Audi Takes Pole as Verstappen’s Mercedes Falters in Nürburgring 24 Hours Race 2 Qualifiers

The #16 Audi R8 LMS GT3, driven by Christopher Haase, Alexander Sims and Ben Green, took pole for the Nürburgring 24 Hours Race 2. A glitch forced Max Verstappen’s Mercedes AMG GT3, which had led early, down to 39th. The top‑ten grid now includes Audi, Lamborghini, Porsche, Mercedes and BMW.

Why it matters:

• Starting position at the Nordschleife heavily influences early race rhythm in a 24‑hour endurance format.
• Verstappen’s participation brings F1 attention to GT3; his early lead highlighted the Mercedes platform’s speed before reliability cut in.
• Audi’s pole reinforces its dominance in GT3, setting a benchmark for rivals ahead of the marathon race.

The details:

• 1 – #16 Audi R8 LMS GT3 – Haase, Sims, Green
• 2 – #84 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 – Engstler, Bortolotti, Niederhauser
• 3 – #911 Porsche 911 GT3 – Preining, Campbell, Breuer
• 4 – #80 Mercedes AMG GT3 – Engel, Schiller, Stolz
• 5 – #99 BMW M4 GT3 – Hesse, Pepper, Van der Linde
• 6‑10 – Additional BMW, Mercedes and Ford entries round out the top ten.
• 39 – #3 Mercedes AMG GT3 – Max Verstappen, Lucas Auer (technical issue)

What's next:

The 24‑hour race kicks off on Saturday morning. Audi will look to convert its pole into a clean stint, while Mercedes scrambles to address the reliability glitch that cost Verstappen’s entry. Porsche, Lamborghini and the BMW squads will aim to capitalize on traffic and the ever‑changing Nordschleife conditions. With a diverse manufacturer grid, close battles are expected from the opening hours through to the final checkered flag.