NXT Gen Cup hits half-way point at legendary Nürburgring
The 100% electric NXT Gen Cup heads to the legendary Nürburgring in Germany for the second race weekend of 2024, marking the halfway point of its intense season - continuing to race alongside the DTM.
The 2024 season continues following an exciting double-header premiere weekend at Norisring in early June. 20-year-old Dutch racer Calvin de Groot heads to Nürburgring as the championship leader, having secured four consecutive podium finishes, including one victory, in the Norisring opener.
"Norisring was a great first impression of the NXT Gen Cup. I’ve never raced in such a professional environment before. I am happy to lead the championship, it was a perfect start to the season for me. The racing was tough and equal, with the slipstream making it difficult to gain an advantage,” said Calvin de Groot.
“Nürburgring will be a new challenge for me, but it looks like an exciting track. My goal is to secure two podiums, and it would be fantastic to take two wins. However, you don’t need to win every race to become the champion."
Returning front-runner Victor Nielsen had his best weekend yet in the NXT Gen Cup in the season opener, securing two wins at Norisring. The Dane heads into the second round trailing de Groot by just 14 points in the standings.
Early pace-setter Lukas Stiefelhagen lost ground in the title fight with a DNF in the final Norisring race and aims to climb from third position overall at the Nürburgring. The Dutchman holds a narrow three-point lead over the chasing Swede, Enzo Hallman, who sits in fourth.
“It will be fun to come back to the Nürburgring. I was fast there last year, and I really like the track. I also had a good debut at the Norisring, but I want more. It's tough competition in the NXT Gen Cup this year with a couple of new fast drivers, but the goal is to be up there and fight for the wins. I'm looking forward to the weekend!” said Enzo Hallman.
15-year-old Linus Stjernelund shone at the Norisring where, despite his limited racing experience, he secured pole position and contended for a podium spot. He has since raced in the Swedish karting championship to prepare for the Nürburgring weekend.
The Nürburgring round will feature four female drivers, with seventh-placed Patricija Keita-Stalidzane aiming to continue her push toward the front of the field as the so far best placed female driver.
There are three new drivers for the Nürburgring weekend in the form of 15-year-old Norwegian driver Storm Julius Gjerdrum, the 18-year-old German racer Ben Bendler and YouTube Nürburgring specialist Misha Charoudin.
The NXT Gen Cup at Nürburgring will field 16 racers from Sweden, Denmark, Czechia, Latvia, the Netherlands, and Germany, competing in the 100% electric LRT NXT1 race car. Based on the MINI Cooper SE model, the car boasts 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 Nürburgring race weekend starts with two test sessions on Friday, followed by Qualifying, Race 1 and Race 2 on Saturday. Race 3 is held on Sunday.
The NXT Gen Cup at Nürburgring will be broadcast LIVE on YouTube, featuring expert commentary and behind the scenes insights.
Schedule - NXT Gen Cup Nürburgring
Times in CEST
Friday August 16th
15:15 – Test 1
18:30 – Test 2
Saturday August 17th
08:00 – Qualifying
10:35 – Race 1 (20 min)
16:35 – Race 2 (20 min)
Sunday August 18th
08:45 – Race 3 (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 Keita-Stalidzane – Latvia
7 – Enzo Hallman – Sweden
8 – Chantal Röhner – Germany
9 – Lukas Stiefelhagen – Netherlands
10 – Ben Bendler – Germany
11 – Storm Julius Gjerdrum – Norway
12 – Filip Bartoš – Czechia
21 – Siri Hökfelt – Sweden
23 – Laurenz Rühl – Germany
24 – Calvin de Groot – Netherlands
35 – Benjamin Mazatis – Germany
47 – Sophie Hoffman – Germany
50 – Victor Nielsen – Denmark
91 – Misha Charoudin – Netherlands
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.
