ADAC 24h Nürburgring – Mission title defense: ROWE RACING aims to continue its success story at the Nürburgring
ROWE RACING heads into the ADAC 24h Nürburgring on 16th/17th May with a clear goal: to defend its title. After last year’s triumph, the team from St. Ingbert is aiming to stand on the top step of the podium again—and could become the first team in 17 years to successfully repeat victory in the “Green Hell.”
With two BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars and a total of eight BMW M works drivers, ROWE RACING is fielding an outstanding driver line-up. At the same time, there is an opportunity to secure BMW’s 22nd overall victory in this endurance classic, extending its record as the most successful manufacturer.
In the #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, ROWE RACING is competing with an exceptional combination of experience and a history of success. Augusto Farfus, Raffaele Marciello and Kelvin van der Linde return together after last year’s victory, aiming to repeat their triumph. The quartet is completed by Jordan Pepper, who won the 24 Hours of Spa in 2025 and joined the BMW M works driver roster this year. With him, the car forms a true champion line‑up. The South African already impressed on his Nordschleife debut for ROWE RACING with a victory in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS).
ROWE RACING is also relying on a strong and balanced Nordschleife line‑up in the #99 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, featuring Dan Harper, Max Hesse, Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor. With Vanthoor, the quartet includes a former overall winner of the 24h Nürburgring, while Sheldon van der Linde, Harper and Hesse have already proved their class with podium finishes in this classic. Together, they have the clear goal of reaching the top step this time. Additional momentum comes from Harper and Hesse’s joint victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona earlier this year.
ROWE RACING will also compete in the ADAC 24h Nürburgring with the new “ROWE Identity” car design. The team will complete its final preparations for the major race in May at the ADAC 24h Qualifiers this coming weekend.
Four questions for Hans-Peter Naundorf, Team Principal ROWE RACING
What makes the ADAC 24h Nürburgring so extraordinary?
Hans-Peter Naundorf: “The 24 Hours at the Nürburgring is the most demanding endurance race in the world because a wide variety of car classes with enormous speed differences are on track at the same time. This creates constant traffic and an extremely high risk of accidents. At the same time, there are hardly any run‑off areas – most mistakes end directly in the barriers. In addition, there are no traditional neutralisation periods where the field bunches up again. Every second lost must be regained under racing conditions – and that is extremely difficult on the Nordschleife. From the very first minute, the race forgives no mistakes. If you lose touch, it’s very hard to come back.”
For ROWE RACING and especially for BMW M, the Nürburgring has been a good venue, hasn’t it?
Hans-Peter Naundorf: “You could say that. BMW is the record winner here, and we are very proud to have contributed significantly to this success story with our overall victories in 2020 and 2025. In addition, we have three second-place finishes in 2017, 2021, and 2023. With a total of seven podium finishes, ROWE RACING has actually been even more consistently successful at the Nürburgring than at Spa. That shows how strong we are, especially on the Nordschleife.”
What does it mean to compete with the #1 and to have three of the four 2025 winners back in the same car?
Hans-Peter Naundorf: “Competing with the #1 at the ADAC 24h Nürburgring is, above all, a confirmation of last year’s performance – and at the same time a clear motivation to build on it. Having three of the four 2025 winners back together in the same car makes us very proud as a team. It shows the trust in our work and gives us a strong foundation to fight at the front again this year.”
What was the decisive factor in selecting Jordan Pepper as the fourth driver in the #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO?
Hans-Peter Naundorf: “Jordan Pepper showed last year with his victory at Spa that he can make the difference at this level. That is exactly the quality we wanted in the #1 car. At the same time, he fits very well into our driver line‑up both personally and professionally. This creates an extremely strong and well‑balanced line‑up that we believe is very well positioned for the Nordschleife.”
Driver quotes:
Augusto Farfus (#1 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE RACING): “We are coming back as winners. So definitely we have an extra weight on our shoulders. Last year we had a perfect race. I think BMW has always shown a very strong car. The preparation has not gone as we wanted. We had some snow so unfortunately the preparation is not ideal but I am looking forward. I think that the line‑up we have is extremely strong so I do not see a reason why we can’t be one of the favourites. But of course at the Nordschleife often you cannot choose to be the winner because the Nordschleife chooses the winner. We have to keep calm. I am very pleased to be back and having the victory from last year. So let’s try once again to maximise our chances, and who knows maybe we will have again a big smile.”
Max Hesse (#99 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE RACING): “The expectations for the 24h Nürburgring are quite high. The guys had a very good NLS2 race – especially with the win for the car Dan Harper was in. First of all, I am just looking forward to getting properly back on track. Because of the chaotic weather at NLS1, I haven’t done any laps in dry conditions yet. We are extremely eager for the big race in May. We have a very, very strong driver line‑up in both cars and a team that has proved often enough what it can do. Our car has always been very competitive. We definitely want to fight for overall victory, keep a cool head, and make sure we are right at the front in the end.”
CALENDAR
17./18.04.2026: 24h Qualifiers
16./17.05.2026: ADAC 24h Nürburgring
Il team ROWE RACING si sta preparando per la 24 Ore del Nürburgring ADAC del 16 e 17 maggio, con l’obiettivo di difendere il titolo conquistato lo scorso anno. La squadra di St. Ingbert punta a diventare la prima a vincere due titoli consecutivi nei 17 anni di storia della gara.
Il team schiererà due BMW M4 GT3 EVO con un totale di otto piloti ufficiali BMW M, con l’obiettivo di conquistare la 22esima vittoria assoluta per BMW e consolidare il suo primato come costruttore più vincente in questa gara.
Sulla BMW M4 GT3 EVO numero 1, la formazione di piloti include Augusto Farfus, Raffaele Marciello e Kelvin van der Linde, confermati dopo il successo dello scorso anno. A loro si unisce Jordan Pepper, recente aggiunta al roster dei piloti ufficiali BMW M e vincitore della 24 Ore di Spa nel 2025. Pepper ha avuto un debutto promettente sul Nordschleife con una vittoria nella Nürburgring Endurance Series.
La BMW M4 GT3 EVO numero 99 schiererà al volante i piloti Dan Harper, Max Hesse, Sheldon van der Linde e Dries Vanthoor, quest’ultimo già vincitore assoluto della 24 Ore del Nürburgring. Harper e Hesse hanno recentemente trionfato alla 24 Ore di Daytona, arricchendo ulteriormente il loro già solido curriculum. Anche questo team punta alla vittoria.
Il team ROWE RACING presenterà la nuova livrea “ROWE Identity” e finalizzerà i preparativi durante le qualifiche della 24 Ore ADAC di questo fine settimana.
Il Team Principal Hans-Peter Naundorf ha parlato delle sfide uniche della 24 Ore del Nürburgring, sottolineando come sia la gara di durata più impegnativa a causa delle numerose categorie di vetture in gara contemporaneamente, che generano traffico costante e un elevato rischio di incidenti. Con vie di fuga limitate, gli errori si traducono in guasti immediati, rendendo difficile il recupero.
Ha sottolineato che BMW detiene il record al Nürburgring e ha menzionato il contributo di ROWE RACING a questo successo con le vittorie del 2020 e del 2025 e i podi del 2017, 2021 e 2023. Naundorf ha espresso orgoglio nel gareggiare con la vettura numero 1, poiché rappresenta il successo dello scorso anno e funge da motivazione. Avere tre dei vincitori del 2025 in un’unica vettura è motivo di orgoglio e riflette la fiducia nelle loro capacità.
Riguardo alla scelta di Jordan Pepper come quarto pilota della BMW M4 GT3 EVO numero 1, Naundorf ha osservato che la sua precedente vittoria a Spa ha dimostrato la sua capacità di eccellere, rendendolo la scelta ideale per il team.
Le dichiarazioni dei piloti riflettono fiducia e aspettative per la gara. Farfus ha riconosciuto la pressione derivante dal fatto di essere vincitori di ritorno, ma ha espresso entusiasmo per la forte formazione e l’obiettivo di massimizzare le proprie possibilità. Hesse ha fatto eco a questo sentimento, guardando con entusiasmo alla gara e sottolineando la competitività della vettura e delle capacità del team, con l’obiettivo della vittoria assoluta.
Il calendario delle gare include le qualifiche della 24 Ore del 17 e 18 aprile 2026, seguite dalla 24 Ore del Nürburgring ADAC del 16 e 17 maggio 2026.
