Reiter Engineering kicks off the season at the Nürburgring
23.03.2026
Kirchanschöring, Bavaria – Reiter Engineering, bases in Kirchanschöring, Upper Bavaria, entered its 2022 in-house developed KTM X-BOW GTX in the SPX class as part of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie last weekend (March 20-21, 2026). With a driver line-up that includes Miklas Born, Arne Hoffmeister and Julien Apothéloz, the team will compete in selected NLS races this season to prepare for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. The campaign is part of a new, progressive development program aimed at further optimizing not only vehicle performance but also internal team processes.
Friday - Test Day and first rollout of the KTM X-BOW GTX
In contrast to the previous week, the Eifel weather showed its best side on Friday. Under sunshine and optimal conditions, Swiss driver Miklas Born, now in his third season with Reiter Engineering, completed his first laps in the newly foil-wrapped KTM X-BOW GTX.
The focus first was on setting up the car around the Grand Prix circuit to ensure that vehicle and team were perfectly in sync. As part of the current development project, the engineering team was represented at the track with a larger crew than in previous years. For many engineers involved, this marked their first direct involvement in race operations. The goal of the day was therefore not only to test the car but also to practice working together under race conditions and to solidify procedures in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
A midday interruption provided an additional opportunity to analyze data and identify issues with the car. Shortly thereafter, the KTM took to the Nordschleife for the first time.
In the afternoon, Julien Apothéloz took the wheel, driving not only for Reiter Engineering for the first time but also in the KTM X-BOW GTX. Arne Hoffmeister then got behind the wheel, putting in more important laps as an experienced Nordschleife driver.
Saturday - Qualifying and Race in cool but sunny conditions
The weather remained nice on Saturday as well, though temperatures were cooler. Following a successful scrutineering on Friday, the car was prepared in accordance with the current BoP, which was based on the car´s most recent outing on the Nordschleife.
Qualifying began at 8:30 a.m. Miklas Born completed two laps on the Grand Prix circuit and then switched to the Nordschleife. However, several Code 60 phases and traffic made it difficult to get a clear lap.
After about half an hour, the car came into the pits for a driver change and Julien Apothéloz took over. Running on used tires and refueled, he completed several more laps on the Nordschleife, securing second place on the grid in the SPX class and 38th overall.
Many spectators used the time between qualifying and the race start to get a close-up look at the X-BOW. With its eye-catching wrap, the X-BOW proved to be a real head-turner and a crowd favorite.
The Race - A solid start with important insights
The KTM X-BOW GTX started in the first starting group in a highly competitive field of 132 cars. Julien Apothéloz took the wheel at the start and stayed out of incidents in the early stages. In the opening laps, the team primarily had to hold up against Cup Porsches, while their direct competitor from the SPX class had started further ahead in the race.
After an hour, the first scheduled pit stop took place with a driver change to Miklas Born. After the stint, the car was in 23rd position, about four minutes behind the leader. Born then completed a double stint and navigated the car through traffic on the Nordschleife without any issues.
Arne Hoffmeister took over the cockpit for the final stint. The experienced Nürburgring driver drove a clean and controlled race and finished the race in P2 in the SPX class and 27th overall.
Coming up
For Reiter Engineering, the season opener served primarily as an important test under race conditions. In addition to further development, the focus was on optimizing team processes and collecting data for the 24-hour race.
With a trouble-free race and numerous insights gained, the team draws a positive conclusion and looks forward to the upcoming events at the Nürburgring:
- NLS3: April 10–11, 2026
- 24h Qualifiers: April 17–19, 2026
- 24h Nürburgring: May 14–17, 2026
