Akshay Gupta, an Indian racing driver, won the seventh round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, finishing first in the VT2-F category. Driving the #492 Hyundai i30N race vehicle for Mertens Motorsport with co-driver Alex Schneider, Gupta not only won the class but also finished 46th overall out of 121 competitors.
This victory is a significant accomplishment for the 31-year-old, who has faced numerous challenges throughout the season, including mechanical issues, crashes, and a rib fracture in the fifth round. Despite these obstacles, Gupta’s tenacity shined through with a second-place finish in the sixth round—a 6-hour endurance race—and a top finish in the most recent event.
On the tough Nürburgring circuit, the duo exhibited exceptional driving skills in wet circumstances. Schneider led for the opening two hours of the race before taking over to Gupta, who ran a perfect two-hour double stint. Gupta gradually stretched his lead over the second-place car, crossing the finish line with a comfortable margin of 1 minute and 41 seconds.
“We’re overjoyed with this win,” Gupta remarked. “It’s been a long time coming for us. Alex has been an excellent colleague to share the car with, and we worked hard on the setup since Thursday to ensure that everything was correct. The wet circumstances worked in our favor, and navigating the challenging tire strategy on a partly dry, partly wet track was satisfying.”