Plans to establish a second endurance racing series at the Nürburgring have been postponed until at least 2028 following discussions between ADAC Nordrhein, the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie and Interessengemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring.
The proposed 24H Nürburgring Series had been due to launch in 2027 with five events and the Nürburgring 24 as its centrepiece. However, significant opposition emerged after the plans became public, with the ILN arguing that introducing another championship for essentially the same group of Nordschleife competitors risked dividing teams, drivers, sponsors and resources between two rival platforms.
ADAC Nordrhein, which organises the Nürburgring 24, has now accepted that the timeframe for launching the championship proved too short. The organisation has not abandoned the concept entirely and intends to continue discussions with teams and other stakeholders over a possible implementation from 2028.
The decision means the Nordschleife will retain its more familiar structure during 2027, with the NLS continuing as the principal regular endurance championship while ADAC Nordrhein separately stages the Nürburgring 24, its Qualifiers and associated test event.
2027 launch deemed too ambitious
ADAC Nordrhein initially proposed a five-event structure that would have placed the Nürburgring 24 at the centre of a new championship. The concept would also have incorporated other established or planned Nordschleife events, with participating teams offered incentives including reduced entry fees and automatic starting places for the N24.
However, the proposal immediately raised questions about whether the Nordschleife could sustainably support two endurance championships competing for broadly the same pool of teams and drivers. The ILN became one of the strongest critics of the plan and called for the different organisations to work towards a common solution rather than splitting the competitor base.
After several meetings between the relevant parties, Nürburgring 24 race director Walter Hornung acknowledged that the preparation period had not given many teams, partners and sponsors enough time to commit to the proposed championship.
“Unfortunately, the lead time for introducing a new series format was too short for many racing teams, partners, and sponsors,” said 24h race director Walter Hornung.
The postponement removes the prospect of the two series operating simultaneously in 2027, although ADAC Nordrhein continues to support the broader principles behind its proposal.
Hornung continues to support new Nordschleife concept
Hornung stressed that the decision to delay the series does not represent a rejection of the ideas ADAC Nordrhein hoped to introduce. The proposed championship aimed to combine the organisational structures associated with the Nürburgring 24 with additional attractions designed to broaden the appeal of Nordschleife race weekends.
“However, we remain convinced that our forward-looking concept for motorsport on the Nordschleife makes sense, and we have received a great deal of positive feedback regarding it. In particular, the professional structures—long established by the 24h race—and the planned fan attractions beyond the actual racing action generated significant interest. We intend to engage in in-depth discussions on this matter with the key stakeholders at the Nürburgring, and especially with the racing teams.
“Although a joint series did not materialise during these initial meetings, we intend to continue the dialogue with a view to 2028, aiming to create the best possible platform for teams, drivers, and—not least—the Nordschleife fans.”
A unified championship therefore did not emerge from the initial round of discussions, but the organisations have left open the possibility of finding a different long-term structure. The focus will now shift towards whether the various parties can agree on a format for 2028 without recreating the concerns that surrounded the original proposal.
ILN welcomes postponement of rival championship
The ILN subsequently welcomed ADAC Nordrhein’s decision, having consistently argued that another championship would weaken rather than strengthen endurance racing on the Nordschleife.
The organisation represents the interests of teams and competitors involved in Nürburgring endurance racing and had previously warned that dividing entries between two series could reduce grid sizes, increase costs and create additional uncertainty for sponsors and drivers.
ILN chairman Martin Rosorius said the decision came before the proposed new championship could cause significant damage to the existing racing landscape.
“We have always made it clear that an additional rival series would do more harm than good to endurance racing on the Nordschleife.
“ADAC Nordrhein’s realization that a successful endurance series cannot be organised on the Nordschleife with 30 racing cars has come late, but just in time to avert major damage to the teams, drivers, sponsors and the entire endurance racing scene.”
The ILN’s position centred on retaining a strong single championship structure rather than forcing competitors to choose between rival calendars. With the proposed 2027 series now postponed, teams have greater clarity over which championship will provide the regular Nordschleife endurance programme next season.
ILN calls for stability during anniversary season
Rosorius also stressed that the postponement should allow the organisations involved to focus on providing teams with a stable and predictable structure for 2027 and beyond.
“The focus now is on looking ahead. Teams and partners finally need clarity and a reliable outlook for 2027 and further seasons.
“The Nürburgring’s anniversary year should not be characterised by competition and uncertainty, but by a strong, united front from endurance racing.”
That anniversary context adds further significance to the debate. The Nürburgring will celebrate its centenary in 2027, while the endurance championship now known as the NLS will mark 50 years since its foundation in 1977.
Rather than entering those celebrations with two championships competing against one another, the postponement leaves the established NLS programme in place alongside the major ADAC Nordrhein-organised events.
NLS confirms eight-race 2027 calendar
Alongside confirmation that the rival series will not launch next season, the NLS has revealed its provisional 2027 calendar. The championship will feature eight races spread across seven event weekends, with seven four-hour races and one six-hour contest.
The schedule represents a slight reduction from some previous campaigns and also changes how the season distributes its events. One fewer race will take place during the spring, with an additional event moving into the autumn instead.
The opening round takes place on 20 March before the championship returns on 17 April. Following a longer break around the Nürburgring 24 period, the NLS resumes on 3 July and then stages its six-hour race on 7 August.
September becomes particularly busy, with races on 11 and 12 September forming the season’s only double-header before another round follows on 25 September. The championship then concludes on 9 October.
N24 Qualifiers removed from NLS points structure
One notable change concerns the Nürburgring 24 Qualifiers, which will not count as points-scoring NLS races in 2027.
The Qualifiers remain part of the wider Nordschleife calendar and will take place from 30 April to 2 May, but they will operate separately from the eight-race NLS championship. That restores a clearer distinction between the regular endurance series and the events organised around the Nürburgring 24.
ADAC Nordrhein will also stage a test event from 2-4 April before the N24 itself runs from 27-30 May. Teams competing across both programmes will therefore still have a significant amount of Nordschleife running during the first half of the season, even without a second championship.
NLS prepares to celebrate 50th anniversary
The 2027 season carries particular importance for the NLS because it will mark 50 years since the championship’s beginnings in 1977.
VLN managing director Mike Jäger highlighted the significance of reaching the milestone in the same year that the Nürburgring celebrates 100 years.
“Half a century of long-distance racing on the Nordschleife is a historic milestone of which we are extremely proud—especially since we have the privilege of celebrating this anniversary alongside the Nürburgring’s centenary,” said VLN managing director Mike Jäger.
Across those five decades, the series has changed names, regulations and formats while maintaining the Nordschleife as its defining feature. The 2027 campaign will therefore combine the championship’s own anniversary with celebrations surrounding the circuit that has shaped its identity.
“Since its beginnings in 1977, the series has retained its unique character on this iconic racetrack while continuously evolving. Being able to present the calendar this early gives everyone involved full planning certainty regarding the familiar framework. This double anniversary year in 2027 will be a true celebration for all motorsport fans.”
The early calendar announcement also addresses one of the ILN’s central concerns during the dispute over the proposed rival championship: providing competitors with enough certainty to organise budgets, drivers, sponsors and personnel well before the new season begins.
2027 Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie calendar
The provisional NLS schedule features eight races across seven weekends:
- NLS1 — 20 March
- NLS2 — 17 April
- NLS3 — 3 July
- NLS4 — 7 August — 6-hour race
- NLS5 — 11 September
- NLS6 — 12 September
- NLS7 — 25 September
- NLS8 — 9 October
The September double-header provides the only weekend containing two championship races, while the August event stands apart as the season’s sole six-hour contest. Every other round will run to the traditional four-hour NLS format.
Nürburgring 24 retains separate 2027 programme
The Nürburgring 24 programme remains separate from the NLS championship and begins with testing from 2-4 April. The Qualifiers then take place from 30 April to 2 May before the main 24-hour race runs from 27-30 May.
The Qualifiers will continue to provide teams with important preparation for the N24, even though they will no longer form part of the NLS points structure. That separation creates a clearer distinction between the regular championship and the build-up towards Germany’s largest endurance race.
The 2027 Nürburgring 24 programme therefore consists of:
- Testing — 2-4 April
- Nürburgring 24 Qualifiers — 30 April-2 May
- Nürburgring 24 — 27-30 May
Together with the eight NLS races, those events will still provide teams with extensive opportunities to compete on the Nordschleife during the Nürburgring’s centenary season.
Original series would have placed N24 at centre
ADAC Nordrhein’s postponed championship would have taken a different approach by grouping several of its events into a single points-paying structure.
The Nürburgring 24 would have served as the centrepiece, with the proposed calendar also including a Prologue, the N24 Qualifiers and additional existing ADAC events at the circuit. Teams committing to the programme would have received incentives such as reduced entry fees and guaranteed positions on the N24 grid.
Supporters of the concept argued that it could professionalise the wider presentation of Nordschleife endurance racing and give fans more attractions away from the racing itself. Critics, led by the ILN, instead focused on the potential consequences of asking teams to support two separate endurance championships at the same circuit.
The decision to delay the project effectively resolves that conflict for 2027, although the underlying disagreement over the best long-term structure remains.
Focus turns towards possible 2028 agreement
For the immediate future, the Nordschleife returns to a more familiar balance. The NLS will provide the regular endurance championship, while ADAC Nordrhein retains responsibility for the Nürburgring 24 and its associated events.
That arrangement gives teams greater planning certainty heading into a season carrying major historical significance for both the circuit and the NLS. However, ADAC Nordrhein’s decision to postpone rather than cancel its proposal means discussions over the future organisation of Nordschleife racing will continue.
Hornung has already indicated that talks will focus on 2028, with the organisation still interested in applying some of the professional and fan-focused elements contained within its original proposal. The ILN, meanwhile, continues to favour a unified endurance landscape that avoids dividing competitors between rival championships.
Whether those positions can eventually produce a shared platform remains unresolved. For 2027, however, the immediate threat of two competing Nordschleife endurance series has disappeared, leaving the NLS to celebrate its 50th anniversary alongside the Nürburgring’s centenary under a more stable calendar structure.
