Explaining the complicated Nürburgring 24h Top Qualifying format

Written by Benjamin Crundwell, Edited by Aaron Carroll

Credit: Luna Maas 

Some racing series have simple qualifying sessions, such as a one-shot format, while others have more complicated formats with multiple sessions, such as the Nürburgring 24h. 

As proven by Kevin Estre in the second Nürburgring 24h qualifying race, qualifying does not mean everything in an endurance race, especially not in a 24-hour race. After starting at the back of the SP9 field, Estre found himself fighting at the front after only a couple of stints. 

However, qualifying sets the tone for the race, and cars in the midpack have a higher chance of crashing as there are more cars around them. Also, any car with an early lead has the power of controlling the race, improving their chances of a victory. 

Qualifying for the Nürburgring 24h takes place across four sessions: Qualifying 1, Qualifying 2, Top Qualifying and Qualifying 3. The first two sessions took place yesterday (on Thursday), and the other two will take place today (on Friday). The race will begin on Saturday afternoon. 

All cars from the 141 car field competed to set the fastest lap time in their respective classes in Qualifying 1. This session lasted two hours. 

A few hours later, Qualifying 2 took place. The first 15 minutes (of the 90 minute session) was reserved mainly for SP9 (the top class, filled with GT3 cars) competitors only. A few other of the fastest classes were permitted to take place, such as SP Pro.

This 15 minutes provided cars a final attempt to earn a spot in Top Qualifying. Each car should have managed at least one lap before all other cars joined the session a quarter of an hour in.

Credit: Luna Maas 

Despite being the session which decides pole, Top Qualifying is the first session to take place on Friday morning. Like Q3 in Formula One, this is where the top cars fight to set the fastest time over 70 minutes, to decide the front of the grid. 

Cars could earn a spot in Top Qualifying by setting the fastest times in Qualifying 1 and 2, or if they proved to have good form in the 24h Qualifiers races, or other NLS (Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie) races. 

Those who qualified for the Top Qualifying shootout are:

• No.1 Scherer Sport PHX Audi 

• No.8 JUTA Racing Audi

• No.11 SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm Mercedes

• No.14 Team GetSpeed Mercedes

• No.16 Scherer Sport PHX Porsche

• No.17 Team GetSpeed Mercedes

• No.27 Red Bull Team ABT Lamborghini 

• No.28 ABT Sportsline Lamborghini

• No.30 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin

• No.33 Falken Motorsports Porsche 

• No.34 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin 

• No.35 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin

• No.44 Falken Motorsports Porsche 

• No.45 Realize Kondo Racing with Rinaldi Ferreri

• No.48 Black Falcon Team EAE Porsche 

• No.65 HRT Ford

• No.911 Manthey EMA Porsche 

The final qualifying session is only for the cars that did not compete in Top Qualifying. Qualifying 3 will last 90 minutes. 

It is worth noting that cars in Top Qualifying will only have the grid position decided by the lap times in Top Qualifying; however, all other cars can have their grid position decided by their fastest time from any of the three other sessions. 

Top Qualifying will take place at 11:20 GMT on Friday, ahead of the final qualifying session, Qualifying 3, at 14:15.

The race will start on Saturday at 14:00 local time, which is 16:00 local time.The race and all qualifying sessions can be streamed for free from YouTube, or for those who can’t watch, they can keep up with the action for the DIVEBOMB live coverage.