Teams, Marshals Side With NLS in Nordschleife Dispute

Marshals as well as a number of teams active at the Nürburgring have voiced public support for the VLN and NLS in the ongoing dispute over race dates at the Eifel venue.

As previously outlined, the circuit is set to host two different endurance racing championships in 2024 as the result of a court ruling that has seen both the existing NLS and new Nürburgring Endurance Series (NES) receive access to the German venue to host races.

The split is the result of a verdict by the Koblenz higher regional court, which gave both championships access to the circuit in the latest chapter of a long-running legal battle between NLS organizer VLN and NR Holding, which owns the Nürburgring.

Following the ruling, the Nürburgring granted both championships the opportunity to host four Saturday races and also stage a double-header event with one race each on Saturday and Sunday, although further details are yet to be outlined.

The developments prompted a response from the Nürburgring marshals, which publicly put its support behind the VLN and the existing NLS series.

In a letter to addressed to VLN director Mike Jaeger and seen by Sportscar365, chief marshals Michael Beer and Bernd Plauschinat declared they will remain “fully committed” to the NLS for future events.

“After extensive discussions with our section heads, we chief marshals have decided that we will continue to be available to the NLS in 2024 and beyond,” the letter reads.

“In the past, the VLN, along with many other associations, was jointly responsible for training the marshals for use on the Nordschleife. We have created a common working basis based on trust, in which we feel very comfortable.

“For this reason, we are also exclusively and solely committed to the NLS.”

The declaration from track workers was followed just a few days later by another letter, this time from a significant number of teams closely involved with Nordschleife racing.

Published in Wednesday’s issue of the German-language Motorsport Aktuell magazine, the letter addresses several key figures involved in the dispute, including circuit owner Viktor Kharitonin, AvD managing director Lutz Leif Linden, VLN head Jaeger as well as leadership from the DMSB and ADAC.

The letter is signed by nearly two dozen teams, which includes the likes of Car Collection Motorsport, Black Falcon, Muehlner Motorsport and Adrenalin Motorsport and reads as highly critical of recent events.

It notes that the developments are “reminiscent of an attempt at a hostile takeover” aimed at the NLS, adding that it is “not only damaging the reputation of motorsport in the public eye, but also destroying a number of livelihoods.”

They go on to warn that the split-series concept will result in “sportingly boring and economically unsustainable events for everyone involved” for the next ‘five to ten years.’

It continues: “We, a group of team bosses who have been particularly active and successful for many years, all love the competition on the unique Nordschleife and are happy to welcome new competitors, suppliers and organizers who challenge the market leaders to a fair competition with good personnel, clever strategies and the best equipment.

“However, this does not apply to new market players who try to outsmart others before the start, prevent them from starting, poach their staff and use semi-legal means to ruthlessly buy their success.”

The letter goes on to say that a lack of provided information on matters like sporting, technical and organizational regulations, dates, personnel, officials, costs and sponsors leaves the teams with little choice but to side with VLN and NLS for the 2024 season.

“This also and especially applies if the VLN/NLS can only hold fewer than the nine races planned so far due to the verdict,” the teams declared.

For its part, the NES outlined in a recently released statement  that sporting regulations were to be presented to the DMSB shortly in the wake of the Koblenz ruling.

The teams stated they’re open to discussions for 2025 and beyond and closed off the letter with a series of recommendations for all parties involved, expressing the opinion that “working together is often better than working against each other.”

The teams urge the Nürburgring to name the binding dates for the NLS by Jan. 15 at the latest, while requesting that the NES voluntarily transfer over one to three weekends to NLS as a ‘clear and positive signal’ of serious interest to potential customers.

Furthermore, the teams ask both series to ‘please refrain from practices that further bleed the VLN/NLS economically or in terms of personnel.’