Kamui Kobayashi makes his return to the Nürburgring with KCMG for NLS3

Kamui Kobayashi He already knows the Nordschleife. He completed his first laps there in 2024, driving a Toyota The GR Supra GT4 Evo, prepared by KCMG, aims to obtain its Grade A license—the one required for single-seaters and sports prototypes with a power-to-weight ratio of 1 kg/hp or less. This time, it takes a significant step forward by entering the... Mercedes Benz-AMG GT3 Evo #47 for the four-hour format of the NLS3, which the organizers will start this Saturday, April 11 at 12:00 local time, after qualifying scheduled from 8:30. "The NLS3 will be my very first experience on the historic Nordschleife circuit driving a GT3 car."he acknowledges, "There's a lot of work to do, but I'll progress step by step."

The Japanese driver is returning to a team he knows well. After nine years with KCMG's Super Formula program, where he achieved five podium finishes, he left the team at the end of last year to join KDDI TGMGP TGR-DC. His return to the KCMG fold is therefore tinged with a certain familiarity, which he seems very happy to rediscover. "A huge thank you to Paul for giving me the opportunity to reconnect with the KCMG family." Team founder Paul Ip confirms that Kobayashi's arrival is part of a strategy to collectively increase their strength: "His experience brings a significant advantage to an already very competitive team."

A record that extends far beyond the Nordschleife. In the World Championship ofEndurance (WECKobayashi has a total of 18 victories and has held the dual role of driver and team principal at Toyota for several years. It was with this team that he achieved victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021, the year of his second consecutive WEC title. This experience accumulated at the highest level of Endurance racing is precisely what KCMG intends to take advantage of this weekend, even if the context — a Mercedes-AMG GT3 on the Nordschleife — represents a new environment for him.

A learning weekend before the 24 Hours in May

His three teammates form a solid crew to guide this transition. David Pittard and Jesse Krohn, both former Nürburgring 24 Hours winners, finished tenth in NLS2 last month. Edoardo Liberati, for his part, is competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours with KCMG for the fifth time since 2019. Pittard sums up the group's mindset: "It was an excellent start to the project and I'm excited to see what we can still achieve in NLS3! We also saw the excitement generated by the arrival of a pilot from F1 "In NLS, it's therefore fantastic to welcome our own and to welcome Kamui-san to the team!"

Krohn clearly places the stakes of this weekend in the context of the major deadline: “We have a good base to build on after our debut with the AMG GT3, and I’m also delighted to welcome Kamui to the team! These will be our last opportunities to fine-tune everything before the 24 Hours of May, so we’ll be fully focused on preparation.” The NLS3 is therefore part of a methodical progression strategy, with KCMG seeking to refine its understanding of the Mercedes race after race since the start of the season.

Manager Matt Howson tempered expectations regarding Kobayashi's immediate performance while remaining ambitious about the collective result: “This weekend will be an opportunity for Kabui [Kobayashi] to learn, but thanks to his speed, experience, and ability to learn from David, Jesse, and Edo, we have a very strong lineup and can aim for a top result. KCMG is adapting quickly to the Mercedes-AMG GT3. The NLS3 is another important step in this process, and our goal is to gather more data, improve on the NLS2 in all areas, and continue to refine the entire package as we approach the Nürburgring 24 Hours next month.” KCMG aims for progress in all aspects compared to the NLS2 — data, setup and overall performance — before tackling the Nürburgring 24 Hours in the best possible conditions.

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