The Nurburgring 24 Hours stands apart as one of the most revered endurance races in global motorsport, and the latest running has generated extraordinary interest. A record-size GT3 entry means the event will be a complex tapestry of pace, experience and strategy. Most eyes are on Max Verstappen, who makes his race debut at the Green Hell with Winward, but this preview concentrates on the whole SP9 field and how different factors will combine to determine who fights for the overall trophy.
This assessment deliberately narrows its focus to the 22 cars entered in the SP9 GT3 Pro category — the group that typically contains the strongest, factory-backed lineups. The teams are judged on a simple five-point scale ranging from outsider to top favourite. Evaluation criteria include raw car performance, team experience on the Nordschleife, depth of the driver roster and, crucially, tyre allocation. In a cold or wet Nürburgring, tyre choice is often decisive: past history suggests a manufacturer advantage can swing the outcome.
Top-tier contenders
At the sharp end of the entry list sit several crews who combine proven cars with highly experienced driver squads. Rowe Racing fields two BMW M4 GT3 Evos that are built for consistency and pace; their lineups include multiple factory names and last year’s winners, placing them firmly among the favourites. Winward also arrive with a double threat: one car is loaded with Nordschleife veterans while the other centers on Verstappen’s star power. And then there is Manthey, the team whose Porsche heritage on this circuit is unrivalled — their Grello 911 and trio of factory drivers make them impossible to ignore.
Winward: headline star and proven depth
Winward’s spotlight car, featuring Max Verstappen, will inevitably gather the most media attention, but the broader garage balance is what counts over 24 hours. The Verstappen entry mixes an exceptional single-lap talent with co-drivers who have Nordschleife know-how, producing a package that can challenge for maximum honours. The sister Winward machine, by contrast, relies entirely on experienced Mercedes-AMG factory pilots and represents a methodical bid for victory rather than a headline-driven gamble.
Rowe and Manthey: consistency versus legend
Rowe brings a twin-car assault that combines returning winners with a roster of factory drivers who know how to extract race-long performance from the BMW. Their balance of reliability and speed is a classic Nürburgring recipe. Opposing them is Manthey Porsche, whose Grello entry has repeatedly been in the fight for pole and victory; with the same core trio that has delivered strong results before, they remain in the smallest circle of genuine favourites.
Strong challengers and dark horses
Beyond the handful of favourites there is a deep pool of credible challengers. The Scherer-Audi entry should not be underestimated — it pairs a quick car with a competitive driver lineup, though some drivers have less Nordschleife exposure. Falken has the institutional knowledge and consistent pace that make them perennial contenders, while Schubert BMW carries a strong quartet of factory stars and deserves inclusion in the extended contender group. Teams like Abt Lamborghini and Lionspeed Porsche bring genuine speed but carry relative questions about endurance experience and operational familiarity at the 24-hour level on the Nordschleife.
Outsiders, tyres and wildcard variables
The final category contains outfits that can surprise under the right circumstances. Several entries using non-Michelin rubber — notably Pirelli, Dunlop and Yokohama-shod cars — might be at a disadvantage if the weather turns cold or wet, because Michelin has historically performed strongly in those conditions on the Nordschleife. That said, singularly fast drivers can still produce standout qualifying laps, and teams such as KCMG, HRT Ford and Dinamic Porsche have proven they can punch above their weight if strategy, reliability and pit execution align.
Why tyres will shape the result
Ultimately, tyre choice is among the most tangible performance levers at the Nurburgring. In a race with fluctuating temperatures and the constant threat of rain, compound behaviour, warm-up windows and durability become crucial. Teams on Michelin are widely seen as having an edge in marginal conditions, while those on Pirelli, Dunlop or Yokohama must optimise setup and stint planning to compensate. Expect strategy meetings in pit lane to be dominated by tyre windows and transition timing.
Predicting a winner at the Nurburgring is always difficult: the circuit’s length, mixed-class traffic and absence of traditional Safety Car patterns produce a high-variance environment. The favourites — Rowe, Winward and Manthey — offer the most complete packages on paper, yet several dark horses could upset the order if conditions, strategy or reliability shift the balance. This year’s record GT3 turnout ensures that every hour will matter and that a balanced combination of speed, endurance experience and tyre strategy will be the most reliable path to lifting the trophy.