GetSpeed Mercedes Wins After Code 60 Infraction for BMW

Photo: Mercedes-AMG

Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed’s Adam Christodoulou, Maxi Goetz and Fabian Schiller has claimed victory in Sunday’s Nürburgring 24 Qualifier following a late-race penalty for the leading BMW Junior Team entry.

Goetz took the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo to a 24.684-second win over Max Hesse in the No. 72 Junior Team BMW M4 GT3 after being assessed a 40-second post-race time penalty for a Code 60 infraction in the closing moments of three-hour race.

At least three Code 60 infractions had been under investigation for Saturday’s race-winning Team RMG-run BMW, featuring the lineup of Hasse, Neil Verhagen and Dan Harper.

A storming final two-lap run by Hesse put the car into second over the the No. 24  Lionspeed by Car Collection Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Christopher Mies, who edged out fellow Audi factory driver Christopher Hasse in the sister Audi Sport-backed No. 22 entry for the final podium position.

A double podium and likely 1-2 finish for GetSpeed was in the cards until Joules Gounon hit the wall in the No. 4 Mercedes with 20 minutes to go while running in third.

Christian Krognes led from pole in the No. 101 Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW over Verhagen, with Jordan Pepper in the Konrad Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo getting around the No. 99 ROWE Racing BMW of Philipp Eng for third on Lap 5.

Trouble struck both of the ROWE BMWs, with the two cars colliding on pit lane, while the Konrad Lamborghini was delayed with a wheel bearing issue, also in the second hour.

The No. 26 octane126 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020, which enjoyed a strong opening stint, crashed out in the hands of Simon Trummer, who was uninjured.

KCMG’s Porsche 911 GT3 R driven by Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber completed the top-five in the race, ahead of the No. 44 Falken Motorsports Porsche and No. 16 Scherer Sport Team Phoenix Audi.

The No. 90 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 was classified in eighth with drivers Charlie Eastwood and Valetin Hasse-Clot.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John