Akshay Gupta Shines at 2026 Nurburgring 24 Hours with Strong Finish

Akshay Gupta delivered an impressive performance at the 2026 Nurburgring 24 Hours, finishing 35th overall and second in the AM classification. Competing in the challenging Cup3 class, Gupta faced numerous obstacles, including adverse weather conditions and mechanical issues. Despite these challenges, he showcased remarkable skill and determination, contributing to his team's strong finish. This race marked another significant milestone in Gupta's endurance racing career, as he continues to make strides in the international racing scene. Discover more about his journey and the thrilling moments from this iconic race.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 20, 2026, 02:04 IST

Impressive Performance at Nurburgring

Indian endurance racer Akshay Gupta showcased remarkable skill at the 2026 ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nurburgring, securing 35th place overall and finishing second in the AM category of the Cup3 class while driving the #949 SRS Team Sorg Rennsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport.

Teaming up with Aaron Wenisch, Bjorn Simon, and Tommy Graberg, Gupta competed in a highly competitive field. The Cup3 category, part of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nurburgring, featured 17 entries, making it the second-largest class after the GT3 category.

The event attracted a staggering 161-car entry, with Max Verstappen making his debut in a Mercedes-AMG GT3, alongside some of the world's top GT3 drivers. The race weekend also saw a record attendance of 352,000 spectators.

This race marked Gupta's second appearance at the Nurburgring 24 Hours, following his podium finish in the SP3T class in 2025, where he secured third place in a Cupra TCR. This year was also significant as it was his first time racing in the Porsche Cayman GT4 platform after moving up to Cup3 with Sorg Rennsport for the 2026 season.

The weekend began under challenging conditions, with cold and wet qualifying sessions on Thursday. The team demonstrated strong performance, reaching as high as P3 out of 17 cars in class during Q1 and Q2. However, a double yellow zone in Q3 hindered Gupta's fast lap, resulting in a P11 qualification in Cup3, P4 in AM, and 89th overall.

The race commenced at 3 PM on Saturday, with Bjorn Simon starting strong, moving from P11 to P6 in Cup3 by the end of his eight-lap stint. Gupta then took over, advancing the car to P4 in class during a solid nine-lap run before passing the wheel to Tommy Graberg.

The team's first major challenge arose on Lap 19 when Graberg experienced a slow puncture, necessitating an unscheduled pit stop for a tire change. Despite this setback, he managed to complete another nine laps before handing the car to Aaron Wenisch in P5. Wenisch then propelled the #949 Porsche back into contention, climbing to P4 and briefly reaching P3 during a 13-lap stint.

As conditions shifted, Wenisch had to make an unscheduled stop to switch to wet tires. During the race's sunset phase, he narrowly avoided disaster at Brunnchen, where an oil spill caused several leading cars to crash, including the Manthey "Grello" Porsche driven by Kevin Estre and the Ford Mustang GT3 of fellow Indian driver Arjun Maini, who ended his race prematurely. Wenisch skillfully maneuvered the #949 Porsche away from the barriers by mere inches.

Throughout the night, Simon returned to the car and clocked fast lap times despite losing the main headlights. Gupta then faced a challenging nine-lap night stint, navigating a circuit filled with Code 60 zones due to multiple heavy crashes. After handing the car back to Simon, he was forced to stop early due to health issues, prompting an urgent driver change.

Gupta was called back into action for one of the team's most crucial stints. In the early morning hours, he completed another nine laps, maintaining P4 in Cup3 and leading AM with a significant seven-minute advantage. His stint concluded around 5:00 AM, after which Wenisch took over for an 18-lap double stint, moving the car into P3 in Cup3.

The race took another dramatic turn when Graberg was involved in contact with an SP10 GT4 car, damaging the front-left corner of the Porsche and necessitating a 30-minute repair stop. The Sorg Rennsport mechanics executed a rapid repair, allowing the car to return to competitive pace.

Despite the damage, the #949 Porsche quickly regained its competitive edge. With Gupta and Wenisch alternating stints, the team fought back from P7 in Cup3 and P4 in AM to finish P6 in Cup3 and P2 in AM.

Gupta was entrusted with the final stint, and despite worsening wet conditions while still on slick tires, he made a late charge at the AM class leader. Over the last seven laps, he gained 2 minutes and 10 seconds, but ultimately fell short of the AM victory by just 2 minutes and 30 seconds after 24 hours of racing.

The Sorg Rennsport Porsche finished 35th overall, ahead of Verstappen's #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3, which ended in 37th place due to driveshaft issues.

"This was one of the toughest races I have ever participated in," Gupta remarked. "We faced everything: rain, slicks in wet conditions, Code 60s, punctures, crashes, a damaged car, and a driver change under pressure. Finishing 35th overall and second in AM after all that happened is something I take great pride in. Missing the AM win by just two and a half minutes is painful, especially after gaining so much time in the final stint, but that’s what makes the Nurburgring 24 Hours so special. It never gives you anything easily."

"The team performed exceptionally well," Gupta added. "Sorg Rennsport repaired the car incredibly quickly after the front-left damage, and Aaron, Bjorn, and Tommy all played crucial roles in keeping us competitive. This race reaffirmed why the Nordschleife is the most demanding circuit in the world. It requires speed, discipline, luck, survival instincts, and a team that never gives up."

The 2026 Nurburgring 24 Hours was one of the most notable in recent history, highlighted by Verstappen's debut and a packed 161-car field. For Gupta, it represented another significant milestone in his international endurance racing journey as he continues to progress through the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie and the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nurburgring.