Team KCMG will take on Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie 2 this weekend, confirming a line-up consisting of two Nürburgring 24 Hours winners alongside a duo who will make its maiden GT3 appearance at the Green Hell.
Former winners of the Nürburgring 24 Hours David Pittard and Jesse Krohn will compete in the upcoming action for the Hong Kong outfit, being joined by Sho Tsuboi and Nirei Fukuzumi, who will both make their GT3 debuts on the Nordschleife after completing their permits with KCMG in GT4 machinery last year.
Tsuboi is a four-time SUPER GT champion, securing the crown in four of the previous five seasons, as well as winning the SUPER FORMULA Drivers’ Championship in 2024.
Fukuzumi himself has had success across both SUPER GT and SUPER FORMULA, running with KCMG in the latter over the previous two campaigns, achieving the squad’s first pole position at Fuji Speedway in 2024, alongside three podiums during his time with the outfit.
Team KCMG underwent a successful test programme last Friday during the practice sessions of NLS1, as the crew and drivers got to grips with the Mercedes-AMG GT3, acting as positive preparation for the upcoming rounds.
Qualifying will take place on Saturday from 08:30 local time (UTC+1), before the four-hour enduro gets underway at 12:00.
DAVID PITTARD
“After a successful and productive test at NLS1 last weekend, it’s now time to race! A big thanks to everyone at KCMG for their hard work which allowed us to achieve our aims during those sessions. It was great to witness the potential of the programme so I’m looking forward to seeing where we are in a competitive environment and working alongside my teammates Jesse, Sho and Nirei.”
JESSE KROHN
“I’m excited for our first official race weekend of the NLS season with KCMG. After getting laps in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 during last Friday’s practice, I now can’t wait to finally get racing. Our main goal is to learn as much as possible to prepare us for the future NLS rounds and the upcoming Nürburgring 24 Hours.”
SHO TSUBOI
“This will be my second time at this iconic track, and my maiden appearance in GT3 machinery there, so I think it’ll be a brilliant opportunity to gain valuable experience. I’m really looking forward to racing in such a great environment with KCMG. I want to understand what driving the Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the Nürburgring feels like and steadily build up my mileage during the race.”
NIREI FUKUZUMI
“I’m very happy to have this opportunity to race with KCMG in NLS. It will be my first time driving the Mercedes-AMG GT3, having only competed at the Nürburgring once before, so there is still a lot for me to discover. I’ve got some experienced teammates to learn from and I’m looking forward to enjoying this opportunity with the team.”
MATT HOWSON TEAM MANAGER
“The first test for KCMG with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 last week was very encouraging, there is still a lot to learn, and we head into NLS2 with the priority being to build on our knowledge of the car and allowing our drivers to do the same. It's a pleasure to welcome Sho Tsuboi and Nirei Fukuzumi back to the Nürburgring with KCMG for their SP9 debut, and together with David and Jesse's experience and speed, we can continue to grow in strength race by race.”
PAUL IP KCMG FOUNDER
“We came away from the NLS1 Friday session with a very positive feeling. The team established a solid understanding of the Mercedes-AMG GT3, and the drivers’ feedback was extremely encouraging. We’re also very happy to welcome Sho Tsuboi to the KCMG family and to start a new chapter at the Nürburgring, alongside Nirei Fukuzumi following our collaboration in SUPER FORMULA. NLS2 is another important step as we focus on learning, building mileage, and preparing for the Nürburgring 24 Hours, while continuing to improve our competitiveness.”
