NXT Gen Cup charges up for thrilling title showdown at Hockenheim
The 100% electric NXT Gen Cup heads to the legendary F1 track Hockenheimring on October 18-20 for its season finale alongside the DTM, where the tight battle for championship glory will reach its conclusion.
After claiming 10 of 11 race wins between them this season, Calvin de Groot and Victor Nielsen head into the NXT Gen Cup finale separated by 24 points, with a total of 66 points still up for grabs.
20-year-old Calvin de Groot has held the championship lead since the season opener at Norisring in June, finishing all but one race this season on the podium.
“Of course, as the championship leader, my only goal is to win the title. How am I going to do it? By racing fast, just like I’ve done all season. Every session is just like normal, but this time it’s the last of the season. I’ll push hard, send it, and go all in to grab the title,” said Calvin de Groot.
Victor Nielsen nearly halved the Dutchman's lead at the Sachsenring double-header with three out of four wins, putting the Danish driver in a strong position to challenge de Groot for the all-electric junior title this weekend.
“I think the big word is excitement. I feel like the whole season has been good, and I’m happy with what I’ve done. I’m going into the weekend relaxed and looking forward to a good fight. I have some confidence after Sachsenring, but it will be hard to do the same thing again,” said Victor Nielsen.
“Calvin is a good driver, a respectful driver. We help each other in qualifying and fight in the races. I’m glad to be up against him. He’s a tough competitor, and I’ll do my best to beat him. I expect the same from him.”
Enzo Hallman heads into the weekend holding third in the standings, while Norisring race winner Lukas Stiefelhagen trails 31 points behind the Swedish junior in the battle for the final spot on the rostrum.
Patricija Stalidzane made history at Sachsenring as the first-ever female driver to finish on the NXT Gen Cup podium. The Latvian racer closed the gap to fifth-placed Linus Stjernelund in the standings heading into the season finale.
The Hockenheim weekend will feature a total of 17 drivers, with three new faces joining the grid for the final races of 2024, including 20-year-old rising German talent Theo Wieder.
“I remember being at Hockenheim a few years ago, watching DTM with my father, and now I’ll be racing alongside DTM as part of this future-focused series. It feels amazing. Of course, I always want to win, but I have to be realistic. It’s my first time in a touring car and my first time on this track, so my goal is to have fun and learn as much as possible,” said Theo Wieder.
Last year’s sixth-place finisher, Alexzander Kristiansson, returns to finish his season driving the all-electric LRT NXT1. The Swede secured three podium finishes during his 2023 NXT Gen Cup campaign.
The NXT Gen Cup race car is based on the MINI Cooper SE model, featuring a 30kWh battery, 230hp, and push-to-pass functionality.
The cars, which run on Hankook Ventus TD tyres, are charged in-between track sessions by ABB E-mobility, the official charging partner to NXT Gen Cup.
The Hockenheimring finale starts with a test session on Friday, followed by another test and the qualifying session on Saturday. Sunday will feature the last competitive action of the season with two races.
The NXT Gen Cup decider at Hockenheimring will be broadcast LIVE on YouTube, featuring expert commentary and behind the scenes insights.
Schedule - NXT Gen Cup - Hockenheimring
Times in CEST
Friday October 18th
18:15 – Test 1
Saturday October 19th
09:00 – Test 2
17:45 – Qualifying
Sunday October 20th
10:15 – Race 1 (20 min)
18:05 – Race 2 (20 min)
Points and results
Standings
Results
2024 NXT Gen Cup entry list
# – Name – Nationality
2 – Greaham Hofmans - Netherlands
3 – Linus Stjernelund – Sweden
4 – Patricija Stalidzane – Latvia
7 – Enzo Hallman – Sweden
8 – Chantal Fugel – Germany
9 – Lukas Stiefelhagen – Netherlands
12 – Filip Bartoš – Czechia
15 – Theo Wieder – Germany
21 – Siri Hökfelt - Sweden
23 – Laurenz Rühl - Germany
24 – Calvin de Groot – Netherlands
27 – Alexzander Kristiansson – Sweden
35 – Benjamin Mazatis – Germany
47 – Sophie Hofmann – Germany
50 – Victor Nielsen – Denmark
TBA
TBA
About NXT Gen Cup
The NXT Gen Cup is the world’s first 100% electric junior touring car cup where young female and male drivers race the LRT NXT1, a fully electric race car based on the MINI Cooper SE road car - engineered and built by Lestrup Racing Team. The series races together with DTM and is organised through an “arrive and drive” concept, enabling the junior drivers to focus on driving and creating the foundation for a professional racing career.
About DTM
DTM is Europe’s premier and best-known racing series and is celebrating its 40th birthday in 2024. As one of the most competitive racing series, DTM features seven prestigious brands in its anniversary season. The DTM has a German core, but a strong international fan base. Races are broadcasted live in 150 territories. The series is also a leader in sustainable motorsport. For the second season, all cars are powered by a sustainable fuel made of 50% renewable components. Not only the cars racing in DTM are in the centre of sustainable projects. For the events itself the ADAC as promoter of the DTM offers innovations like an initiative to reduce plastic waste and a digital carpool solution, which has been recognised and awarded by the FIA.