Numerous women deliver strong performances at NLS2
- MIKA BÖCKER
- May 1
- 4 min read
A strong female presence marked the second NLS round at the Nürburgring, with successful debuts from Sarah Ganser and Michelle Gatting—who earned her Permit B— a class podium for Michelle Halder, and a fifth and sixth place in class for Samantha Tan Racing and Girls Only team, hampered by an engine issue.
With the debuts of Michelle Gatting and Sarah Ganser, the return of Samantha Tan and Michelle Halder, and the regular starters from GirlsOnly—Flavia Pellegrino Fernandes, Jasmin Preisig, and Desiree Müller—numerous women were on the grid for the second round of this year’s NLS and achieved predominantly positive results.
Unsurprisingly, the drivers felt the effects of the famous Eifel weather early in the morning. Thick fog and very low visibility forced a delay to the practice session, costing teams 23 minutes of track time.
Practice began in a hectic atmosphere once the fog lifted and the track cleared. New faces in the field included Michelle Gatting in the Porsche 718 Cayman competing in the alternative fuel class, and Sarah Ganser in the VW Golf 7 TCR in the SP3T class.
Returning to the series were Michelle Halder in the Porsche 911 from Four Motors in the other alternative fuel class, and Samantha Tan in the BMW M4 GT4 in the SP8T category. Series regulars GirlsOnly were back on the grid as well: Carrie Schreiner, Janina Schall, and Beitske Visser in the BMW M4 GT4; Desiree Müller in the Porsche 718 in the Cup 3 class; Jasmin Preisig (also competing in the alternative fuels class); and Flavia Pellegrino Fernandes in the BMW 325i in the VT3 class.
Reflecting on her debut after her first laps, Sarah Ganser said: "It was truly incredible, the feeling is still indescribable, I’m still at a loss for words. It was all very spontaneous, and I couldn’t really adjust to it. I’m actually a fan of being thrown in at the deep end, but I was still just excited today and just didn’t want to screw up."
The cold temperatures, traffic, and lingering fog caught out some drivers, leading to early incidents and multiple Code 60 phases. These slowed everyone’s lap times, and the best performances only came toward the end of the session. Among the female competitors, Halder’s team set the fastest time, qualifying 32nd overall with an 8:44.
Samantha Tan’s team followed with the second-best time among the women, placing 45th overall with an 8:57. The GirlsOnly crew followed in 60th with a 9:08. The results were somewhat skewed due to the uneven distribution of Code 60 periods, which persisted through the session and affected lap opportunities.
The race itself began smoothly across all three starting groups. In the first group, there were few changes involving the female participants. In the second, Halder’s team lost a few places but avoided incidents and managed traffic effectively. A similar situation occurred for Fernandes in the third group.
However, the calm at the start didn’t last long. Several serious incidents occurred on the opening lap, including one near the Schwalbenschwanz, where a car went over the barrier. Carrie Schreiner witnessed one of these accidents firsthand, seeing a car in front of her fly off the track.
That first lap was the only one Schreiner completed without a Code 60; the starting groups behind her didn’t manage a single green-flag lap during their first two stints. Nevertheless, the GirlsOnly crew moved from ninth in class to fourth within the first 90 minutes.
Along the way, the team faced several close battles across classes, including with a Porsche driven by Janina Schall’s father, who was scheduled to race later. Meanwhile, Halder’s crew dropped back to third in the AT2 class, while Ganser’s debuting team impressively climbed to second in SP3T.
Fernandes’ team led their class unopposed in the V3T category. Although no other all-female teams reached a podium position in their respective classes at that point, Samantha Tan’s BMW fiercely battled YouTube star Jimmy Broadbent’s team for multiple laps—frequently pressuring them before traffic from other classes intervened. A puncture would ultimately end that pursuit.
Michelle Gatting’s team moved into a provisional podium position in their class after 2.5 hours. As accidents decreased in frequency, track crews were able to work more efficiently, although multiple Code 60s continued due to barrier repairs and ongoing incidents.
Meanwhile, Tan’s team began a comeback following their puncture. The GirlsOnly team also performed well, temporarily securing a provisional podium. However, Fernandes’ car was disqualified due to technical issues, and Müller’s team retired after just 14 laps with Tim Lukas Müller behind the wheel.
The Four Motors team, with Halder at the helm, had a calm and consistent run, consolidating third in their class. Ganser’s team also drove a composed race and held on to second in SP3T.
In the later stages of the race, things settled somewhat, although true calm rarely exists on the Nordschleife. The GirlsOnly crew suffered renewed engine issues on their BMW, losing substantial time. Unlike in the season opener, they were at least able to continue the race—but the delays allowed Tan’s team to overtake them despite their earlier puncture. In the end, they finished 5th and 6th in class, one lap behind the winner—limiting the damage after a tough race.
Both Four Motors teams, running on 100% green e-fuels, reached the podium in their classes. Michelle Halder’s and Michelle Gatting’s teams each finished third, one lap behind the respective class winners.
Thanks to a clean and successful race, Gatting earned her Nordschleife Permit B, allowing her to compete in higher categories of the NLS and the Nürburgring 24 Hours. She now plans to move up with her partner, Jules Gounon, to pursue the Permit A.
Sarah Ganser also enjoyed a strong NLS debut. Although her team dropped one position in the final stint, she still celebrated a third-place finish—an ideal stepping stone as she prepares for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
Jasmin Preisig finished fourth in the AT3 class behind Gatting. That result was enough for her to take the lead in the Ladies Trophy. Janina Schall follows in second place, just one point behind.
Desiree Müller and Flavia Pellegrino Fernandes are tied for third, each with two points. The remaining female drivers are not registered in the classification, as they will not be participating in every round. Still, the broader participation compared to past years promises exciting developments in the championship ahead.
