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Akshay Gupta Steps Up to Porsche GT4 for 2026 Nurburgring Endurance Series

Indian racecar driver Akshay Gupta is advancing his career by joining Sorg Rennsport to drive a Porsche Cayman GT4 in the 2026 Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie and the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. He will compete in the highly competitive, one-make Cup3 class as part of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nurburgring, sharing the car with teammates Darian Donkel and Aaron Wenisch. After three successful seasons in production classes, Gupta has set his sights on winning the Pro-AM championship. The upcoming season will feature a 10-race calendar and will also see Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen competing in the GT3 class.

Key Points: Indian Driver Akshay Gupta Joins Porsche GT4 Series at Nurburgring

  • Steps up to competitive Cup3 class
  • Teams with German drivers Darian Donkel & Aaron Wenisch
  • Aims for Pro-AM championship title
  • Represents India for third full NLS season
  • Season features 10 races including 24h Nurburgring
3 min read

Indian racer Akshay Gupta steps up to Porsche's GT4 car for 2026 Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie

Indian racer Akshay Gupta will compete in the 2026 Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie and 24h race in a Porsche Cayman GT4 with team Sorg Rennsport.

"I have my sights set on winning the Pro-AM championship this year in the PETN. - Akshay Gupta"

Nurburg, March 13

Indian racecar driver, Akshay Gupta, will take the next step in his endurance racing career by joining Sorg Rennsport to compete with the Porsche Cayman GT4 in the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie and the Nurburgring 24 Hours, according to a release.

The 33-year-old driver from Ahmedabad, India, will race the #949 Porsche Cayman GT4 CS in the Cup3 class, which forms part of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nurburgring (PETN) -- one of the most competitive categories in the championship.

Gupta will share driving duties with 19-year-old German driver Darian Donkel (his former teammate from Mertens Motorsport in 2025), along with fellow German racer Aaron Wenisch.

After three seasons competing in the VT2 production classes with Hyundai and BMW machinery, Gupta now steps into the highly competitive Cup3 class. During this period, he achieved six podium finishes and two race victories.

"The last three years in the production classes were a huge learning experience. I wanted to achieve a few milestones before I took a step up in the GT racing ladder," said Gupta.

"GT4 cars are the immediate next step and I am happy to have signed with a strong & experienced team. My teammates are also experienced and fast, I shared the car with Darian at Mertens & the pit box with Aaron in 2023, so I am familiar with them. I have my sights set on winning the Pro-AM championship this year in the PETN," he said further.

The Cup3 category forms part of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nurburgring. The class is widely known for attracting the largest fields in the NLS championship and delivering extremely competitive multi-class endurance racing. The cars are supplied by Porsche and are identical, with limited setup adjustment options.

In the opening race on March 14th 2026, the Cup3 class has 21-entries. The one-make nature of the class ensures that talent is a bigger deciding factor in race outcomes.

Akshay Gupta's new team, Sorg Rennsport, is one of the most established Porsche endurance teams at the Nurburgring and fields 10 entries in the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie. The team has had over 50 class victories in the NLS & RCN.

The upcoming season will also feature Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen competing in the GT3 class with Winward Racing in NLS Round 2 and the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

Akshay Gupta will once again represent India on the grid and remains the only Indian driver competing in the full Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie championship for a third consecutive season.

The NLS championship features 10 races, out of which nine are 4-hour & one 6-hour race, apart from the feature race, the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. Here's the full race calendar:

12th to 14th March, 2026: NLS119th to 21st March, 2026: NLS29th to 11th April, 2026: NLS316th to 19th April, 2026: ADAC 24h Qualifiers (NLS4/5)13th to 17th May, 2026: ADAC Ravenol 24 Hours of Nurburgring18th to 20th June, 2026: NLS 630th July to 1st August, 2026: NLS710th to 13th September, 2026: NLS 8 & NLS 98th to 10th October, 2026: NLS10

The races are telecasted live on YouTube Channels: @VLNOFFICIAL, @Nurburgring-o5h and @AutoAddictionMedia.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So proud to see an Indian driver holding his own on such a legendary and difficult track like the Nürburgring for three seasons straight. The step up to Porsche is huge! Hope this gets more coverage in Indian sports media.
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Rohit P
Great to see him progress! But a respectful criticism: I wish there was more financial and corporate sponsorship backing for our drivers at this level. The talent is clearly there, as Akshay proves, but consistent support is key for long-term success in such an expensive sport.
S
Sarah B
The Cup3 class sounds incredibly competitive with 21 identical cars. It really will come down to driver and team skill. Sharing the grid with Max Verstappen in some races must be an incredible experience. All the best to Akshay and the team!
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Karthik V
Ahmedabad to Nürburgring! 🏁 What a journey. His patience, learning in the production classes first, and now this step up is a lesson for young racers in India. The live YouTube streams are a blessing for fans. Will definitely tune in.
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Michael C
Sorg Rennsport is a top team with a massive record. Getting a seat with them is a big deal. Shows Akshay has earned serious respect in the paddock. Looking forward to seeing the #949 car on track.

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