The rise of a GT squad responsible for a unique 24-hour racing feat

It's a significant achievement to win one 24-hour race in a year, let alone two, and with different manufacturers, but that's exactly what ROWE Racing did in 2020 at the Nurburgring and Spa. This weekend's German classic offers the DTM newcomer a chance of another unique double to add to its growing collection of accolades

Gary Watkins Jun 3, 2021, 9:15 AM

Rowe Racing is bidding for a second consecutive Nurburgring 24 Hours win with BMW this weekend. It would be a record of sorts: no team has notched up back-to-back victories at the Nordschleife enduro during the ultra-competitive GT3 era. But the German operation has already made a bit of history. Last year it became the first operation to triumph in the twice-around-the-clock classics at the Nurburgring and Spa in the same year with different manufacturers, BMW and Porsche. Not bad for a team that only 10 years ago was operating out of a couple of lock-up garages.

Rowe, pronounced ‘Rover’ as in the car or the dog, has come a long way in a short space of time. It has become established as one of the top GT3 endurance teams, up there with WRT, Phoenix and the Haupt Racing Team that has grown out of two-time Nurburgring winner Black Falcon.

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Author Gary Watkins

Gary Watkins has, for reasons best known to himself, devoted all his working life to covering sportscar racing. This season is his 33rd as a motorsport journalist, during which time he has reported on major long-distance events on four continents and approaching 80 24-hour races. He reckons a degree in political philosophy makes him well qualified for covering the sometimes Machiavellian world of international sportscars.

Gary, who also writes for Motor Sport, Autocourse, RACER and others, lives in Surbiton close to the former workshops of the Cooper Formula 1 team but spends more time on the road than at home for most of the year.