Top qualifying for the 24 Hours Nürburgring was brought to a halt after a significant crash involving Lauren’s Vanthoor in the Scherer-Phx-Porsche #16. The incident occurred at the Aremberg curve, resulting in significant damage to the front of the car.

Following the crash, the session was red-flagged. Initial reports indicated that “Laurens Vanthoor went to the Medical Center after his accident. The medical examination,in which the medical team of Porsche Motorsport also took part,showed that he was doing well so far,” according to the team.

The accident happened as Vanthoor approached the fast left-hander before the Aremberg curve.The rear of the Porsche appeared to lose grip, sending the car into a spin. Vanthoor then hit the inside curb, which further destabilized the vehicle. Leaving the track,the Porsche rotated several times before colliding heavily with the guardrail.

“Laurens Vanthoor went to the Medical Center after his accident. The medical examination…showed that he was doing well so far.”

Markus Winkelhock expressed his relief that Vanthoor was unharmed, stating, “I asked why red and then I was told that the sister car had an accident on the swedish cross and that the Laurens should be okay. This is definitely the most vital thing.” He also acknowledged the setback for the team, adding, “Of course it’s extremely a shame for the team because the effort is extremely, extremely big what the boys are doing.”

Nico Menzel, the Falken-Porsche Pilot, explained a separate issue he experienced: “The brake was to the front right. That’s why the bike stood in. I came in, the problem was solved and I was out again. Then the car felt very good. Then Laurens thrown away his car. And we will try to make a few fine adjustments.”

The restart of top qualifying was delayed to allow for repairs to the guardrails. Michael Kramp, a press spokesman, indicated that the session would not resume before 4:00 p.m. In the interim, the second race of the cup and touring car trophy was scheduled to take place on the Grand Prix route. The revised schedule includes a single warm-up lap followed by the third qualifying session.

This isn’t the first time Vanthoor has experienced a significant crash on the Nordschleife. In 2022, he was involved in a collision with his brother Dries in the Tiergarten section, resulting in another difficult moment for the driver.

As the team prepares a statement,Lauren’s Vanthoor is taking time to recover. The extent of the damage to the Porsche #16 raises questions about its repairability, with the possibility of needing a new chassis.