AVIA W&S Motorsport competes in NLS 2023 with strong Porsche Cayman GT4 driver line-up
AVIA W&S Motorsport will enter a strong driver line-up in the 2023 Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) and Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring (PETN) competition. At the wheel of the AVIA racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, Marius Rauer, Finn Zulauf and Moritz Oberheim will fight for victories in the Cup3 class of the PETN. The aim is to win the championship in the Porsche one-make cup as well as in the NLS. The successful team from Swabia won the Porsche Cayman Trophy in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) in 2021 and the Cup2 class of the PETN in 2022.
Daniel Schellhaas, Team Principal W&S Motorsport: "We are very happy to compete in Cup3 with such a promising trio. I think this mixture of experience and talent fits very well with one another. We as a team will support Marius, Finn and Moritz professionally and highly motivated on their 'mission championship'. The Cup3 will certainly be extremely strong again and the competition will be even tighter. Our crew will therefore be highly concentrated and clever in choosing the race strategy so that we are always way out in front when we cross the finish line."
Marius Rauer from Willstätt will contest his second season in the AVIA racing Porsche Cayman GT4 and wants to build on the knowledge he gained last season in Cup3. The 24-year-old gained experience in karting as well as in TCR cars in his career so far before joining the racing team from Ofterdingen last year. Rauer finished fourth in the AM drivers' standings in Cup3 in 2022.
Finn Zulauf competed for AVIA W&S Motorsport in the ADAC GT4 Germany last season, earning his Nordschleife Permit at the 12h race and the seventh round of the NLS. At the age of 18, Zulauf is one of the up-and-coming young talents in motorsport and is racing his third season with the team from Ofterdingen. The fast youngster from Königstein/Taunus will actively support the crew of the AVIA racing Porsche Cayman GT4 in the NLS in the fight for class wins and gain further experience on the Nordschleife.
Moritz Oberheim from Schermbeck has competed successfully in various classes in the NLS for years and has already celebrated a remarkable 28 class victories in his career on the Nordschleife. At the age of 19, Oberheim was the first title winner of the Cayman GT4 Trophy by Manthey Racing in 2016 and finished sixth in Cup3 in the PETN in 2022. The 26-year-old Porsche specialist will use his wealth of knowledge about the Porsche Cayman GT4 to intensively support his cockpit colleagues in their common goal of winning the title.
The Nürburgring Endurance Series season begins on Saturday, 18 March 2023, with the first round lasting four hours. On the weekend before, the teams and drivers have the opportunity to prepare the cars for the Green Hell during the test and set-up drive. A total of nine races will be held, including three rounds of six hours and six rounds of four hours. The popular racing series thrills fans with an open paddock, insight into the pits and access to the starting grid. Around the Nordschleife, the racing action can be experienced from numerous grandstands. For those unable to travel to the Eifel, there is an extensive range of livestreams with exciting onboard cameras throughout the entire race day.
Quotes before the season
Marius Rauer, Driver AVIA W&S Motorsport: "AVIA W&S Motorsport has put together a fantastic package and teamed me up with two super drivers. I am really looking forward to the new season! Together we can achieve a lot in the PETN, the goals are set high. I was able to experience how impeccably the team prepares the cars and works during the races at every race last year. Now I am counting the days until the lights turn green and we can offer exciting races in Cup3."
Finn Zulauf, Driver AVIA W&S Motorsport: "My anticipation couldn't be greater. To race with AVIA W&S Motorsport in the Porsche Cayman GT4 on the Nordschleife is fantastic! In addition, I have two fast colleagues at my side and a top team behind me. If it was up to me, the season could start tomorrow. Thanks to the team and AVIA for the trust. I will do my best to be at the top of the championship table at the end!"
Moritz Oberheim, Driver AVIA W&S Motorsport: "I am very happy to contest the season together with the AVIA W&S Motorsport team and my two fast colleagues. It's great to start in an AVIA racing car again! We want to fight for the class win. This will not be an easy task, as Cup3 will again be fiercely contested. If we don't allow ourselves any mistakes and can climb the podium regularly, we will succeed in this goal. The team of Patrick Wagner and Daniel Schellhaas has proven several times that it always prepares the Porsches in a top way, works faultlessly in the pits and acts cleverly in the tactics, the best prerequisites for us as drivers."
Calendar NLS 2023*
10. - 12.03.2023 Test- and Set-up Drives
17. - 18.03.2023 NLS1: 68. ADAC Westfalenfahrt
31.03. - 01.04.2023 NLS2: NIMEX 47. DMV 4-Stunden-Rennen
14. - 15.04.2023 NLS3: 54. Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy
16. - 17.06.2023 NLS4: 46. RCM DMV Grenzlandrennen
07. - 08.07.2023 NLS5: ROWE 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen
08. - 10.09.2023 12h Nürburgring (NLS6: 63. ADAC ACAS Cup 6h, NLS7: 62. ADAC Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen 6h)
22. - 23.09.2023 NLS8: 55. ADAC Barbarossapreis
06. - 07.10.2023 NLS9: 47. DMV Münsterlandpokal
*Subject to change