'The most incredible experience of my career' is how Jake Hill described his debut in the Ravenol ADAC Nurburgring 24 Hours this weekend, after sharing the Red and Black No.18 Lionspeed GP Porsche 911 (992) GT3R EVO 26 with Kyle Tilley, Patrick Kolb and Max Hofer, challenging for the GT3 Pro Am class.
Having recently completed his Nurburgring Nordschleife 'Ring' permit - the licence required to race on this 25.4 kilometre circuit in the Eifel Mountains - Hill would be taking part in his first-ever race in the GT3 Porsche, at one of the four iconic 24 Hour sports car races that also includes the Spa 24 hours, Daytona 24 hours and of course the Le Mans 24 Hours.
"I'm hugely grateful to Kyle Tilley for giving me this incredible opportunity. It's his first 'N24' too, and we love racing together, having shared the Era Motorsport Ferrari 296GT3 last year, and to be racing this mega car at this unique event is so special. Also thanks to Patrick Kolb from Lionspeed GP for making me feel part of his team here - it's an incredible honour'
Hill was due to drive during the first qualifying session on Thursday, but a combination of technical issues and falling snow meant he just missed out, meaning his first laps would be in the second qualifying session in the wet.
Despite his lack of experience in the car or of the fearsome Nurburgring's 170 plus corners, he immediately found grip and on his first timed lap was second only to GT Superstar Kevin Estre's Manthey 'Grello' Porsche 911...
Continuing to improve, his 9.44.421 lap time put him top of the GT3 ProAm class and a remarkable 5th overall, as the track conditions worsened.
"That was a mixture of incredibly special and really, really sketchy!' Hill said "I was using karting lines everywhere, and it worked, plus the Lionspeed GP crew gave me such a nicely balanced car it was just exceptional"
Driving again briefly during the morning 'Warm-Up' Hill finally got a lap in the dry, helping him prepare for the upcoming action, and at 3pm local time Hill's Austrian co-driver Max Hofer took the car into the action.
At the end of the opening lap Hofer came in for a 45 second 'Stop and Go' penalty incurred by Hill in qualifying for a 'Code 60' infraction (speeding under caution) dropping the car to the back of the 41-car GT3 field.
With the conditions remaining dry for most of the 24 Hours, Hill took over from Hofer - who had got the car up to P28 - for his first stint around 65 minutes into the race, and settled into a fast and consistent rhythm.
At the end of his first ever stint Hill managed 16 laps and handed the car over to Patrick Kolb in 23rd place and exhilarated by the experience.
"Wow! That was incredible. Just loved it, absolutely crazy but nothing like anything I have experienced before!"
Kolb, Tilley and Hofer continued making progress as Hill took over for a single stint in the night which he described as 'frying my brain!" due to the intense concentration required, and after some rest was back on board for his final double stint just after 7am.
By now much more in tune with the car and circuit, Hill lapped ever-faster, setting the fastest lap of the car on three consecutive laps, his best being an 8.21 before his final impressive 'flying lap' of 8.18.934.
Handing the car over now in a Podium Position for the ProAm category, and P12 overall, both Kolb and Hofer continued their superb work, and as others hit trouble it was a brilliant P2 in ProAm GT3 and 11th overall at the end of a gruelling race.
"I cannot believe we finished on the Podium in ProAm after starting dead last - and almost top-ten overall. Thanks so much to Kyle, Patrick and Max and everyone at Lionspeed for an amazing race. I am hooked, and just want to do it all again....after some rest of course cos I am totally knackered now!"
Hill now heads to Spa-Francorchamps this Wednesday for the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa 'Pro Logue" where he will again drive the Lionspeed GP Porsche, and then back to the Michelin 24H Series at Paul Ricard with Era Motorsport in their new 'Evo' Ferrari 296GT3.
"Looking forward to seeing what the 'Evo' Ferrari is like at a circuit I really enjoy, so let's see what we can do for the rest of 2026. But for sure my first Nurburgring 24 Hours will be an experience I will never forget"
Having recently completed his Nurburgring Nordschleife 'Ring' permit - the licence required to race on this 25.4 kilometre circuit in the Eifel Mountains - Hill would be taking part in his first-ever race in the GT3 Porsche, at one of the four iconic 24 Hour sports car races that also includes the Spa 24 hours, Daytona 24 hours and of course the Le Mans 24 Hours.
"I'm hugely grateful to Kyle Tilley for giving me this incredible opportunity. It's his first 'N24' too, and we love racing together, having shared the Era Motorsport Ferrari 296GT3 last year, and to be racing this mega car at this unique event is so special. Also thanks to Patrick Kolb from Lionspeed GP for making me feel part of his team here - it's an incredible honour'
Hill was due to drive during the first qualifying session on Thursday, but a combination of technical issues and falling snow meant he just missed out, meaning his first laps would be in the second qualifying session in the wet.
Despite his lack of experience in the car or of the fearsome Nurburgring's 170 plus corners, he immediately found grip and on his first timed lap was second only to GT Superstar Kevin Estre's Manthey 'Grello' Porsche 911...
Continuing to improve, his 9.44.421 lap time put him top of the GT3 ProAm class and a remarkable 5th overall, as the track conditions worsened.
"That was a mixture of incredibly special and really, really sketchy!' Hill said "I was using karting lines everywhere, and it worked, plus the Lionspeed GP crew gave me such a nicely balanced car it was just exceptional"
Driving again briefly during the morning 'Warm-Up' Hill finally got a lap in the dry, helping him prepare for the upcoming action, and at 3pm local time Hill's Austrian co-driver Max Hofer took the car into the action.
At the end of the opening lap Hofer came in for a 45 second 'Stop and Go' penalty incurred by Hill in qualifying for a 'Code 60' infraction (speeding under caution) dropping the car to the back of the 41-car GT3 field.
With the conditions remaining dry for most of the 24 Hours, Hill took over from Hofer - who had got the car up to P28 - for his first stint around 65 minutes into the race, and settled into a fast and consistent rhythm.
At the end of his first ever stint Hill managed 16 laps and handed the car over to Patrick Kolb in 23rd place and exhilarated by the experience.
"Wow! That was incredible. Just loved it, absolutely crazy but nothing like anything I have experienced before!"
Kolb, Tilley and Hofer continued making progress as Hill took over for a single stint in the night which he described as 'frying my brain!" due to the intense concentration required, and after some rest was back on board for his final double stint just after 7am.
By now much more in tune with the car and circuit, Hill lapped ever-faster, setting the fastest lap of the car on three consecutive laps, his best being an 8.21 before his final impressive 'flying lap' of 8.18.934.
Handing the car over now in a Podium Position for the ProAm category, and P12 overall, both Kolb and Hofer continued their superb work, and as others hit trouble it was a brilliant P2 in ProAm GT3 and 11th overall at the end of a gruelling race.
"I cannot believe we finished on the Podium in ProAm after starting dead last - and almost top-ten overall. Thanks so much to Kyle, Patrick and Max and everyone at Lionspeed for an amazing race. I am hooked, and just want to do it all again....after some rest of course cos I am totally knackered now!"
Hill now heads to Spa-Francorchamps this Wednesday for the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa 'Pro Logue" where he will again drive the Lionspeed GP Porsche, and then back to the Michelin 24H Series at Paul Ricard with Era Motorsport in their new 'Evo' Ferrari 296GT3.
"Looking forward to seeing what the 'Evo' Ferrari is like at a circuit I really enjoy, so let's see what we can do for the rest of 2026. But for sure my first Nurburgring 24 Hours will be an experience I will never forget"
