Following a successful showing at the 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers, EFP:racing by TECE driver Elia Erhart was also successful at the legendary 24h Race at the Nürburgring. Together with his teammates Frank Bird, Thomas Jäger, and Jörg Viebahn, the Röttenbacher claimed victory in the SPX class in front of a dream crowd of 235,000 spectators, driving the Mercedes-AMG GT2 for the Mercedes-AMG Team HRT. After an impressive comeback, the team finished 34th in the overall classification.

“Our big goal was to see the Mercedes-AMG GT2 take the chequered flag in the world’s toughest car race. For the vehicle, it was its very first 24h race, so we couldn’t assess in advance how it would perform over the distance or whether we would actually succeed in this project. We are very pleased that it worked out and that we were able to successfully complete the comprehensive testing and development phase of this new customer racing vehicle. Many thanks at this point to my long-term partners who made it possible for me to be part of this exciting project. At the same time, I would like to thank Mercedes-AMG and the main racing team for the trust they placed in me,” says Erhart.

In top qualifying, his teammate Thomas Jäger placed the Mercedes-AMG GT2 in second on the SPX class grid with a lap time of 8:30.685 minutes. However, due to a penalty against the pole-sitter, starting driver Frank Bird led the race from the front.

“We quickly found our rhythm and were the best-placed non-GT3 car in the entire field. Unfortunately, in the evening we had a collision that triggered a major repair break. The guys from HRT did an excellent job getting the car back on track. Nevertheless, we likely lost around an hour and a half, which is almost impossible to make up in such a competitive field,” Erhart continues.

Still, he and his three teammates managed a strong comeback drive until the black-and-white chequered flag, ultimately bringing the team to 34th place overall — and securing a well-earned SPX class win.

“All in all, it was once again a major motorsport festival, which is truly unique in this form in Germany. I really enjoyed the weekend with the many fans and guests here at the Nürburgring. Even during Adenauer Racing Day, the atmosphere was indescribable, and during the race the crowd created an atmosphere that gave you goosebumps. It was great to be here again, and I believe we’ll have a lot of fun with the Mercedes-AMG GT2 in the coming years. I’m sure the vehicle will appeal to many teams.”

For EFP:racing by TECE drivers Elia Erhart and Pierre Kaffer, the next event is scheduled for 10–11 June 2023 with the 12h of Monza. As usual, they will share the wheel of the Audi R8 GT3 EVO II, which will be fielded by the Scherer Sport Team PHX.

Text: Media-DaCo (Daniel Cornesse)
Photos: main racing team

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