NLS3: GirlsOnly unlucky with punctures, Miki Koyama makes Nürburgring debut
- MIKA BÖCKER
- 51 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Strong female participation continued for the third NLS round, with promising performances from the GirlsOnly team — however hampered by punctures — and Miki Koyama, who made her debut at the Nürburgring and secured her Nordschleife permit.
Strong female representation in the NLS3 was met with some promising performances as well as misfortunes, as the teams are working to prepare for the 24H race.
Many women competed in the third round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS), though only a few were able to turn their commitment into results, while others were struck by misfortune.
Qualifying for the third NLS race of the season started on time, unlike the previous rounds. To avoid the situation seen in NLS 2, where early Code 60 phases prevented any fast laps, most cars went out on track immediately. The track was therefore accordingly crowded, which led to its own problems: the No. 912 and No. 935 Porsches collided on the Grand Prix loop, triggering an early Code 60 once again.
Further incidents followed as qualifying progressed, making it almost a matter of luck whether a team could set a quick lap under green conditions. The female competitors were also affected and did not necessarily qualify where expected. The GirlsOnly team, as the best-placed all-female crew, qualified 40th overall and 5th in the SP8T class.
Jasmin Preisig placed 58th overall in the AT3 class in her VW Golf, just behind the No. 977 Cup3 Porsche driven by Desiree Müller. Debutant Miki Koyama took on double duty, competing in both of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Supra GT4 entries in the SP8T class. Her No. 172 car qualified 81st overall, while the No. 173 started from 98th. Flavia Pellegrino Fernandes was particularly unlucky, starting only 135th overall, though she led the VT3 class.
The race began in perfect conditions, with rare bright sunshine over the Nürburgring. But chaos struck early in the first starting group: a Porsche misjudged its braking into Turn 1 and crashed into the Abt Lamborghini, which had to retire with broken suspension. The GirlsOnly team avoided the incident and had a clean start, allowing Janina Schall to immediately gain positions.
The other two starting groups launched without drama. Preisig and Müller, two direct rivals in the Ladies Trophy, were able to safely settle into their races and target the podium. Koyama started in the lower-placed No. 173 and began her recovery drive before switching to the second car. Pellegrino Fernandes was forced to retire early due to technical issues.
Unlike the previous round, the early race ran under green for a long stretch, with only minor delays and few accidents. The first major incidents didn’t occur until about 30 minutes in, with all female drivers making it through unscathed. Still, issues began to arise.
The GirlsOnly team suffered a puncture on lap 5, forcing Schall to limp back to the pits and lose valuable time. Unfortunately, this was only the first of three tire failures the team would face. Koyama steadily improved her pace, as much as Code 60 conditions allowed, before pitting after six laps and handing over to her teammate Alesi.
Müller pitted as planned after eight laps, still chasing the Cup3 class leader. Preisig’s teammate Leuchter completed nine laps before handing over to the Swiss driver, who rejoined still behind the front-runners.
Things took a turn for the better at mid-distance for Preisig. Through consistent pace and strategic execution, she moved to the front of the AT3 class. Meanwhile, Koyama waited for her next stint in the second Toyota, and Pippa Mann took over the GirlsOnly car to begin clawing back time. Müller maintained consistent pace and remained in contention.
Roughly 2.5 hours in, there was a frightening moment for Preisig: while in a fast uphill section, her Golf made contact with the No. 36 Aston Martin GT3. The incident forced her retirement and dashed hopes of a class win.
At the second pit stop, the GirlsOnly team switched to Carrie Schreiner, who continued the recovery drive. However, increasingly frequent Code 60s hindered her progress. Still, she managed to clock the team’s fastest lap during her stint. Müller’s race continued without incident, with one more driver change to follow.
Despite strong lap times, Schreiner couldn’t mount an attack for the lead. For the penultimate stint, Koyama took over the No. 172 Supra and once again set the car’s fastest lap of the day.
In the final hour, all women’s teams except Müller’s pitted for one last driver change. Schreiner handed the GirlsOnly BMW back to Schall, who repeated her early pace until a third puncture on the final lap curtailed their charge once again.
Koyama handed the No. 172 back to Alesi, who pitted again just one lap later. The car’s performance appeared compromised, with Alesi lapping significantly slower than earlier despite a clear track. Müller’s car was the only one to complete the race without any major problems, though she narrowly missed a class podium.
Müller’s No. 977 Cup3 Porsche finished 46th overall and 10th in class. In SP8T, the GirlsOnly BMW finished 8th in class and 50th overall, sandwiched between Koyama’s two Toyotas. The Japanese driver finished 7th in class and 48th overall with the No. 173, and 9th in class and 61st overall with the No. 172.
Importantly, she secured her Nordschleife permit and will now be eligible to race in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
In the Ladies Trophy standings, Janina Schall and Jasmin Preisig are now tied for the lead, while Desiree Müller has closed the gap. The next NLS round will be held on July 5, 2025. In the meantime, the 24-hour qualifiers take place in late May, followed by the legendary 24 Hours of Nürburgring in June.