Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring: round 1 - Third and fourth place for Mercedes-AMG in VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft season opener
april 05, 2016 - Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport

VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring: round 1 - Third and fourth place for Mercedes-AMG in VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft season opener

A successful season opener in the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft: AMG-Team Black Falcon claims third place with its 6 #mercedesamggt3, HARIBO #racing Team-AMG comes fourth with its 8 #mercedesamggt3 at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In total, six #mercedesamggt3 and one SLS AMG GT3 competed in the first VLN round of the 2016 season.No less than 174 competitors, 30 of them in the GT3 class alone, took the start in the first VLN round with a duration of four hours. After a thrilling finale, Bernd Schneider (GER), Maro Engel (GER), Adam Christodoulou (GBR) and Manuel Metzger (GER) secured third place overall for the AMG-Team Black Falcon, driving their #mercedesamggt3 with starting number 6. The quartet of Uwe Alzen (GER), Lance David Arnold (GER), Maximilian Götz (GER) and Jan Seyffarth (GER) followed immediately behind, bringing the HARIBO #racing Team-AMG #mercedesamggt3 with starting number 8 across the finish line in fourth place.AMG-Team HTP Motorsport with Christian Vietoris (GER), Renger van der Zande (NED), Christian Hohenadel (GER) and Marco Seefried (GER) saw its 16 #mercedesamggt3 finish 13th overall after 28 laps while the sister car with starting number 26 retired after having innocently become involved in an accident. The HTP Motorsport gullwing with starting number 14, the only SLS AMG GT3 in the field, finished in 27th place. Moritz Oestreich (GER), Clemens Schmid (AUT) and Steve Jans (LUX) alternated behind the wheel.AMG-Team Black Falcon’s second #mercedesamggt3, the 9 car with Hubert Haupt (GER), Nico Bastian (GER), Yelmer Buurman (NED) and Dirk Müller (GER) was classified 14th.  The 7 Black Falcon #mercedesamggt3 retired early after innocently having become involved in a collision.Adam Christodoulou, AMG-Team Black Falcon: “I am very happy with this podium finish in the season opener. The entire team has done a great job. Of course, we still have work to do.”Lance David Arnold, HARIBO #racing Team-AMG: “Today’s season opener was a thrilling affair and driving the new #mercedesamggt3 at the Nordschleife was highly enjoyable. Unfortunately, we just missed out on a podium finish, but I am looking forward to the future outings.”Jochen Bitzer, head of AMG Customer Sports: “We are happy with the result of the first VLN round. However, the opposition is strong and we know that we still have some work to do before the season highlight, the 24-hour race.”The race result* at a glance:
Pos.StartingnumberCar/TeamDriversLaps
3rd6Mercedes-AMG GT3 / AMG-Team Black FalconBernd Schneider, Maro Engel, Adam Christodoulou, Manuel Metzger28
4th8Mercedes-AMG GT3 / HARIBO #racing Team-AMGUwe Alzen, Lance David Arnold, Maximilian Götz, Jan Seyffarth28
13th16Mercedes-AMG GT3 / AMG-Team HTP MotorsportChristian Vietoris, Renger van der Zande, Christian Hohenadel, Marco Seefried28
14th9Mercedes-AMG GT3 / AMG-Team Black FalconHubert Haupt, Yelmer Buurman, Nico Bastian, Dirk Müller28
27th14Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 / HTP MotorsportMoritz Oestreich, Clemens Schmid, Steve Jans27
DNF26Mercedes-AMG GT3 / AMG-Team HTP MotorsportDominik Baumann, Maximilian Buhk, Stefan Mücke, Thomas Jäger10
DNF7Mercedes-AMG GT3 / Black FalconAbdulaziz Al Faisal, Gerwin Schuring, Indy Dontje9
* subject to confirmation by the organisers
 Further information about the race: www.vln.deMore information about AMG Customer Sports may be found at www.mercedes-amg.com/customersports