As reported by Sportscar365, ABT has unveiled two competitive driver line-ups for its pair of Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 entries ahead of this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours.
The German team will field two cars in the SP9 class at the Nordschleife endurance classic. Notably, past race winners Nicky Catsburg and Nick Yelloly will reunite in one of the Lamborghinis, marking the first time both drivers will race the Italian GT3 machine.
With a mix of Lamborghini factory drivers and proven Nürburgring specialists, ABT aims to challenge for victory in one of endurance racing’s toughest events.
Red Bull-Liveried Lamborghini features factory line-up as Catsburg and Yelloly headline Schaeffler-liveried entry for 2026 Nürburgring 24
The No. 84 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 will carry Red Bull branding and feature a driver line-up entirely composed of Lamborghini factory drivers.
Mirko Bortolotti and Luca Engstler will return to the ABT squad for another attempt at the Nürburgring 24. Both drivers competed with the team in previous campaigns and bring valuable Nordschleife experience. This year they will be joined by new Lamborghini recruit Patric Niederhauser, further strengthening the team’s factory-supported effort.
Together, the trio forms one of the strongest manufacturer-backed combinations in the field.
Meanwhile, ABT’s second Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 will feature Schaeffler’s distinctive green colours and an equally compelling driver line-up.
Lamborghini factory driver Marco Mapelli will lead the entry alongside Nürburgring 24 winners Nick Yelloly and Nicky Catsburg.
Yelloly and Catsburg famously secured overall victory in the 2020 Nürburgring 24 while driving for ROWE Racing in a BMW M6 GT3. Their reunion at ABT adds significant experience to the programme.
Catsburg also enters the race with the chance to secure a remarkable milestone. If successful, he would claim a third Nürburgring 24 victory with three different manufacturers, having already won with BMW in 2020 and Ferrari in 2023 while driving the Frikadelli Ferrari 296 GT3.
Team confident but aware of Nordschleife challenge
ABT team boss Martin Tomczyk expressed strong confidence in the squad’s line-ups while acknowledging the difficulty of the Nürburgring 24.
“We are delighted to have put together such a formidable lineup once again,” said team boss Martin Tomczyk. “The continuity with our returning drivers gives us strength, and the new additions bring fresh momentum and additional experience. They all want the same thing: to win this race. We still have unfinished business with the Nürburgring. We want to win this race, and with this team and these cars we have the best possible foundation to do so. But we know the competition is fierce and the Nordschleife has its own rules.”
Split programme for ABT in 2026
Alongside its Nürburgring 24 campaign, ABT will also undertake a split GT3 programme this season. While the team will run the Huracán GT3 EVO2 at the Nordschleife, it plans to field two examples of Lamborghini’s new Temerario GT3 in the DTM championship.
The Nürburgring 24 effort therefore forms a key part of ABT’s broader GT3 activities in 2026.
Last year, the team secured a fifth-place finish in the race with a Huracán GT3 EVO2 driven by Mapelli, Engstler and Christian Engelhart. With strengthened line-ups now confirmed, ABT will aim to convert that performance into a genuine bid for victory.
