AVIA W&S Motorsport wins the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring of the NLS after a thrilling finale

After qualifying was shortened to 60 minutes on Saturday morning due to dense fog over the Grand Prix circuit of the Nürburgring, David Jahn managed to secure second place on the grid in class and eighth position on the grid with the AVIA racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 992 #120 in difficult track conditions. 

As in the last race, Jahn then got off to a brilliant start and took the lead of the entire field for a short time. However, he was spun in the first corner after contact with a GT3 car and had to rejoin at the end of the starting group. Unimpressed by this, he began a rapid race to catch up in the following laps. He then handed over the wheel to Daniel Blickle already back in the top 10 and in second place in the class. Blickle then showed all his skills and brought the AVIA racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 992 #120 home as class winner and fifth overall. The 44-year-old businessman from Albstadt thus once again secured second place in the NLS Drivers' Championship and victory in the Team and Drivers' Championship in the PETN Cup2 class. 

For Jürgen Vöhringer and René Höber in the Vöhringer-Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS #961, the four-hour race started from the midfield of the highly competitive and strong Cayman class Cup3. Both W&S Motorsport drivers showed consistent performances and were able to avoid the numerous incidents in the race. In the end, the Vöhringer Cayman GT4 #961 crossed the finish line in tenth position. 

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS #962 was driven by the regular trio of Sebastian Vittel, Marius Rauer and Daniel Bohr. Like its sister car, the #962 started from the midfield of the class on the hunt through the Green Hell and the drivers managed to gain places. An oil slick in the Galgenkopf area was then the fate of final driver Bohr on the last lap of the season and he had an accident, but was able to leave the car on his own with only minor injuries. 

The production-based Porsche Cayman #460 in the V5 class was driven by Niclas Wiedmann and Kevin Rembert in the final race. Both wanted to build on their class win from the last race and had a good starting basis with second place on the grid. However, Wiedmann was hit in the first hour and their race ended prematurely. 

The race team of Patrick Wagner and Daniel Schellhaas can celebrate another great success in the NLS with the victory in Cup2, after W&S Motorsport managed to win the Porsche Cayman Trophy in 2021. As in the previous year, Daniel Blickle finished the season as runner-up in the drivers' championship after eight rounds. The team bosses are already planning for 2023 in various national and international series. The focus will remain on professional GT4 races. The 2023 Nürburgring Endurance Series season begins on 18 March with the first of eight rounds. 

Quotes after the race 

Daniel Schellhaas, Team Principal W&S Motorsport: "The last of about 60 races this year is over and we finish an incredible season with a fantastic result. Last year our win in the Cayman Trophy in the NLS, then successful again this year with the new Cup2. We were able to win the AM Championship in the GT4 European Series, which we had also worked hard for. In the ADAC GT4 Germany we showed top performances, which unfortunately were not always rewarded. But we finished the season with an overall victory here as well. We can be incredibly proud of our entire team, which always did a fabulous and professional job. All our drivers were mega strong, bonded perfectly and drove great races. All the pieces of the puzzle came together over the year to create a strong overall picture. We want to build on this next season and are already planning for various series. Also on behalf of Patrick and the whole team, I would like to thank all partners, sponsors and supporters from the bottom of my heart. You make this success possible!" 

Daniel Blickle, Driver #120: "The pressure in Cup2 was very high right from the start and we first had to get used to the new Porsche, which we obviously managed well. After David strengthened us in the cockpit, the results were good, also thanks to Tim's great performance. The basis for this was definitely the team, which prepared the car perfectly for us at all times and we didn't have a single retirement or problem. This combination was rewarded in the end. It was also perfect on a personal level. I think that was also a key to success, when you have a good time together, it just works better. The opponents in Cup2 were a whole new level and the air was very thin. The pressure was extremely high, especially in the last races. I am incredibly happy about the result, also for the whole W&S Motorsport team, but I am also relieved that the pressure is off at the end of the season. Runner-up twice in a row, Cayman Trophy won, Cup2 won. I don't think it will get any better than that. So next year I will take a creative break to spend more time with my family and only sporadically get into the cockpit for some races." 

René Höber, Driver #961: "I look back on a great year with W&S Motorsport and Jürgen Vöhringer, as I was allowed to drive eight endurance races on the Nordschleife as well as the qualifying race and of course the 24h race - always with Jürgen by my side. We had a lot of fun and I was able to learn an incredible amount. I feel really comfortable in the Cayman GT4 now and I think we will continue like this next year. Today's race was promising with seventh place on the grid, but unfortunately only tenth place was the maximum at the end. I would also like to thank Patrick Wagner, Daniel Schellhaas and the whole team, it's a fantastic team!" 

Marius Rauer, Driver #962: "The last run actually went very well, I was able to set my personal best time in the car. Unfortunately, Daniel then had the accident on the final lap and we would probably have finished seventh. But fortunately he is fine, that is the most important thing. Now it's off to the winter break to prepare for next year so that I can start again with W&S Motorsport. Because I feel I am in the best of hands with the team that does an excellent job." 

Niclas Wiedmann, Driver #460: "Basically, we can be very pleased with second place in the class this season, which was the first in the series for me. We were able to learn a lot, improve continuously as a result and wanted to build on the victory today, also because we had come through accident-free so far. Unfortunately, the race was ended prematurely by a failed overtaking attempt by another driver. But that's how it is in motorsport. I can only say a big thank you to W&S Motorsport, we had a great time and always a perfect car."