Mercedes-AMGs Given Extra Weight in Post-Qualifying BoP

All Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evos including the pole-sitting Akkodis ASP car have been given a weight increase in a Balance of Performance change issued after qualifying for the 3 Hours of the Nürburgring.

Race organizer SRO Motorsports Group, which manages the BoP in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup, has added 10 kg to the Mercedes-AMG and the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.

The Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 has been given a 5 kg increase, while the Ferrari 296 GT3 has received a 10 kg reduction ahead of the penultimate round of the season.

The update comes after Raffaele Marciello, Timur Boguslavskiy and Jules Gounon topped qualifying for Akkodis ASP, with other Mercedes-AMGs finishing third and fourth.

Ferrari’s highest-placed car in the wet conditions was the No. 51 AF Corse car of Robert Shwartzman, Nicklas Nielsen and Alessio Rovera in 13th overall.

The best McLaren from Garage 59 ended up 16th in the three-driver average times.

Mercedes-AMG has already overcome a post-qualifying weight increase this season when Marciello, Boguslavskiy and Gounon won the Paul Ricard 1000km from pole after a 20 kg hit.

Reigning Endurance Cup champion Akkodis ASP has nominated Marciello to start the Nürburgring race, with the Swiss-Italian driver sharing the front row of the grid with Jordan Pepper in the No. 63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini.

Elsewhere, the CSA Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II that qualified 51st was given a three-place grid penalty for impeding Pepper at Turn 15 when the South African was trying to improve his time during the third qualifying session.