Earl Bamber will race with the Frikadelli Racing Team in this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hour, running in one of two Porsche 911 GT3 Rs.
Bamber was released as a factory Porsche driver at the end of 2020, transitioning into a support role to work as a designated driver for a number of Porsche customer teams.
The New Zealander will be partnered with Matt Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy for the hallowed endurance event. He and Tandy are the reigning Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hour champions, while Campbell was a part of Bamber’s race-winning team in the 2019 Bathurst 12 Hour.
The sister #31 car will have Porsche works driver Frédéric Makowiecki, Dennis Olsen, Patrick Pilet and Maxime Martin behind the wheel.
Bamber is the only driver in the eight-man line-up who has yet to race for the Frikadelli race team. He will make his debut with the team at a handful of Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) ahead of the 24 Hour event.
Last year, the Kiwi was a late call up to the Nürburgring 24 Hour grid, joining the Porsche customer squad KCMG. He finished 13th overall after a mechanical gremlin hampered the team midway through the race.
Frikadelli Racing has been contesting the endurance racing scene since 2005. They have received the nickname of “the world’s fastest meatball” due to their sponsorship with meat manufacturer Abbelen.
The team will continue running with its Abbelen sponsorship for 2021, unveiling a red-and-white livery for the season ahead.
“We are looking forward to the new season,” said team boss Klaus Abbelen. “Thanks to the support of Porsche, we have an extremely strong driver squad available for the races on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
“We will prepare even more intensively in order to strive for top positions. In terms of driving, I will primarily focus on the Michelin Le Mans Cup in 2021, but this does not rule out sporadic appearances in other racing series throughout the year.”
The 2021 Nürburgring 24 Hour will be held between June 3 – 6.