2023 Nürburgring 24 Hours: Hyundai Motorsport update after 12 hours - Hyundai cars lead both the TCR and VT2 Front classes of the 2023 Nürburgring 24 Hours at the half way point of the race
- Heading the TCR class the #830 Elantra N TCR of Mikel Azcona, Marc Basseng and Manuel Lauck has risen to 36th overall and lead the team-mates in class by a lap
- The #527 i30 Fastback N Cup Car continues to lead in VT2 Front, now holding a four lap advantage over their closest rivals in the category.
Superb performances by the respective crews have given Hyundai teams the advantage in the TCR and VT2 Front classes at the half-way point of the 2023 Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Double stinting their way through the hours of darkness the #830 Elantra N TCR crew of Mikel Azcona, Marc Basseng and Manuel Lauck have led the TCR category for much of the race. The three were able to gradually extend their lead and slowly climb the order as the attrition rate of the event began to rise.
By 4am local time – the 12-hour mark in the event – the crew had risen to 36th position of the 131 starters, now with over a lap in hand over the second placed car in the class, which is now their team-mates in the #831 car.
The American driven car has turned to double stints in the cooler temperatures of the night, with Harry Gottsacker, Mason Filippi and Michael Lewis each taking a turn behind the wheel late on Saturday or in Sunday’s early hour. Their consistent performance – and the reliability of the Elantra N TCR – was rewarded when they took second place after their rival made a lengthy pitstop with a mechanical problem.
In the VT2 Front class the combination of Michael Bohrer, Gerrit Holthaus, Tobias Overbeck and Marcus Willhardt continue to comfortably lead. Their #527 i30 Fastback N Cup Car is four laps ahead of their nearest competitor in class and runs 71st overall after 12 hours, as they to start to rise up the rankings.
The sister car, 525, returned to the race after repairs, with Jeff Ricca taking the car out. By the halfway point of the race they had climbed back to eighth in class and 113th overall with no further issues after their earlier delays.
2023 Nürburgring 24 Hours standings after 12 hours
#830 Hyundai Elantra N TCR – Azcona/Basseng/Lauck - 73 laps – 36th position – 1st in TCR class
#831 Hyundai Elantra N TCR – Filippi/Gottsacker/Hagler/Lewis - 72 laps – 43rd position – 2nd in TCR class
#527 Hyundai i30 N Fastback N Cup Car – Bohrer/Holthaus/Overbeck/Willhardt - 66 laps – 71st position – 1st in VT2 Front class
#525 Hyundai i30 N Fastback N Cup Car – Dralle/Kang/Park/Ricca - 50 laps – 113th position – 8th in VT2 Front class
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