The Green Hell will be getting a new splash of colour in the 2026 season: DUNLOP Motorsport will compete in this year’s ADAC RAVENOL Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) and the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring with a Porsche 911 GT3 R. The brand is expanding its involvement on one of the world’s most demanding race tracks and signalling its commitment to performance and innovation.
The project makes a strong visual statement: the Porsche 911 GT3 R is presented in the iconic DUNLOP colours of yellow and black. The livery, created by Gran Turismo developers in Japan, combines a striking new identity with tradition. DUNLOP has been the global tyre partner of the Gran Turismo World Series and Gran Turismo 7 since the end of 2025. This allows every player to test the performance of DUNLOP tyres directly in the game and experience them under realistic conditions. The appearance is completed by the deliberately chosen start number 17 – an homage to the legendary Porsche Group C prototypes of the 1980s. It bridges the gap between great motorsport history and state-of-the-art GT3 technology.
DUNLOP will field the latest 2026 specification of its Porsche 911 GT3 R, an optimised version of the successful 992 chassis first launched in 2023. Amongst the updates, the car features new louvres integrated into the front wheel arches, updates to the rear wing and an enhanced rear section – aimed at optimising driveability. DUNLOP will utilise its branded tyres and debut with SENSING CORE, Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ (SRI) innovative sensorless tyre monitoring technology that detects tyre pressure, load and wear in real-time, aiding puncture detection and strategic calls from the pitwall.
DUNLOP’s history dates back to 1888, when John Boyd Dunlop developed the first pneumatic tyre. Competition has been part of the brand’s DNA ever since: from rallying to overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and successes in the DTM, DUNLOP has been firmly anchored in international motorsport for decades. This motorsport history is now set to endure on the Nordschleife. DUNLOP Motorsport will start the 2026 season with Julien Andlauer, Nico Menzel, Dorian Boccolacci and Alessio Picariello. All four drivers bring extensive experience with the Porsche 911 GT3 R and on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Porsche factory driver Julien Andlauer is highly regarded in the World Endurance Championship and combines international prototype and GT experience with in-depth Nordschleife expertise. Nico Menzel is a proven specialist of the Green Hell: the Eifel native knows the characteristics, traffic dynamics and setup window of the GT3 Porsche on the 25-kilometre layout in detail. Dorian Boccolacci and Alessio Picariello have celebrated overall victories on the Nordschleife and, with their GT experience, are among the most consistent top performers in the NLS.
With its expanded involvement on the Nordschleife, DUNLOP is using one of the most demanding racetracks in the world as both a development platform and an international showcase. Motorsport is not only a sporting competition, but also an expression of technological expertise, uncompromising performance standards and global brand strength.
This announcement is the result of a strategic realignment within SRI. The Japanese tyre group acquired the DUNLOP trademark rights in May 2025 and has positioned DUNLOP as the central brand of its global growth strategy. The aim is to expand its international presence and strengthen the brand value in the long term. This strategic focus is now becoming visible in motorsport.