck Perera expertly handled the #163 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, leading the majority of the three-hour race. After seizing the lead on the opening lap, Pepper and his co-drivers held off relentless pressure from the Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-Filter #48, driven by Lucas Auer, Maro Engel, and Daniel Morad. Despite a smart pit strategy by Mercedes that briefly saw Morad emerge in front, Perera reclaimed the lead moments later with a decisive pass, ensuring Grasser Racing returned to the top step of the podium for the first time since 2017.

Pepper’s quick thinking at the start made the difference as the race erupted into chaos at Turn 1. A collision between the pole-sitting #96 Rutronik Racing Porsche and the #71 AF Corse Ferrari sent the Porsche into early retirement, while Vidales in the Ferrari received a drive-through penalty for his part in the incident. Amidst the chaos, Pepper powered his Lamborghini into the lead, closely followed by Auer in the #48 Mercedes-AMG.

Throughout the first two hours, the battle between the Lamborghini and Mercedes was fierce, with the gap never exceeding two seconds. The turning point came during the final pit stop window, where Mercedes attempted an overcut. Morad briefly emerged ahead of Perera, but the Lamborghini driver, with warmer tires, wasted no time regaining the lead. From there, Perera steadily extended his advantage, eventually crossing the finish line 9.687 seconds ahead.

Behind the leaders, Laurin Heinrich mounted a late charge in the #22 Schumacher CLRT Porsche, making a daring pass on Morad in the final laps to secure second place for himself and teammates Ayhancan Güven and Dorian Boccolacci. Morad and the #48 Mercedes-AMG team had to settle for third after their valiant effort fell just short.

Elsewhere in the field, Tresor Attempto Racing's #99 Audi delivered a solid performance to finish fourth, ahead of the #98 ROWE Racing BMW, which overcame a 15-second penalty for a pit stop infringement. The #7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin initially finished fifth but was demoted to sixth after receiving a post-race penalty for an unsafe release.

Boutsen VDS had a strong showing with their #9 Mercedes-AMG finishing seventh, while the #51 AF Corse Ferrari made a stunning comeback from 48th on the grid to finish eighth, driven by Alessio Rovera's heroic opening stint. Iron Lynx's #63 Lamborghini secured ninth, with the #71 AF Corse Ferrari rounding out the top ten after recovering from its earlier penalty.

In the Gold Cup, Saintéloc Racing continued its dominance, with the #25 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Gilles Magnus, Jim Pla, and Paul Evrard taking the win after a hard-fought battle. Boutsen VDS claimed Silver Cup honors, with their #10 Mercedes-AMG finishing well clear of the competition. In the Bronze Cup, Rutronik Racing's #97 Porsche delivered a flawless performance to secure victory, leading a Porsche 1-2 finish.

With this victory, Grasser Racing Team has reignited its Endurance Cup title hopes. The battle for the championship now moves to Monza, where the next round promises more action as the season heads into its decisive stages.