A dream comes true: Mazatis competes in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring
Benjamin Mazatis takes on the „Green Hell“ challenge. The 26-year-old from Bruckmühl will be competing in the legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring from 30 May to 2 June 2024. He will be piloting the brand-new, 665 hp Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo around the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. Mazatis will be competing in the race together with the renowned Walkenhorst Motorsport team. This team has made a name for itself beyond the motorsport scene through DTM victories and winning the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps overall.
Last year, Mazatis successfully took part in the 24-hour race in Dubai. After the warm desert weather, he is now heading to the Eifel with its unpredictable weather changes. The 24-hour race on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife is one of the most prestigious races in motorsport. With its 20.832 km (in the 24-hour race, combined with the GP circuit, even 25.378 km), the track is considered the most demanding race track in the world. The Nordschleife pushes the drivers to their limits and sometimes even beyond. As there are hardly any run-off areas, even the smallest mistake is penalised. However, Mazatis comes to this track with good experience. He completed his first Nordschleife race in 2016 and won straight away. This was followed by further successes and victories. But the 24-hour race is still missing from his list.
For drivers, teams and manufacturers, winning the 24-hour race is a career highlight. But the race is also one of the highlights of the motorsport season for fans. In 2023, 235,000 spectators attended the race on site. Those who couldn't make it to the track sat in front of the TV. This year, the race will once again be broadcast live for 24 hours on free-to-air TV on RTL Nitro.
Track knowledge is one of the keys to success. Over the winter, work was carried out on many areas of the Nordschleife and the tarmac was changed. In order to be suitably prepared, Mazatis will take part in the qualifying race on 13-14 April and the NES race on 3-4 May.
„I'm really looking forward to this challenge. Last year Dubai, now the 24h at the Nürburgring - to drive a GT3 in these races and be able to fight for overall victory is simply fantastic. My goal has always been to contest the big top 5 endurance races: Le Mans, Nürburgring, Spa, Daytona and Dubai. Of course, I would love to win them all one day. But that's still a long way off. For now, the Nürburgring chapter is on the agenda.“
The car: the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo
Aston Martin Racing stands for success in motorsport. The new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo was unveiled in mid-February. It is a further development of the highly successful Aston Martin Vantage GT3. The model has achieved 52 class victories and 11 world championship titles.
„I've already had the opportunity to test the car intensively at the end of February in Paul Ricard (France) and Barcelona (Spain). It is amazing. Its aerodynamics make it very stable in fast corners. Tyre wear is also very low, which is a particular advantage in endurance races. You could tell from the very first moment that everything was very intelligently thought out and designed by absolute professionals. Aston Martin wants to build on the success of its predecessor with this car. We are all going into the season with the ambition of continuing this incredible success story and adding a new chapter,“ said Mazatis about his new 665 hp racing car.
The racing team: Walkenhorst Motorsport
Walkenhorst Motorsport is a renowned German motorsport team. The team won the 24 Hours of Spa in 2018 and the Intercontinental GT Challenge in 2020. In 2021 and 2022, Walkenhorst Motorsport, based in Melle, Lower Saxony, competed in the DTM and achieved a number of successes, including three victories and several podium finishes. In 2023, the team won the Asian Le Mans Series. The switch to Aston Martin took place this year.
„Walkenhorst Motorsport is a great team that has made a name for itself beyond the motorsport scene thanks to its numerous successes in the recent past,“ says Mazatis. „From the very first moment, I felt that we were all pulling together and that everyone is motivated to work hard in order to achieve success on the race track. I'm delighted to be here now and to be going down this path with this team.“
Three questions for Benjamin Mazatis
What does it mean to you to compete in the Nürburgring 24 Hours?
When we were young, we did this race on the console or on the PC. If you didn't have a racing game at home, you drove it at a friend's house. Together with the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Nürburgring is the biggest and most important motorsport race in the world. It is every driver's dream to drive this race in the top class and fight for overall victory. I can now experience this - in a real racing car and no longer virtually. It's something very special and I'm already looking forward to it immensely!
What is your goal for the race?
Of course I want to be as successful as possible. However, to speak of winning intentions in a race like this would be a little over the top. For long-distance races like this, the rule is: „You can't win the race, it makes you win!“ I also felt that in Dubai. We were very fast, probably the fastest car in the entire field, but we didn't have the necessary racing luck. The competition is still strong. There are guys competing who have won everything in international motorsport in recent years. At the end of the day, everyone wants to win the race, but only one team can win. That's why I'm focussing fully on myself, my preparation and my race performance. The first priority is to make sure the car sees the chequered flag after 24 hours. That is always the basic requirement. In that case, you're automatically in the mix and then just see what happens.
What does your preparation look like? Is there a special training programme?
Naturally, preparation is a very important factor for later success on the track. This is where the foundation is laid. My previous 24-hour races have established a routine and experience. Nevertheless, every race still has its own individual character, to which the preparation is tailored. Additionally, I want to continuously improve. I was already in the simulator in England in February and will fly to the island again in April and May to prepare optimally. Furthermore, fitness blocks are scheduled between races and simulator sessions. Here, I train endurance for at least 70 minutes every day. This is roughly the length of a race stint. On top of that, there is alternating strength training, especially for the shoulder, neck, and core muscles, as well as balance and reaction units. I will let you share in this preparation on social media @benjaminmazatis.