KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) returns to the iconic Nordschleife next week for its fourth shot at the ADAC TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Nürburgring, with Earl Bamber, Nick Tandy and Dennis Olsen at the wheel of the #18 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
New Zealand racer Bamber and British driver Tandy enjoyed a strong performance together for KCMG in the ADAC Nürburgring 24h Qualifiers earlier this month and have previously teamed up to win the 24 Hours of Spa and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Olsen will be taking on his second 24-hour race with KCMG in 2022, with the Norwegian driver helping the team secure third place at the Rolex 24 at Daytona earlier in the year.
Since the event’s first edition in 1970, it has become one of the most famous enduros on the motor racing calendar. Taking place on the brutal 25.378-kilometre Nürburgring Nordschleife, a daunting layout of well over 100 corners awaits the drivers, in a twice-round-the-clock race that is often affected by unpredictable weather conditions. 137 cars will take the start, with 39 entries in the top SP-9 (FIA GT3) class.
The Hong Kong squad will take on the race with a brand-new livery, featuring the classic KCMG colours of blue, white and black. The design takes inspiration from the team’s WEC liveries from the 2010s, as well as January’s podium on debut in Daytona.
With the continued support from Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific, KCMG’s 24-hour weekend begins on Thursday with the first two of three qualifying sessions, before a final one on Friday to determine who progresses into the afternoon’s Top Qualifying. The main event gets underway at 16:00 local time on Saturday.
NICK TANDY
“The Nürburgring 24 Hours is nearly upon us once again, and I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nordschleife. The event is one of the biggest and most challenging on the motorsport calendar and it’s great to be joining Earl and Dennis for the race. Our preparation has been good, and despite missing out on NLS 2 due to the poor weather conditions, we are fully equipped to take on the 24 Hours. We’re going there with one aim, which is victory, and I know from previous experience you need a competitive car, a hard-working team and a lot of luck. We’ve already got two of those elements, so let’s hope there’s a bit of luck on our side next weekend!”
DENNIS OLSEN
“I’m pumped to be taking part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours with KCMG again. We’ve got all the ingredients we need to target a strong result, so I’m eager to get going. The crew has done a brilliant job with their preparations for the event, so if we can have a clean race, we know we’ve got what’s needed for victory. I’m looking forward to sharing the car with two incredibly experienced drivers in Earl and Nick, we’ve got a great chance to take a big result, so I’m super excited to get the weekend underway.”
EARL BAMBER
“I’m really excited to be taking part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. It’s awesome to be driving for KCMG again after competing together there in 2020, and to join Nick for the first time since our victory at Spa two years’ ago. To have Dennis with us also really bolsters the team’s line up, as he’s one of the best young drivers in endurance racing. The team has done an incredible job so far this year, and we are determined to put our best foot forward and bring home the victory.”
MATT HOWSON TEAM MANAGER
“We’ve been working hard and preparing for this event since February, and it’s just around the corner now, so we’re extremely confident to take on the 24 Hours of Nürburgring once again. KCMG has an exceptional driver line-up in Earl, Nick and Dennis, and the 911 GT3 R has been performing very strongly on the Nordschleife, so the whole team is highly motivated to mount a serious challenge for the win. The squad has gained invaluable experience here since our first attempt in 2019 and they feel more ready than ever. Following on from our massive result at the Rolex 24 in Daytona, we are fully focused on the top step at the Nürburgring and nothing else!”
PAUL IP KCMG FOUNDER
“To see KCMG return to the Nürburgring 24 Hours with such energy and motivation is really special, and it will be exciting to see how the team fares on the fearsome Nordschleife. The crew has been working very hard to prepare for this event, and with the treasured support from Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific, a lot of progress has been made with the car and our competitiveness this season. To have drivers such as Earl, Nick and Dennis join us only strengthens our position further with their experience and speed, and I’m confident that they can aim to take the win in one of the most challenging events in motorsport.”
ALEXANDRE GIBOT MANAGING DIRECTOR, PORSCHE MOTORSPORT ASIA PACIFIC LTD.
“I’m delighted to see KCMG return to the mighty Nordschleife again to take on one of the biggest events on the endurance calendar. The 24 Hours of Nürburgring offers a unique challenge to the teams and drivers, and the crew has been working especially hard in the last few months to make sure they are in the best position possible ahead of the race. They have three strong and experienced drivers in Earl, Nick and Dennis, and I’m confident they can challenge at the front of the field throughout the weekend.”
For more information about KCMG please visit www.kcmg.com.hk. To keep track of all the latest updates, please like KCMG’s Facebook page or follow on Twitter and Instagram.
Who is KCMG?
KC Motorgroup Ltd (KCMG) is an international motorsport services group established in 2007 by Paul Ip. The group, with its headquarters located in Hong Kong, has operations reaching across the Asia Pacific region. KCMG operates closely with many partner companies and racing organisations around the world to provide unrivalled motorsport services, equipment, team management and quality distribution in the automotive industry. This includes the FIA Motorsport Games, where KCMG is the official supplier of hybrid F4 cars, and the KCMG Driver Development Project. For more information on all of the team’s activities please visit www.kcmg.com.hk or email info@kcmg.com.hk.
