NXT Gen Cup title fight heats up as Sachsenring hosts penultimate double-header weekend
The 100% electric NXT Gen Cup heads to the iconic Sachsenring in eastern Germany for its penultimate round of the 2024 season alongside the DTM, featuring 17 drivers from a record-breaking eight different countries as the title fight heats up this weekend.
The third race weekend of the 2024 season follows a thrilling event at the Nürburgring in mid-August, where 20-year-old Dutch racer Calvin de Groot achieved a clean sweep, winning all three races and extending his championship lead.
“It’s going to be an exciting weekend. Sachsenring is a new track for everyone at the top, so it’ll be interesting to see who makes the most progress. I think it’ll be a challenging track to master, and I can’t wait to experience it myself,” said Calvin de Groot.
“As the championship leader, everyone’s telling me to focus on the title, but with only seven races done and six to go, nothing is settled yet. Everything is still possible. I’ll keep the championship in mind and try not to make any mistakes.”
Championship contender Victor Nielsen trails Calvin de Groot by 46 points heading into the Sachsenring double-header. The Danish racer showed strong pace at the Nürburgring, securing pole position and the fastest lap in every race, but lost points due to unlucky circumstances.
Enzo Hallman climbed to third past Lukas Stiefelhagen in the championship standings after securing two second-place finishes at the Nürburgring, both with margins of less than 0.05 seconds.
Fifteen-year-old Linus Stjernerud continued to impress at the Nürburgring, securing three consecutive podium finishes in only his second-ever race weekend. The Swede enters the Sachsenring round sitting fifth in the championship.
The Sachsenring round will feature five female drivers, including Patricija Stalidzane who currently is sixth overall and aims to secure her first podium finish at the Sachsenring.
"I’m excited for the weekend. This is my third chance to finally get on the podium. Sachsenring is a track I’ve been to before, but I haven’t had much luck there yet. I know I have what it takes to reach the top, but somehow, it always slipped away at the start. I hope this time will be different. I’m preparing well and ready to give it my best. Looking forward to a fun weekend," said Patricija Stalidzane.
Four new drivers are making their NXT Gen Cup debut at Sachsenring, including German TV star Matthias Killing from ProSieben, Scottish influencer and Aston Martin Academy driver Jodie Sloss, German GT4 ace Bennet Ehrl, and Belgian champion Nicolas Bever who joins as a guest driver.
The NXT Gen Cup at Nürburgring will field 17 racers from eight nations, including Sweden, Denmark, Czechia, Latvia, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium, and Germany, competing in the 100% electric LRT NXT1 race car.
The race car is based on the MINI Cooper SE model, the car features 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 Sachsenring double-header race weekend starts with two test sessions on Friday, followed by a first qualifying session, Race 1 and Race 2 on Saturday.
Sunday will feature the second qualifying session, followed by Race 3 and Race 4.
The NXT Gen Cup at Nürburgring will be broadcast LIVE on YouTube, featuring expert commentary and behind the scenes insights.
Schedule - NXT Gen Cup - Sachsenring
Times in CEST
Friday September 6th
13:10 – Test 1
17:30 – Test 2
Saturday August 7th
09:35 – Qualifying 1
12:15 – Race 1 (20 min)
17:20 – Race 2 (20 min)
Sunday August 8th
08:45 – Qualifying 2
12:15 – Race 3 (20 min)
16:30 – Race 4 (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
5 – Nicolas Bever – Belgium
6 – Jodie Sloss – Scotland
7 – Enzo Hallman – Sweden
8 – Chantal Röhner – Germany
9 – Lukas Stiefelhagen – Netherlands
10 – Bennet Ehrl – Germany
12 – Filip Bartoš – Czechia
17 – Alexander Spetz - Sweden
21 – Siri Hökfelt - Sweden
24 – Calvin de Groot – Netherlands
35 – Benjamin Mazatis – Germany
47 – Sophie Hofmann – Germany
50 – Victor Nielsen – Denmark
91 – Matthias Killing – Germany
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.
