Rowe BMW Crowned 2025 Nürburgring 24‑Hour Champions After Drama and Penalty
News & Announcements Germany Nürburgring Grand Prix Circuit June 23
Nürburg, Germany — June 22, 2025 — In a nail-biting finish to the 53rd ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring, #98 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo claimed victory after a dramatic post-race penalty demoted the #911 Manthey EMA Porsche from first to second. BMW's triumph marks its 21st win at the endurance classic—their first since 2020 .
🏆 Final Classification: Drama on the Podium
- #911 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)—driven by Kevin Estre, Ayhancan Güven, and Thomas Preining—crossed the line first, leading by 22.190 seconds. However, a 100‑second penalty for a collision involving Estre and an Aston Martin GT4 during lapping dropped them to second place.
- As a result, #98 ROWE Racing BMW, with drivers Kelvin van der Linde, Augusto Farfus, Jesse Krohn, and Raffaele Marciello, was elevated to the top step, officially winning by a margin of 1 minute and 17 seconds.
- Porsche’s Dinamic GT entry took third place, completing the overall podium after a largely incident-free run.
🧯 Key Moments & Turning Points
- Pre-race Red Flag: A pit-lane power outage 90 minutes into the race triggered a two-hour red flag—a rare interruption that reshuffled pit strategies.
- Late-Race Clash: While lapping the #179 Dorr Aston Martin GT4, Estre’s collision led to the GT4 car rolling—an incident caught on camera and penalized post-race.
- Pivotal Final Caution: A slow zone closed in during the last hours, allowing the Porsche to gain track position before ROWE BMW pitted one lap earlier—yet ultimately, the penalty decided the result.
🚗 Standout Performers
- ROWE Racing (#98 BMW): A masterclass in consistency and strategy. Van der Linde, Farfus, Krohn, and Marciello celebrated their maiden win at Nürburgring, with Marciello and Krohn equally achieving their first triumph at the 24h classic; Farfus earned his second (first since 2010), while van der Linde notched his third Nürburgring win.
- Manthey EMA Porsche (#911): Displayed dominant pace and led much of the race. The trio of Estre, Güven, and Preining delivered one of the fastest laps—an 8:12.532—despite the final penalty.
- Dinamic GT Porsche: Finished third, benefiting from a cleaner, trouble-free stint and strategic fortitude under chaotic circumstances.
📊 Official Race Results (Top 3 Overall)
| Position | Car # | Team | Drivers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #98 | ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 | Van der Linde, Farfus, Krohn, Marciello | Awarded win after penalty |
| 2 (on-road 1st) | #911 | Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 | Estre, Güven, Preining | Demoted by 100s penalty |
| 3 | — | Dinamic GT Porsche 911 GT3 | Cairoli, Buus, Sturm, Hartlog | Clean run, completed podium |
✍️ Quotes from Victors
Raffaele Marciello (ROWE):
“Winning here is extraordinary. The team executed flawlessly. This reaffirms BMW’s legacy at Nürburgring.”
Kelvin van der Linde:
“This victory means everything—it’s our third overall here but feels like the first.”
Kevin Estre (Porsche, in protest):
“We dominated on-track. We respect the stewards, though the penalty cost us dearly.”
📌 What’s Next
- Stewards’ appeal: Manthey EMA has lodged a formal protest; the final classification may still be under review .
- BMW heat up IGTC: This result strengthens BMW’s position in the Intercontinental GT Challenge standings—momentum now swings to ROWE Racing.
- Endurance legacy: For BMW, this marks a return after five years; for ROWE Racing drivers, it’s a career-defining breakthrough at the Nordschleife.
The 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours will be remembered not only for BMW’s return to glory but also for its rollercoaster of emotions—from red-flag delays and strategic gambles to a controversial post-race ruling that changed history.
