Nürburgring 24: the best photos

Last weekend saw the 43rd Nürburgring 24-hour race take place, with Audi victorious. So far, so Le Mans, you may be thinking. But the N24 is different to its twice-round-the-clock equivalent from France.

While Le Mans is an undeniably iconic event, it's also big budget - for both competitors and spectators. The N24 is hardly a cheap adventure for either, of course, but with a grid that accommodates a decades-old Opel Manta, and the most intimate camping spots garnered by how adventurous you're feeling rather than how fat your wallet is, there's something a little more renegade about the ‘Ring 24 hours; it feels ‘proper'.

It's also notoriously hard to keep up with, 165 cars starting this year. The lead position of 2015's race changed hands 35 times, before the number 28 Audi R8 LMS of Christopher Mies, Edward Sandström, Nico Müller and Laurens Vanthoor took victory over the second placed BMW Z4 GT3 by a smidge over 40 seconds. Over a day-long race and 156 laps of circuit exceeding 13 miles in length, that's as squeaky as it gets.

While the Nürburgring attracts plenty of mixed responses thanks to the controversy shrouding the road-car lap records set there, this is the perfect tonic, the world's most notorious circuit at its very best. Have a look through our selection of photos from master snapper Drew Gibson, and clear your diary for May 2016...

Pictures: Drew Gibson

The mighty Manta, a true crowd-pleaser at the Green Hell for many a year. It finished a respectable 52nd this year, ahead of an Aston-entered V8 Vantage.

BMW Z4 GT3s often scrap around at the top of proceedings, making a superb V8 gargle as they do so. It’s a crime there’s no road car.

The N24, a race where the howling Lexus LFA still lives. This one finished 14th.

Aston Martin is now a staple name at the N24. This year marked its tenth anniversary here, and its Vantage N430 bagged a class win to mark the occasion.

An Aston's-eye view of the bedlam on grid before the race's 4pm Saturday start. The humongous roster of cars leaves in three waves to avoid carnage on its way to a wonderfully loud rolling start.

Still feeling patriotic? Here's a big old Bentley thundering around. Drivers of little old Golfs beware.

As you’d expect, though, a decent portion of the ‘Ring 24-hour grid consists of Porsche 911s. That is no bad thing.

Audi R8s are increasingly competitive here, however. Here’s the eventual race winner driving into nightfall.

The hours of darkness aren’t just tough for drivers, they’re tough on the pit crews too. Garages are shared between several cars, making the pit lane a busy and boisterous place.

Some people, though, need to get crucial shut-eye amongst the madness.

While members of the pit crew rest, though, the party really gets started for the spectators. The circuit periphery is a world of vibrant noise and colour. And boozing…

Barbeques are naturally an N24 staple. Drivers report the smell of freshly made sausages and burgers frequently permeating their cabins, making that all-important concentration even harder to maintain.

This race would be nothing without its loyal, and occasionally mildly unhinged fanbase. Before the race starts on Saturday, the most dedicated campers scramble onto the circuit to enjoy it for themselves…

…and to leave their own (not always sage) advice via the ‘Ring’s famous graffiti daubings.

Day breaks, and perhaps the toughest stint of them all – the morning after the night of broken sleep before – fires the remaining cars towards the race’s final furlong.

Tired heads are struggling to make sense of the new day elsewhere, too, though for entirely different reasons.

With scores of significantly slower cars to wade through, the front runners must continue with their A-game.

That’s not to say some don’t come off a little worse for wear from the 165-car grid’s diversity, though, and the scary closing speeds that brings.

Those who’ve evaded trouble cross the line victorious, however; 102 cars finished 2015’s race, less than two-thirds of the grid. Seeing 4pm on Sunday can be as much of an achievement as an actual class win.