11.05.2026
The Eifel region is filling up: The first-come, first-served campsites around the Nürburgring have been open since Monday morning, and the first fans have already set up camp at the world’s most beautiful race track. This finally marks the start of the festival week at the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring, which is set to become the gathering place for the international endurance racing scene. Even before the first wheels start turning, everything points to an extraordinary weekend: Advance ticket sales were so strong that all multi-day tickets for the 24h were sold out in advance; currently, only day tickets for Thursday, Friday, and Sunday are still available. Very high visitor traffic is expected around the Ring this weekend, and anyone without a ticket valid for Saturday (two-, three-, or four-day ticket) should under no circumstances drive to the Ring on Saturday on a whim. All information and tickets are available here.
All important links and information at a glanceFrom a sporting perspective, the 2026 race is taking place under special circumstances. Max Verstappen, one of the most successful Formula 1 drivers of our time, will be competing in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring for the first time. The Dutchman will be driving the Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing GT3 alongside Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon, and Daniel Juncadella. His debut is drawing worldwide attention, but it’s only part of the story: With 161 entries, the largest starting field in over a decade is expected. In the SP9 class, which is eligible for the overall victory, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, and Porsche are represented—nine brands that promise an extraordinary level of competition at the top. Starting grid of GT3 heavyweightsIn addition to Verstappen’s car, the favorites include the defending champions from Rowe Racing (BMW), Manthey with the Porsche 911 GT3 R, the strong Audi team from Scherer PHX, Lamborghini teams such as Abt, the Mercedes-AMG lineup, HRT with the Ford Mustang GT3, and other top international teams. The fact that the event is once again part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge also adds to the competitive pressure, attracting further strong international participants.
Pre-race highlight: New Top Qualifying formatTop Qualifying on Friday offers a first glimpse of the battle for the top spots. In the new, three-stage format, the fastest teams in the top classes will battle it out for the best starting positions—leading up to the final showdown for pole position and the front row. Given the extremely close competition in the GT3 field, this battle alone is likely to be one of the sporting highlights of the race weekend.
Action not just in the fight for overall victoryIt is precisely the multiclass racing that defines the character of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. While GT3 cars battle for overall victory at the front, numerous other classes are competing for their own wins and podium finishes. GT4 cars, Cup Porsches, production cars, and many more share the 25.378-kilometer combination of the Nordschleife and Grand Prix circuit. It is precisely this mix of factory racing, world stars, Nordschleife specialists, and ambitious privateer teams that makes the 24 Hours of Nürburgring so appealing.
Festival atmosphere at the Ring – and at homeThe official kickoff for the fan program takes place on Wednesday with Adenauer Racing Day.
This is followed by four days of motorsport action featuring the RCN, two rounds of the Touring Car Legends series, and the three-hour second round of the German Historic Endurance Championship. Around the Nordschleife, the atmosphere is defined by a unique festival vibe with creative fans in high spirits. Especially around the Start/Finish area, visitors will also find many fan highlights in the paddock and on the ring°boulevard. Up-to-date information on the program, schedule, travel, parking, and spectator areas is available at 24h-rennen.de, on the 24h Nürburgring WhatsApp channel (24h-rennen.de/whatsapp), and in the digital 24h Event Guide (maps.24h-rennen.de). Live Marathon BroadcastEven if you can’t be there in person, you won’t miss a thing. NITRO will broadcast the race live and in full on free-to-air TV. In addition, the official website at www.24h-rennen.de/live offers a central info hub with a live stream, in-car views, live timing, a ticker, and plenty of other useful information. The race starts on Saturday, May 16, at 3:00 p.m. From then on, it’s 24 hours of full throttle in the legendary Green Hell—at the race of the year!