Bortolotti Describes “Insane” Late-Race Podium Battle

Mirko Bortolotti described the closing stages of the Nürburgring 24 as “insane” when he narrowly overcame a late-race penalty to pip Mattia Drudi’s Aston Martin to the runner-up spot.

The No. 84 ABT Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 entered the final hour of the race in second place but had an 86-second penalty hanging over the crew after pole-sitter Luca Engstler was found to have traveled at 116 kph in a Code 60 zone.

The third-placed No. 35 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo of Drudi was 90 seconds adrift of the Lamborghini at the start of the closing stint but Drudi had the benefit of cut slicks amid a rain shower and began closing the gap.

With a lap to go, Drudi was just 73 seconds behind the Lamborghini factory driver, only for a Code 60 on the Dottinger Hohe on the final tour to delay the Aston thereby enabling Bortolotti, Engstler and Patric Niederhauser to finish runner-up by 16.439 seconds once the penalty was applied.

“The last stint was insane,” Bortolotti told Sportscar365. “We decided to go on slicks, they were on cut slicks and the track conditions were changing all the time from corner to corner, different sections.

“Then the rain started to get heavier. I was really, really pushing super hard and came super close to shunting the car many, many times.

“It’s not nice to race in this condition with the slicks knowing that you have to push like that to get the result.

“On one hand it’s not nice; on the other hand it is, because that’s what we’re here for. I actually enjoyed it but in that moment, I didn’t.”

Not only did the last-lap Code 60 hamper Drudi’s efforts, he also encountered slow traffic that ultimately meant he had to settle for third in the car he shared with Nicki Thiim and Christian Krognes.

“The team did a really good call with the inter tires,” Drudi told Sportscar365.

“We were probably expecting slightly more rain because the only lap that it rained more was the second-last lap and we gained quite a lot over the Lambo.

“The last one it dried up a bit too much for us so we lost a bit and then I was a bit unlucky because I found the traffic of the cars already waving at the fans and they were side by side so I didn’t really have space to overtake slower cars.

“They were just going slowly and that was nice — it is the spirit of this race — but the GT fight is always super tight.

“I lost a bit of time there and I was a bit unlucky with the Code 60 at the end of the last lap but we’re happy about the podium.”

Podium a ‘Good Closing Chapter’ For Huracan

The runner-up finish represented Lamborghini’s best-ever N24 result in what’s likely to be the final appearance for the Huracan GT3 EVO2 in the race in a factory-supported capacity as the new-for-2026 Temerario GT3 takes over as Italian manufacturer’s model of choice.

“It’s a good closing to the chapter now for the Huracan,” said Bortolotti, who has raced the car since it debuted in 2015.

“The car is still homologated so you never know, maybe it will race here or somewhere but it’s not planned right now.

“So it’s great to finish off the Huracan project with such a major result here at the Nürburgring.

“It’s something we’ve been working really hard for in the last few years. I think the car has proven its potential but, especially at the Nürburgring, we never really managed to pull it off, for whatever reason.

“I think it’s a great relief for all of us involved in this program. A big thanks back in the factory for the hard work on the car on preparing it.

“Obviously we were dreaming of getting the win and for me it’s the second time finishing second at the Nürburgring 24 after my debut with Audi in 2020.

“I hope that I will get the chance to go for the win because that’s the target.”

“Really Hard to Say” if ABT Could Have Challenged for Win

Things were looking good for the ABT squad after qualifying on Friday, when it locked out the front-row of the grid.

However, it was a tough start to the race for the team as the pole-sitting No. 84 machine picked up a puncture on the first lap after contact from Dani Juncadella’s Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, while the sister No. 130 entry was handed a 32-second stop-and-hold penalty for Marco Mapelli jumping the start.

But, from then on, the No. 84 crew stayed out of trouble while a host of other front-running squads were in strife to gradually rise back into podium contention.

“Looking where we were yesterday at 3:02 p.m., if you would have told me I would be on the podium tomorrow, I would have asked you if you were crazy,” added Bortolotti.

“Starting that kind of race here, with a two-minute and 30-second handicap, it’s almost [impossible] to recover because you don’t have safety cars here  — you don’t have all the kind of neutralizations that you have in other races in other championships.”

Bortolotti said “it’s really hard to say” if ABT could have challenged for the win without the puncture setback.

“Could’ve, would’ve, should’ve is not the point at the moment,” he added.

“Sure it would have been nice to go for the win, but I think it would have been a hard fight with Mercedes.”

John Dagys contributed to this report