Engel Targeting Mercedes-AMG’s First N24 Win in Ten Years

Maro Engel is aiming to return Mercedes-AMG to the top step of the Nürburgring 24 podium, ten years after his and the brand’s last victory in the Eifel endurance classic.

The German manufacturer hasn’t won the event since 2016, when it locked-out the top four with its then-new Mercedes-AMG GT3s and Engel was part of the driver crew in the winning No. 4 machine.

Engel narrowly missed out on victory in 2018 and finished third in 2022, but has failed to finish the last three races, at the wheel of GetSpeed-entered Mercedes-AMGs.

“The hunger to win the race has always been there, it’s always been a very special race for me,” he told Sportscar365.

“Personally, we had a few good chances. We came close in 2018, but it just hasn’t clicked in the previous nine years, so hopefully we can make it lucky tenth.”

The veteran Mercedes-AMG factory driver will race the No. 80 Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol entry alongside Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and Maxime Martin.

“We prepared well,” added Engel. “We’ve done as much as we could in the time we had available.

“Obviously, it’s new to have Mercedes-AMG Team Winward running the two cars, so [there is] plenty of good, positive feedback and ideas.

“We’ve been working on the setup, getting all the drivers up to speed.”

The team finished in fourth in the second race of the N24 Qualifiers last month. The first race of the weekend was cut short after the death of driver Juha Miettinen in an on-track accident.

“It’s still a bit hard to speak about that weekend,” said Engel. “On one side, it’s obviously an important prep weekend for us, but at the same time, we know that one of us, one of the drivers, hasn’t gone home after the weekend to his family and friends.

“Nonetheless, we did what we had planned in terms of a run plan, worked on many different things.

“For sure, the data gathered, the laps gathered were more valuable, and we feel that we’ve made continuous improvements and prepared well.”

A total of six Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evos will compete this weekend, including the No. 3 Verstappen Racing car of Lucas Auer, Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon and four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen.

Plenty of Races Still on Engel’s “Bucket List”

Engel, who has been on Mercedes-AMG’s factory driver roster since 2008, said there are still more races he wants to win in his career.

“There’s a few races that I haven’t won yet,” he said. “One of them was Bathurst, which had been a long-term goal.”

He took top honors in the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour with co-drivers Martin and Mikael Grenier.

“On my bucket list, I would say Spa [24 Hours] and DTM [championship] are two that I haven’t achieved yet,” said Engel.

“In that same sentence, trying to re-win races that I have already won.

“I don’t think you can ever get enough of winning big races and big championships.”