Hyundai’s American quartet wins a shortened ADAC 24H race

The Hyundai Elantra N of Mason Filippi, Harry Gottsacker, Bryson Morris and Mark Wilkins, representing Team Americas won the TCR class of the ADAC 24 hours at the Nürburgring, giving Hyundai the fourth consecutive win in the race.

The quartet crossed the line after completing 44 laps of the 25km track at the end of a race that was severely curtailed by heavy fog that limited Sunday running to a handful of laps behind the safety car after a red flag that lasted more than 14 hours.

The American team headed a 1-2-3 in the class, with Team Europe, the defending class winner (Mikel Azcona/Marc Basseng/Manuel Lauck) in second position and Team China (Martin Cao Hong Wei/Zhang Zhen Dong/Rainey He Xiao Le/ Andy Yan Cheuk Wai) completing the podium.

Nürburgring 24H debutant Morris had snatched the class pole away from his European teammates with a superb lap late in the final qualifying session on Friday afternoon. Team Americas and Team Europe started the race side-by-side, but it was Lauck who made the best start in slippery conditions. A strong double stint by Lauck and then one by Azcona moved the car inside the top 40 overall before it was forced to the pits to change a driveshaft. The time lost dropped the car to third in the class, though Basseng put in a double stint to retake second from Team China when the race was red-flagged after seven hours because a heavy fog had descended over the circuit.

It was not until 13:30 on Sunday afternoon that the race restarted with five laps behind the Safety Car, but the lingering fog forced the decision to call an early finish.

Picture: Hyundai Motorsport