There are weekends that test a driver’s mettle to the core – and for Luca Ludwig and Scherer Sport PHX, the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours was precisely that.
Speaking to Endurance Archive, he shares his impressions and offers a candid look at the unique challenges faced from behind the wheel.
A Stage Set for Emotion
Once again, the Nürburgring classic delivered everything that makes endurance racing so compelling: raw emotion, a formidable grid, and 280,000 passionate fans lining the legendary Nordschleife.
The atmosphere was electric, the anticipation palpable – especially for Ludwig, who arrived in the Eifel alongside seasoned teammates Christopher Haase and Markus Winkelhock in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II. “The package was right, team spirit was fantastic, and our pace in practice showed we were competitive,” Ludwig recalls. All the ingredients for a strong race seemed to be in place.
But as the race unfolded, it quickly became clear just how fierce the competition was in 2025. BMW and Porsche asserted themselves at the front early on, while Audi, Mercedes, and Lamborghini fought tooth and nail for every inch. “The pace from the competition was impressive – we were just missing that final bit of speed in the race,” Ludwig reflects. “We were on par with Mercedes and Lamborghini, but making up ground was tough.”
Nightfall – Hope and Setbacks
With nightfall came a glimmer of hope. The team managed to improve their lap times, but minor incidents and ill-timed Code 60 phases repeatedly set them back. A trip off track for Christopher Haase and a string of small issues made progress difficult. “We found our rhythm better at night, but the setbacks and lost time meant our position was far from ideal,” Ludwig summarizes.
Then, in the quiet hours of the night, came the turning point: “During my first stint, I suddenly had a technical issue – and before I knew it, I hit the barriers at around 80 km/h.” The team made the call to retire the car on safety grounds. “We didn’t immediately know what had happened, but it was clear there was a technical failure, and the risk was simply too high to continue.”
Disappointment and Resolve
For Scherer Sport PHX, the early exit was a bitter pill to swallow, especially after their sister car had already been eliminated in qualifying. “The team has been so successful lately – that makes a weekend like this hurt even more,” Ludwig admits. “Personally, it’s tough because the package was as promising as it’s been in a long time. Unfortunately, we never got to show what we were truly capable of.”
Yet, as is often the case in motorsport, triumph and heartbreak are separated by the narrowest of margins. Ludwig remains undeterred: “That’s racing – sometimes success and disappointment are only seconds apart. We won’t let this get us down. Next time, we’ll come back fighting.”
A full review of the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours, including results, can be found here.
Image © Martin.Motorsport