Black Falcon (racing team)
Auto racing team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Black Falcon GmbH & Co. KG is a German auto racing team founded in 2005 by Alexander Böhm, Marc Schramm, and Marvin Wagner.[1] Based in Meuspath, Germany, the team primarily compete in events held at the Nürburgring and are one of the most experienced teams at the famed circuit, with several appearances at the Nürburgring 24 Hours dating back to 2007 and achieving three drivers' titles in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie.
Marc Schramm
Marvin Wagner
| Founded | 2005 |
|---|---|
| Base | Meuspath, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany |
| Team principal(s) | Alexander Böhm |
| Founder(s) | Alexander Böhm Marc Schramm Marvin Wagner |
| Current series | 992 Endurance Cup Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie |
| Former series | 24H Series ADAC GT Masters GT World Challenge Europe Le Mans Cup Porsche Carrera Cup Germany SEAT León Supercopa |
| Noted drivers | |
| Drivers' Championships | 2008, 2009, 2011 VLN |
| Website | https://www.black-falcon.de/ |
Prior to downsizing their operations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team were a Mercedes-Benz factory squad, competing in major Group GT3 events and series across Europe and the Middle East with their machinery, including two top 3 overall finishes at the Spa 24 Hours, a record five overall wins at the Dubai 24 Hour, and two overall wins at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, including Mercedes-Benz's first victory at the event in 2013.
Background
Black Falcon was founded in 2005 by Alexander Böhm, Marc Schramm, and Marvin Wagner in Dernbach, Westerwaldkreis, Germany. Starting out in a small workshop between 2005 and late 2006, Black Falcon competed locally in the VLN, racing modified BMW sedans with immediate success, finishing 2nd overall in their debut season.[2] A few months later in February 2007, the team moved into a larger workshop in Kelberg near the Nürburgring.[3]
Racing history

By 2008, Black Falcon won their first championship, securing the 2008 VLN Series drivers' title with founder Böhm and Matthias Unger with a BMW 325i. They would repeat the following year in 2009, with Böhm joined by Sean Paul Breslin and Christer Jöns, before securing a third championship two years later in 2011 with Carsten Knechtges, Manuel Metzger, and Tim Scheerbarth driving a modified BMW Z4.[4]
Black Falcon raced outside of Germany for the first time in 2010, entering the 2010 Dubai 24 Hour in the A4 and SP2 classes. They won overall for the first time in the 2012 Dubai 24 Hour, finishing as the lead Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 in what was a podium lockout for Mercedes-Benz, with Khaled Al Qubaisi, Sean Edwards, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Thomas Jäger driving the winning car.[5] Black Falcon repeated in 2013 becoming the first team to win back-to-back since 2007.[6][7] Across eleven appearances at the Dubai 24 Hour, Black Falcon secured five overall wins (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2020), making them the most successful team at the event.
In 2013, Black Falcon achieved Mercedes-AMG's maiden win at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, with Bernd Schneider, Bleekemolen, Edwards and Nicki Thiim beating the charging BMW Z4 GT3 of Marc VDS in a rain-affected race.[8] Black Falcon won again in 2016, as Adam Christodoulou, Maro Engel, Manuel Metzger and Schneider led a historic Mercedes 1-2-3-4 finish after Engel overtook Christian Hohenadel on the final lap.[9] Additionally, the team finished third overall at the 24 Hours of Spa both on debut in 2011 and on its final appearance in 2019.
In 2020, Black Falcon announced that they would be scaling back their factory Group GT3 operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, switching their efforts towards customer racing at the Nürburgring and single-make competitions such as the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany. They were set to compete in the 2020 GT World Challenge Europe with two Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo entries prior to the announcement, but withdrew as a result.[10] Key personnel then moved to Haupt Racing Team, newly established by long-time Black Falcon driver Hubert Haupt.[11][12] Black Falcon briefly returned to GT3 racing in the final two races of the 2021 Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie with a Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.2).[13] The team did not race in GT3 sports cars again until four years later at the 2025 24 Hours of Nürburgring, where they entered a Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) in the SP 9 Pro-Am class.[14]
In 2021, Black Falcon launched a Le Mans Prototype programme for the first time with Lance David Arnold as team manager, entering the 2021 Le Mans Cup's LMP3 class with Donar Munding and Maik Rosenberg.[15][16]
Midway into the 2023 Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie season, Black Falcon signed YouTubers Steve Alvarez Brown, Jimmy Broadbent, and Misha Charoudin, entering a modified BMW 330i in the VT2-R class backed by Bilstein for the final four rounds of the season.[17] They moved to SP 8T for 2024 and 2025, driving a BMW M4 GT4 (and later the Evo model) and joined by team regular Manuel Metzger.[18] Following two strong seasons in the series, including two Nürburgring 24 Hours appearances with a 2nd-place class finish in 2025, they progressed to the AT2 class in a Porsche 992 GT3 Cup with support from Fanatec ahead of 2026.[19]
Race results
24 Hours of Spa
Dubai 24 Hour
| Year | Entrant | No. | Car | Drivers | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 88 | BMW Z4 Coupe Si (E89) | A4 | 494 | 31st | 1st | ||
| 111 | BMW M3 (E92) | SP2 | 560 | 12th | 1st | |||
| 2011[20] | 7 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | A6 | 590 | 3rd | 3rd | ||
| 8 | A6 | 525 | 24th | 12th | ||||
| 2012 | 3 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | A6 | 628 | 1st | 1st | ||
| 23 | BMW M3 GT4 (E92) | SP3 | 549 | 18th | 2nd | |||
| 2013[21] | 1 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | A6-Pro | 600 | 1st | 1st | ||
| 2 | A6-Pro | 580 | 7th | 7th | ||||
| 44 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (997) | 997 | 503 | 28th | 5th | |||
| 2014 | 1 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | A6-Pro | 431 | 49th | 13th | ||
| 2 | A6-Pro | 597 | 3rd | 3rd | ||||
| 44 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (997) | 997 | 574 | 14th | 2nd | |||
| 156 | Porsche 911 Carrera (991) | A5 | 511 | 27th | 2nd | |||
| 2015 | 2 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | A6-Pro | 604 | 1st | 1st | ||
| 3 | A6-Pro | 88 | Ret | Ret | ||||
| 25 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) | 997 | 580 | 10th | 2nd | |||
| 26 | 997 | 580 | 9th | 1st | ||||
| 2016 | 2 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | A6-Pro | 163 | Ret | Ret | ||
| 3 | A6-Pro | 154 | Ret | Ret | ||||
| 16 | A6-Pro | 583 | 2nd | 2nd | ||||
| 60 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) | 991 | 550 | 17th | 5th | |||
| 61 | 991 | 559 | 14th | 3rd | ||||
| 2017 | 2 | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | A6-Pro | 397 | Ret | Ret | ||
| 3 | A6-Pro | 575 | 3rd | 3rd | ||||
| 68 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) | 991 | 555 | 11th | 1st | |||
| 69 | 991 | 538 | 23rd | 5th | ||||
| 243 | Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport (981) | SP3-GT4 | 245 | NC | NC | |||
| 2018 | 2 | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | A6-Pro | 606 | 1st | 1st | ||
| 3 | A6-Pro | 502 | Ret | Ret | ||||
| 7 | A6-Am | 499 | 57th | 11th | ||||
| 264 | Mercedes-AMG GT R SP-X | GT4 | 548 | 31st | 3rd | |||
| 2019 | 2 | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | A6-Pro | 579 | 15th | 7th | ||
| 3 | A6-Pro | 380 | Ret | Ret | ||||
| 2020 | 4 | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | GT3-Pro | 168 | 1st | 1st |
24 Hours of Nürburgring
| Year | Entrant | No. | Car | Drivers | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 194 | BMW 3 Series (E90) | V3-V4 | 93 | 43rd | 2nd | ||
| 195 | V3-V4 | 94 | 34th | 1st | ||||
| 216 | BMW 3 Series (E92) | V5 | 24 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 2008 | 38 | BMW M3 (E92) | SP7 | 129 | 34th | 14th | ||
| 73 | BMW 130i (E87) | SP5 | 90 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 204 | BMW 325i (E90) | V3-V4 | 126 | 48th | 1st | |||
| 214 | BMW 3 Series (E92) | V5 | 128 | 39th | 3rd | |||
| 224 | BMW M3 (E46) | V6 | 134 | 24th | 1st | |||
| 2009 | 36 | BMW M3 (E92) | SP7 | 110 | 93rd | 6th | ||
| 162 | BMW 325i (E90) | V4 | 121 | 69th | 4th | |||
| 176 | BMW Z4 (E86) | SP5 | 130 | 43rd | 3rd | |||
| 188 | BMW M3 (E46) | V6 | 131 | 40th | 1st | |||
| 2010 | 102 | Audi R8 LMS | SP9 GT3 | 152 | 5th | 3rd | ||
| 120 | BMW M3 GT4 (E92) | SP10 GT4 | 134 | 32nd | 2nd | |||
| 180 | BMW Z4 3.0 Si (E86) | V5 | 131 | 45th | 3rd | |||
| 2011 | 20 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | SP9 GT3 | 131 | 49th | 16th | ||
| 21 | SP9 GT3 | 150 | 11th | 7th | ||||
| 22 | SP9 GT3 | 153 | 6th | 4th | ||||
| 225 | BMW Z4 (E86) | V5 | 135 | 31st | 1st | |||
| 226 | BMW 3 Series (E92) | V5 | 132 | 43rd | 4th | |||
| 227 | BMW Z4 (E86) | V5 | 126 | 69th | 6th | |||
| 2012 | 16 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | SP9 | 147 | 14th | 12th | ||
| 221 | BMW M3 (E92) | V5 | 130 | 42nd | 1st | |||
| 233 | BMW M3 CSL (E46) | V6 | 133 | 36th | 1st | |||
| 234 | BMW M3 (E92) | V6 | 129 | 45th | 4th | |||
| 2013[22] | 9 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | SP9 | 88 | 1st | 1st | ||
| 10 | SP9 | 52 | 58th | 21st | ||||
| 54 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 3.8 (997) | SP7 | 80 | 26th | 7th | |||
| 55 | SP7 | 84 | 15th | 4th | ||||
| 63 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | SP9 | 82 | 19th | 15th | |||
| 2014 | 1 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | SP9 GT3 | 159 | 2nd | 2nd | ||
| 14 | SP9 GT3 | 72 | NC | NC | ||||
| 56 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) | SP7 | 150 | 12th | 1st | |||
| 58 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) | SP7 | 145 | 18th | 5th | |||
| 159 | Porsche 911 Carrera (991) | V6 | 135 | 45th | 4th | |||
| 160 | Porsche Cayman S (981) | V6 | 108 | 105th | 8th | |||
| 161 | Porsche 911 Carrera (991) | V6 | 138 | 30th | 2nd | |||
| 2015 | 2 | Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 | SP9 GT3 | 31 | Ret | Ret | ||
| 5 | SP9 GT3 | 155 | 5th | 5th | ||||
| 61 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) | SP7 | 148 | 13th | 1st | |||
| 161 | Porsche 911 Carrera (991) | SP6 | 74 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 162 | V6 | 136 | 26th | 1st | ||||
| 178 | Porsche Cayman (981) | V5 | 9 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 2016 | 4 | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | SP9 | 134 | 1st | 1st | ||
| 9 | SP9 | 133 | 4th | 4th | ||||
| 14 | SP9 | 57 | Ret | Ret | ||||
| 64 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) | SP7 | 124 | 15th | 1st | |||
| 140 | Porsche 911 (991) | V6 | 116 | 31st | 1st | |||
| 351 | Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport (981) | Cup3 | 27 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 2017 | 1 | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | SP9 | 158 | 5th | 5th | ||
| 3 | SP9 | 146 | 23rd | 17th | ||||
| 4 | SP9 | 156 | 13th | 13th | ||||
| 65 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) | SP7 | 29 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 72 | Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport (981) | SP10 | 140 | 33rd | 1st | |||
| 133 | Porsche 911 Carrera (991) | V6 | 135 | 49th | 1st | |||
| 2018 | 4 | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | SP9 | 135 | 2nd | 2nd | ||
| 5 | SP9 | 135 | 3rd | 3rd | ||||
| 6 | SP9 | 134 | 5th | 4th | ||||
| 64 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup MR | SP7 | - | DNS | DNS | |||
| 66 | Mercedes-AMG GT4 | SP10 | 116 | 51st | 1st | |||
| 138 | Porsche 911 Carrera (991) | V6 | 113 | 57th | 1st | |||
| 2019 | 2 | Mercedes-AMG GT3 | SP9 Pro | 49 | Ret | Ret | ||
| 3 | SP9 | 156 | 2nd | 2nd | ||||
| 6 | SP9 Pro | 138 | Ret | Ret | ||||
| 46 | Mercedes-AMG GT4 | SP8T | 123 | 71st | 6th | |||
| 64 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup MR | SP7 | 144 | 22nd | 3rd | |||
| 70 | Mercedes-AMG GT4 | SP10 | 145 | 17th | 1st | |||
| 132 | Porsche 911 Carrera (991) | V6 | 131 | 57th | 2nd | |||
| 133 | V6 | 134 | 49th | 1st | ||||
| 2020 | 35 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup MR | SP Pro | 77 | 22nd | 1st | ||
| 38 | Mercedes-AMG GT4 | SP 8T | 78 | 21st | 2nd | |||
| 306 | Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport | Cup3 | 76 | 30th | 1st | |||
| 2021 | 36 | Mercedes-AMG GT4 | SP 8T | 54 | 26th | 1st | ||
| 308 | Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport | Cup3 | 52 | 46th | 5th | |||
| 350 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup MR | SP Pro | 3 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 2022 | 85 | Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport | SP 10 | 99 | NC | NC | ||
| 121 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) | Cup2 | 97 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 122 | Cup2 | 97 | Ret | Ret | ||||
| 123 | Cup2 | 151 | 16th | 2nd | ||||
| 2023 | 170 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) | Cup2 Am | - | DNS | DNS | ||
| 189 | Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport | Cup3 Am | 122 | 69th | 6th | |||
| 2024 | 77 | BMW M4 GT4 (G82) | SP 10 | 9 | Ret | Ret | ||
| 103 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) | Cup2 Pro | 48 | 20th | 1st | |||
| 148 | Cup2 Pro | 45 | 30th | 9th | ||||
| 150 | BMW M4 GT4 (G82) | SP 8T | 45 | 38th | 2nd | |||
| 2025 | 48 | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | SP 9 Pro-Am | 104 | 65th | 14th | ||
| 67 | BMW M4 GT4 Evo (G82) | SP 10 | 125 | 30th | 1st | |||
| 70 | Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport (981) | SP 7 | 59 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 150 | BMW M4 GT4 Evo (G82) | SP 8T | 130 | 21st | 2nd | |||
| 900 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) | Cup2 Am | 133 | 17th | 1st | |||
| 948 | Cup2 Pro | 135 | 11th | 1st | ||||
| 2026 | 5 | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2) | SP 9 Am | 147 | 20th | 1st | ||
| 48 | SP 9 Pro-Am | 154 | 10th | 1st | ||||
| 177 | BMW M4 GT4 Evo (G82) | SP 10 | 121 | 77th | 7th | |||
| 180 | SP 10 | 106 | 102nd | 8th | ||||
| 632 | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) | AT2 | 70 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 900 | Cup2 Pro | 148 | 18th | 1st | ||||
| 902 | Cup2 Pro | 148 | 19th | 2nd | ||||
| 939 | Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport | Cup3 Am | 137 | 36th | 3rd |