Series
guide
Get an insider’s overview of the championship series Ralf competes in.
GT World Challenge Asia
Overview
The GT World Challenge Asia is a premier GT racing series organized by the SRO Motorsports Group, bringing together factory-backed and privateer teams in sprint format events across Asia. 2 drivers per car.
Car Specifications
Class:
GT3-spec cars
Manufacturers:
Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Audi, and more
Tracks
Races take place at some of Asia’s most iconic circuits, including Suzuka (Japan), Sepang (Malaysia) and Buriram (Thailand).
Race Weekend Format
Sprint races:
2 Qualifying sessions
2 Races 1-hour each per weekend
Mandatory pit stop & driver change in every race
Driver Categories
Pro-Am: one Pro + one Bronze
Silver/Am: one Silver + one Bronze
Am: two Bronze drivers
Performance Balance
To keep competition close, the series uses Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments—tweaking weight, power and aero—to level the playing field across makes and driver lineups.
International GT Open
Overview
The International GT Open is a European GT3 championship that’s open to both professional and gentleman drivers, delivering two qualifying sessions and two races per weekend.
Car Specifications
Class:
GT3-spec cars only
Teams:
Mix of factory and privateer entries
Tracks
Held on Europe’s top circuits (e.g., Monza, Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone).
Race Weekend Format
2 Qualifying sessions
2 Races per weekend
Mandatory pit stop & driver change in every race
Driver Categories
Pro: Silver + Silver/Gold/Platinum
Pro-Am: any lineup with at least one Bronze
Am: two Bronze drivers
Performance Balance
To keep competition close, the series uses Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments—tweaking weight, power and aero—to level the playing field across makes and driver lineups.
Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie (NLS)
Overview
The NLS (formerly VLN) is an iconic endurance championship held exclusively on the 25.4 km Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany. Beloved for its grassroots atmosphere and mixed-ability grid, it brings together factory-backed squads and privateers to tackle the famed “Green Hell.”
This year, Ralf will compete in three events:
NLS 1 – 22 March
Qualifiers Weekend – 24–25 May
Nürburgring 24h – 21–22 June
Car Specifications
A vast field of machines shares the track, from high-performance GT3 and GT4 cars to touring-car–spec and near-series vehicles.
Classes include:
VLN Production Cars (V3–V6, VT1–VT3, VT Hybrid, VT Elektro) for near-series and low-cost entries.
24h-Special (SP1–SP8, SP9 GT3, SP10 GT4, SP-Pro, SP-X, AT-G) for pure race cars and alternative fuels.
Historic (H2, H4) for pre-2008 machinery.
TCR & Cup Classes (BMW M240i, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, etc.) that run alongside bracketed groups.
Tracks
All rounds are contested on the full Nordschleife layout, with its 73 turns, relentless elevation changes, and ever-shifting weather making every lap a unique test.
Race Weekend Format
Standard Rounds:
4–6 hour endurance races with rolling starts and multiple pit stops.
24 Hours of Nürburgring:
A full-day marathon requiring night running, strategic driver rotations, and extreme durability.
Driver Categories
NLS fields both professional and amateur drivers, often teamed up in multi-driver lineups. There are no strict Pro/Am “classes” like sprint series—instead, ratings simply determine which cars you can drive within each vehicle class.
Performance Balance
On top of a regular BoP system, the series relies on its huge variety of classes to keep competition tight. The real equalizer is the Nordschleife itself: its sheer length and technical challenge expose differences in car setup, driver stamina, and team strategy, making reliability and consistency just as crucial as outright pace.
Check out upcoming races