Leading GT race team Breakell Racing secured a memorable first class victory in the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie as part of a brilliant pair of podium finishes during the latest double-header weekend on the Nordschleife (13-14 September).
Returning to the “Green Hell” for the first time since their brilliant double finish in the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring back in June, the British team welcomed Australian racing brothers Drew and Aaren Russell to compete behind the wheel of their BMW M240i Racing Cup.
Whilst the talented siblings were newcomers to the Nürburgring, they brought with them a wealth of experience in GT and touring car racing including V8 Supercars. With Breakell Racing’s support, they successfully completed their DMSB permit test on Friday ahead of the weekend’s two races.
The action began with wet conditions for qualifying on Saturday morning, which they adapted to well to finish sixth fastest in the hotly-contested BMW M240i Racing Cup class. The circuit had dried out for the start of the four-hour race, with Aaren moving them up to fourth within the opening hour.
Between them, the brothers impressively maintained their position through the middle portion of the race before moving up to third in the final hour to secure a memorable class podium on their debut. That result filled them with confidence heading into Sunday’s four-hour contest.
From seventh on the grid, a sensational start to the race saw the #667 BMW scythe its way through the field to second in class within the opening half an hour. They continued their podium challenge throughout the race from there, and found themselves in contention for victory on the last lap.
A thrilling end to the race, broadcast live on the global stream of the race, saw Aaren mount a challenge for the lead on the Döttinger Hohe. Slipstreaming alongside the rival BMW, a bold move under braking into the final sequence of corners netted him the class win to the delight of the team.
James Breakell – Team Principal: “It’s been an absolutely unbelievable weekend. To come away with third in class in the opening race and then our first ever NLS class win in race two was incredible, and the latest milestone in the team’s journey on the Nordschleife.
“This is a very emotional result for me. I first started coming to the Nürburgring 12 years ago, just doing any arrive and drive opportunities that we could afford. We’ve built up the team from there, gone from strength to strength, and to take our first class win is so special. Thank you so much to everyone in the team for their incredible work.
“Huge credit to Aaren and Drew Russell too. They were thrown in at the deep end with the typical Nürburgring weather, but they adapted so well to it. They were great, professional guys to work with and we hope to go racing with them again.”
Breakell Racing will be contesting a full programme in the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) next year, alongside a multi-car entry into the 54th edition of the prestigious ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring.
Drivers interested in competing on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, whether experienced with the circuit or newcomers looking to obtain their DMSB race permit, are invited to get in touch with Breakell Racing via email: info@breakellracing.co.uk.
