Three championships and three class wins for BLACK FALCON at the 5th round of the NLS

BLACK FALCON Porsche 992 GT3 Cup

Three cars entered, three championship titles and three class victories - this was the perfect result for BLACK FALCON at the 55th Adenauer Rundstrecken-Trophy, the 5th round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) in the 2024 season.
In this memorable race, BLACK FALCON Team 48 LOSCH secured the title of ‘Team Champion 2024’ in the top class of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring (PETN) one race before the end of the season. At the same time, Tobias Müller became ‘Driver Champion 2024’, Mustafa Mehmet Kaya and Mike Stursberg became ‘AM Champion 2024’ in the CUP2 classification of the PETN.
Team BILSTEIN by BLACK FALCON took its third class victory of the 2024 season in the SP8T class at the NLS 5.

BLACK FALCON Team 48 LOSCH: Fourth class win, title for team and Müller
For the drivers of the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup (#148) of BLACK FALCON Team 48 LOSCH, Tobias Müller and Noah Nagelsdiek, there was only one chance to decide the team and driver championship in the PETN CUP2 ahead of time in the second last race of the year: They had to score the maximum possible 22 points in the NLS 5. However, this can only be achieved through a combination of pole position, fastest race lap and class victory - a result that no vehicle in the CUP2 class has achieved so far in the 2024 season.
But as early as lap three of the rainy qualifying session, Tobias Müller managed a dream lap that catapulted the #148 to pole position in the class and fifth place in the entire starting field. The start phase was extremely challenging due to the large amount of water on the track, with starting driver Müller repeatedly having to correct the sudden breakaway of the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup. After the pit stop and change to slick tyres, Müller remained in the car for a further nine laps, setting the fastest lap of the CUP2 class race on lap 17. On lap 18, Müller handed the car over to final driver Nagelsdiek in the lead.
Although he had to contend with the renewed onset of rain, Nagelsdiek routinely defended his lead and crossed the finish line after four hours, 13 minutes and 42 seconds as fourth overall and class winner in the CUP2 class.
The team's subsequent jubilation was boundless, together they had achieved what seemed impossible and achieved the maximum result against strong opponents. The fourth class victory of the current season increased the points total for the #148 to 125 after scratch results, meaning that the team can no longer be caught even if they retire at the last race in November. In addition to the PETN championship title for BLACK FALCON Team 48 LOSCH, the renewed victory also meant the drivers' title for Tobias Müller in the PETN CUP2 championship.

Fifth win in a row and AM drivers' title for Kaya and Stursberg
In the CUP2 AM classification of the PETN, Mustafa Mehmet Kaya and Mike Stursberg were competing for the title of ‘AM Champion 2024’. This required at least a 2nd place in the race. Regular driver and professional Gabriele Piana was perfectly represented in this race by Adam Christodoulou, with whom BLACK FALCON had already won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in 2016. Starting from second place in the CUP2 AM classification, Christodoulou put in a dream lap in the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup (#103) right at the start of the race and came back from the start lap with a clear lead in P1. After handing over the car to Mike Stursberg, he remained in the lead during the middle stint, which Kaya defended with consistently fast times in the rain that set in several times. Kaya also underlined his top form with his personal fastest lap, which also marked the fastest time of the day for the #103. After 26 laps, the #103 crossed the finish line as winner of the CUP2 AM classification for the fifth time in a row, securing the first CUP2 AM drivers' title of Stursberg's career and the second for Kaya.

Scary moment and third class win for Team BILSTEIN
The three drivers of the BMW M4 GT4 (#150) of Team BILSTEIN by BLACK FALCON, Jimmy Broadbent, Steve Brown and Manuel Metzger, were also able to celebrate first place in the SP8T class and 17th place overall in the morning qualifying session. However, the starting phase of the race did not go as planned: After a slip and heavy contact with a tyre stack in the Metzgesfeld section of the track, the #150 had to head for the pits after the very first lap. Despite major damage to the vehicle, the M4 was repaired in less than two minutes and sent back out onto the track. Thanks to a strong and flawless recovery by the trio, the result was a commanding class victory in the SP8T class and 19th place overall.

Alexander Böhm, Team Principal of BLACK FALCON:
‘It's simply incredible what we've achieved together this year. After the class victory in the 24-hour race, NLS 4 in August went particularly well for us, then overall victory in the 12-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps in September, and now three titles in one day in NLS 5. This is definitely the most successful season for us since 2019! I would like to thank all BLACK FALCON permanent and freelance employees, the brilliant BLACK FALCON drivers and - last but not least - of course our team partners, without whom this brilliant season would not have been possible!’

Slight drawback and high-spirited team party
The huge joy over the fantastic team result was only slightly dampened by the absence of some of the regular drivers: Misha Charoudin was unable to support his team BILSTEIN by BLACK FALCON in their third class win of the season due to a clash of dates. Gabriele Piana was at Hockenheim for the ADAC GT4 and thus missed the title decision of Kaya and Stursberg, which he had worked on extremely successfully throughout the season.
Steve Jans had to skip the NLS 5 due to a permit ban and was thus deprived of the chance to clinch the PETN CUP2 drivers' title together with Tobias Müller. Noah Nagelsdiek, who had to miss NLS races 3 and 4 due to illness, was also denied the drivers' title this year. Nevertheless, both showed great team spirit and celebrated together with the BLACK FALCON team as well as their team partners and friends with an exuberant party that lasted until the early hours of the morning. Now that all the title decisions have been made, BLACK FALCON is looking forward to the season finale at NLS 6 on 16 November 2024.

Results Overview: