Team KCMG showed strong pace at the sixth round of the 2026 Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie season, with Kamui Kobayashi, Nirei Fukuzumi and Naoya Gamou finishing the four-hour enduro ninth overall for the Hong Kong outfit.
All three drivers would get the opportunity to set a lap in qualifying, with Gamou delivering an impressive 7:57.262, meaning the #47 Mercedes-AMG would line up on the front row in second.
Fresh off his 24 Hours of Le Mans victory, Kobayashi took the wheel for the start, maintaining his position at the beginning, before settling into a solid rhythm inside the top 10. However, due to a misjudgement by another competitor, he suffered damage towards the end of his stint, losing roughly four minutes coming back to the pits, but Kobayashi ensured the car remained in the enduro.
Fukuzumi then showed strong pace to move the car up several positions to 13th, before handing over to Gamou, who continued this trend.
Multiple-time SUPER FORMULA race winner Fukuzumi would take on the final stint, breaking into the top 10 in the closing stages, eventually crossing the line ninth overall and completing another valuable weekend of experience for both the team and drivers.
Team KCMG will be back in action at Green Hell on 12-13 September, taking on NLS8 and 9.
KAMUI KOBAYASHI
“We had a great qualifying session to line up on the front row in P2. I took the wheel for the start and I think we were lacking a bit of pace, however, we remained competitive. Unfortunately, I suffered contact and damage towards the end of my stint, which cost us time, but I made sure we could continue the enduro. It was great to be back at the Nürburgring and I know we can improve even more in the future.”
NIREI FUKUZUMI
“It was brilliant to complete some qualifying laps around the Nordschleife and continue finding the limit of the car. The race was tough and with a lot of incidents it meant several Code 60’s and yellow flags. However, I gained more crucial track time around Green Hell, which was the most important factor of the weekend.”
NAOYA GAMOU
“Over the course of the event all of us drivers gained a lot of mileage in GT3 machinery around the Nürburgring, which is very positive. I managed to put together a strong push lap in qualifying as we secured second overall. It was also great to finish the race and most importantly get more valuable experience on this unique track.”
MATT HOWSON TEAM MANAGER
“Arriving at NLS6 with three Nürburgring GT3 first year rookies was always going to be an exciting event with a focus on driving experience, and all expectations were exceeded, with a fantastic front row start for our #47 KCMG car. In abnormally hot and difficult conditions during the race, Kamui, Nirei and Naoya all showed their raw talent with front-running pace and no mistakes. It was only the loss of four minutes, due to an error by another competitor, that took them out of possible podium contention. Overall, it was a great experience for the drivers and team, and we look forward to the upcoming events to build on this weekend’s promise, and challenge for overall victory!”
PAUL IP KCMG FOUNDER
“NLS6 was another positive step for our GT3 programme at the Nürburgring. Seeing our all-Japanese line-up qualify on the front row and recover to a top ten finish after the setback during the race was very encouraging. The team never gave up and showed strong determination throughout the weekend. We now turn our full attention to the remaining rounds of the season, with the ambition to keep fighting at the front.”
Media enquiries: Cristina Villar
Email address: cristina@kcmg.com.hk
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 X and Instagram.
About 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. For more information on all of the team’s activities please visit www.kcmg.com.hk or email info@kcmg.com.hk.
