With DTM star Kelvin van der Linde and the two Lamborghini factory drivers Marco Mapelli and Jordan Pepper, ABT Sportsline is relying on three strong drivers at the Eifel Marathon. The trio is regarded as one of the strongest on the grid.
24H
WITH RED BULL AND LAMBORGHINI ON THE NORDSCHLEIFE
Abt has been competing in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring together with Lamborghini since 2023. In 2024, the Red Bull Team ABT finished fifth overall in a curious race at Germany's biggest sporting event. The ABT Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 was driven by Marco Mapelli, Jordan Pepper and Kelvin van der Linde.
The 24-hour race on the famous Nürburgring-Nordschleife is regarded as one of the greatest motorsport challenges of all. ABT Sportsline can look back on eleven appearances in the “Green Hell”. The best result so far was two second places in the 2003 and 2009 editions.
THE DRIVERS
Kelvin van der Linde
Kempten is Kelvin van der Linde’s second home. Ever since he came to Germany from South Africa as a 17-year-old, he has been supported by ABT. He has already won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring twice. The South African is also competing again in the DTM for ABT Sportsline in 2024 and is also involved in ABT Sportsline’s Formula E project as a simulator and reserve driver.
Jordan Pepper
Jordan Pepper is an old acquaintance of ABT Sportsline: in 2014, Kelvin van der Linde’s former flatmate won the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup organised by ABT before competing for the team from Kempten in the ADAC GT Masters and in the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and Spa. The South African has been a member of the Lamborghini Squadra Corse factory driver line-up since 2023.
Marco Mapelli
Marco Mapelli has been a Lamborghini factory driver since 2017 and is considered one of the most experienced GT3 drivers in the world. He competes around the globe for the Italian brand – whether in North America, Asia, Europe or Australia. The Italian’s biggest success to date is winning the Pro classification of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup in 2019.
Kelvin van der Linde
Kempten is Kelvin van der Linde’s second home. Ever since he came to Germany from South Africa as a 17-year-old, he has been supported by ABT. He has already won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring twice. The South African is also competing again in the DTM for ABT Sportsline in 2024 and is also involved in ABT Sportsline’s Formula E project as a simulator and reserve driver.
Jordan Pepper
Jordan Pepper is an old acquaintance of ABT Sportsline: in 2014, Kelvin van der Linde’s former flatmate won the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup organised by ABT before competing for the team from Kempten in the ADAC GT Masters and in the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and Spa. The South African has been a member of the Lamborghini Squadra Corse factory driver line-up since 2023.
Marco Mapelli
Marco Mapelli has been a Lamborghini factory driver since 2017 and is considered one of the most experienced GT3 drivers in the world. He competes around the globe for the Italian brand – whether in North America, Asia, Europe or Australia. The Italian’s biggest success to date is winning the Pro classification of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup in 2019.
THE CAR
LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN GT3 EVO2
The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 was designed and developed by Lamborghini Squadra Corse on the basis of the Huracán STO, with which it shares important design elements, the rear-wheel drive and the naturally aspirated V10 engine. The GT3 racing car with up to 585 HP has been in use in this form since 2022 and is closely related to the Audi R8 LMS. On the Nordschleife, the EVO2 reaches a top speed of around 275 km/h.
PARTNERS
H&R is one of the world’s leading developers and producers of sporty suspension systems. The technology transfer from motorsport plays a key role here, just as it does at ABT Sportsline. A good suspension is particularly important on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.
The technology company Schaeffler has been an important partner of ABT in motorsport for many years. The absolute highlight was the championship title in Formula E with a jointly developed electric drive. ABT and Schaeffler also work closely together in many other areas.
The expert retail group is the second largest electronics retailer in Germany. Worldwide, expert SE has more than 4,000 locations in 22 countries. True to the brand claim “Mit den besten Empfehlungen”, expert stands for the highest level of service and consulting expertise like no other electronics retailer.
The PlayStation (‘PS’ in brief) is one of the most successful games consoles, with more than 100 million units sold worldwide since 1994. The current model is the PlayStation 5, which sets new standards in the console sector. Sony PlayStation and ABT Sportsline have been partners for many years.
SÜDPACK is a leading manufacturer of high-performance films for the packaging of food, medical and non-food products as well as for technical applications and is also a partner of ABT CUPRA in the DTM and Formula E.
Squadra Corse is the motorsport department of Automobili Lamborghini. It is responsible for the development, sales and technical support of customer cars in GT racing. Squadra Corse also organizes the Lamborghini Super Trofeo one-make cup. The SC63 LMDh prototype is new in 2024.
ABT Sportsline has also had the Lamborghini brand in its portfolio since 2023. The first Lamborghini-based product is the ABT Urus Scatenato. Gohm GmbH in Singen-Hohentwiel is one of the few officially licensed dealers of the Italian brand in Germany and a partner of the team in the 24-hour race.
MAN Truck & Bus Deutschland GmbH offers one of the most comprehensive and innovative product and service portfolios in the commercial vehicle industry. For many years, ABT has relied on tractor units from the Volkswagen Group company in the DTM, which are also used in the 24-hour race.
As an expert for software development in the motorsport sector, Michael Metzner supports ABT with individual programs and tools to facilitate the work of ABT engineers at the racetrack and in the Motorsport Center in Kempten.
Ravenol is one of the most powerful lubricant brands for premium products and is recommended by ABT Sportsline for its high-performance vehicles. It is therefore only logical that Ravenol is also used by ABT as a lubricant in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
Communication between the control centre and the driver can make the difference between victory and defeat in a 24-hour race. ABT relies on the products and experts from Riedel Communications, a leading provider of live production tools.
As ABT’s technical partner, Sabelt equips Marco Mapelli, Jordan Peper, Kelvin van der Linde and the mechanics with high-end racing clothing. The partnership between the two brands also applies to the DTM and Formula E.
The Franconian fashion manufacturer s.Oliver is ABT Sportsline’s clothing partner in motorsport. For more than 50 years, the internationally active family business has been producing fashion for ‘all the moments that life brings’.
The young German company Tanners Footwear equips ABT Sportsline with shoes specially designed for the team. Tanners sneakers are made from high-quality leather that is treated with vegetable tanning agents.
ABT has been working with TM Performance in Italy for many years in the DTM. The company specialises in getting the maximum out of various components in motorsport, such as the brakes. ABT Sportsline also relies on the expertise of TM Performance for the 24-hour race.
Red Bull not only gives wings to ABT Sportsline in the DTM. The Bavarian team is also receiving full support from Red Bull at this year’s 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. With more than eleven billion cans sold each year, the Austrian company is the world market leader in energy drinks and has been an ABT partner from the very beginning.
Red Bull not only gives wings to ABT Sportsline in the DTM. The Bavarian team is also receiving full support from Red Bull at this year’s 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. With more than eleven billion cans sold each year, the Austrian company is the world market leader in energy drinks and has been an ABT partner from the very beginning.
H&R is one of the world’s leading developers and producers of sporty suspension systems. The technology transfer from motorsport plays a key role here, just as it does at ABT Sportsline. A good suspension is particularly important on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.
The technology company Schaeffler has been an important partner of ABT in motorsport for many years. The absolute highlight was the championship title in Formula E with a jointly developed electric drive. ABT and Schaeffler also work closely together in many other areas.
The expert retail group is the second largest electronics retailer in Germany. Worldwide, expert SE has more than 4,000 locations in 22 countries. True to the brand claim “Mit den besten Empfehlungen”, expert stands for the highest level of service and consulting expertise like no other electronics retailer.
The PlayStation (‘PS’ in brief) is one of the most successful games consoles, with more than 100 million units sold worldwide since 1994. The current model is the PlayStation 5, which sets new standards in the console sector. Sony PlayStation and ABT Sportsline have been partners for many years.
SÜDPACK is a leading manufacturer of high-performance films for the packaging of food, medical and non-food products as well as for technical applications and is also a partner of ABT CUPRA in the DTM and Formula E.
Squadra Corse is the motorsport department of Automobili Lamborghini. It is responsible for the development, sales and technical support of customer cars in GT racing. Squadra Corse also organizes the Lamborghini Super Trofeo one-make cup. The SC63 LMDh prototype is new in 2024.
ABT Sportsline has also had the Lamborghini brand in its portfolio since 2023. The first Lamborghini-based product is the ABT Urus Scatenato. Gohm GmbH in Singen-Hohentwiel is one of the few officially licensed dealers of the Italian brand in Germany and a partner of the team in the 24-hour race.
MAN Truck & Bus Deutschland GmbH offers one of the most comprehensive and innovative product and service portfolios in the commercial vehicle industry. For many years, ABT has relied on tractor units from the Volkswagen Group company in the DTM, which are also used in the 24-hour race.
As an expert for software development in the motorsport sector, Michael Metzner supports ABT with individual programs and tools to facilitate the work of ABT engineers at the racetrack and in the Motorsport Center in Kempten.
Ravenol is one of the most powerful lubricant brands for premium products and is recommended by ABT Sportsline for its high-performance vehicles. It is therefore only logical that Ravenol is also used by ABT as a lubricant in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
Communication between the control centre and the driver can make the difference between victory and defeat in a 24-hour race. ABT relies on the products and experts from Riedel Communications, a leading provider of live production tools.
As ABT’s technical partner, Sabelt equips Marco Mapelli, Jordan Peper, Kelvin van der Linde and the mechanics with high-end racing clothing. The partnership between the two brands also applies to the DTM and Formula E.
The Franconian fashion manufacturer s.Oliver is ABT Sportsline’s clothing partner in motorsport. For more than 50 years, the internationally active family business has been producing fashion for ‘all the moments that life brings’.
The young German company Tanners Footwear equips ABT Sportsline with shoes specially designed for the team. Tanners sneakers are made from high-quality leather that is treated with vegetable tanning agents.
ABT has been working with TM Performance in Italy for many years in the DTM. The company specialises in getting the maximum out of various components in motorsport, such as the brakes. ABT Sportsline also relies on the expertise of TM Performance for the 24-hour race.
SUCCESSES
The 2024 24-hour race was ABT’s eleventh appearance in the endurance classic. The debut was in 1999 with an Audi A4 quattro powered by natural gas – the race with the innovative drive concept was a little sensation at the time. This was followed by outings with the Abt-Audi TT-R from the DTM, the Audi R8 LMS and the Bentley Continental GT3. The best results so far were two second places in the 2003 and 2009 editions.
In 2024, the Red Bull Team ABT finished fifth overall in a curious race at Germany's biggest sporting event.