2023 Smyrlis Racing intensifies its commitment to the Nürburgring Long-Distance Series (NLS) and will permanently launch three cars. The race team from Maintal wants to fight for class victory and title in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburging (PETN) on the Nordschleife with a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS. Also, the team will use a Porsche Cayman in the SP4T category and a BMW M240i Racing.

"Exactly one year ago, we asked ourselves the question of how we would fare on the Nürburgring North loop. Our goal was to get experience and learn the processes on race weekends. The season went very well and now we are at the point that we want to fight for victory with the established teams", says Smyrlis Racing team chief Ioannis Smyrlis. The racing stable from Maintal won second place in the PETN driver rating in 2022 and third place in the team rating. In addition, Christopher Rink/Philipp Stahlschmidt/Francesco Merlini fought for a Cup 3-class victory and several podium places.

After the successful debut year as an independent race stable in the NLS, the Maintaler team once again uses the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS with the starting number 952. The car competes in the Cup3 class and therefore in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring - a branded trophy that will be held within the NLS. “We learned a lot last season and the team has grown together excellently. Now we want to attack in the Cup3 class. The goal is to win and at the end of the year also to fight for the PETN title," says Christopher Rink. The two-time NLS champion looks back on fifteen years of experience at the Nürburgring. “This year we’re focusing even more on the setup work on the Porsche. Our race pace has always been very good so far, but in qualifying we fell short of a few seconds on the top cars. We are now working on putting Yellow Smyrlis Cayman in the front field of the class even more often. "With Philipp Stahlschmidt and Francesco Merlini, Rink complements two fast and experienced north loop pilots. With around 15 vehicles, the starter field should again be one of the strongest in the Nürburgring long-distance series.

Another news this year: Smyrlis Racing is moving up to the SP4T class. The motorsport experts use a Porsche 718 Cayman, which is driven through the "Green Hell" by the regular pilots Fabian Peitzmeier and Guido Heinrich. Theo Oeverhaus supports the duo in the first three NLS races. The young racer is working on his north loop permit with Smyrlis Racing. The emergency vehicle will fundamentally stand out from the yellow Smyrlis fleet as the Cayman with the starting number 260 wears – as in years past – the striking NEXEN TIRE design in white and purple.

In addition to the Porsche commitment, Smyrlis Racing will attack the Nürburgring with a BMW M240i Racing in the 2023 season. With the vehicle, the team has already collected many North loop kilometers and is looking forward to a strong driver team. Daniel Rexhausen and Anton Ruf are confirmed as drivers, who have sovereignly completed the first NLS starts in the end of 2022. Roland Froese will receive reinforcements during the nine NLS runs. This is how the trio wants to fight for the podium spots in their class.

The vehicles will roll out for the first time during the test runs on 17. March from the Boxengasse at the Nürburgring before they on the 18. March NLS first run attack. In addition, Smyrlis Racing plans sporadic attempts of further Cup3-Cayman and aims to climb to the Cup2 class of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring. Because recently the Hessen have a suitable Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, with which they want to compete on the Nordschleife, among other things. Interested drivers can receive information about employment opportunities and conditions at info@smyrlis-racing.com .