How NLS Championship Points Work
The NLS champion is often not the driver who wins races outright. The title goes to the crew that scores best within its own class, and the number of points on offer depends on how many cars actually start in that class. This page sets out how the 2026 regulations hand out points, when a bad result is dropped, how a tie is broken, and how the separate NLS Speed Trophy for the fastest cars works.
Why can a BMW M240i lead the NLS ahead of the GT3 cars?
Every car in an NLS race is scored on its finishing position inside its class, not on its overall position. A class win is worth the same 15 points in a four-hour race whether it comes in a GT3 class or in a one-make cup for touring cars, as long as at least seven cars start in that class. A crew that wins its class consistently can therefore outscore the crews that fight for overall victory. In 2026 the drivers’ title came down to a BMW M240i Racing from Adrenalin Motorsport and a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS from Smyrlis Racing, while the GT3 cars fought for the separate Speed Trophy.
How the classes are drawn up is explained in The NLS Class System Explained.
How many points is a class win worth?
It depends on two things: the length of the race and the number of cars that actually started in the class. A car counts as a starter once it has crossed the start line after the start signal, or has joined the race from the pit lane. Cars that were entered but did not start do not count.
Four-hour races (Article 25.1.1):
| Class position | 1 starter | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 15 |
| 2 | – | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 11 |
| 3 | – | – | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 4 | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 6 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 |
| 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| 8 and lower | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
Six-hour races (Article 25.1.2):
| Class position | 1 starter | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 19 |
| 2 | – | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 14 |
| 3 | – | – | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| 4 | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 |
| 5 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 |
| 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| 8 and lower | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
In a full class of seven or more starters, a four-hour race pays 15, 11, 8, 6, 4, 3 and 2 points for the first seven places, and 1 point for every finisher from eighth down. The six-hour race pays 19, 14, 10, 8, 5, 4 and 3. In a small class the scale shrinks: a class win against only three starters is worth 4 points in a four-hour race. That is why entering a well-filled class matters to anyone with title ambitions.
What happens when a race is stopped early?
If a race is shortened or stopped and not restarted, the points depend on how long it ran (Article 25.1):
| Race | No points | Half points | Full points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | up to 80 minutes | over 80 up to 160 minutes | over 160 minutes |
| 6 hours | up to 120 minutes | over 120 up to 250 minutes | over 250 minutes |
A race counts as a scoring round as soon as it has been started. The VLN can name replacement races if a round has to be cancelled.
Is the worst result dropped?
Sometimes. Article 25.2 sets the rule for the drivers’ classifications:
- If ten races are held, the best eight results of each driver count.
- If nine races are held, the best eight results count.
- A driver who has completed eight races or fewer keeps all results, without a dropped score.
A race counts as “completed” for a driver once the car has crossed the start line, so a retirement still counts as a completed race with zero points. A result from which a driver was disqualified can never be the one that is dropped.
In 2026 nothing is dropped. The season opener was cancelled because of winter weather and the first 24h Qualifiers race was stopped after the fatal accident of Juha Miettinen, so no driver can complete more than eight races. The standings sheets still carry the standard note that they are “subject to a dropped result”, but the rule does not come into play this year.
What decides a tie on points?
If two crews finish the season level, Article 25.4 decides in this order:
- More class wins, then more second places, then more third places and so on.
- The higher average number of cars in the driver’s class across all races.
- The better position in the last race.
- The better score in the dropped result, where one applies.
- The better average qualifying position in the class.
The second step is unusual. It rewards a crew that has raced in crowded classes, on the logic that beating sixteen rivals is harder than beating eight. If the crews are still level after all five steps, they share the position.
What is the NLS Speed Trophy?
The NLS Speed Trophy is the prize for outright pace. It is scored on the overall classification, not the class result, and the points go to the car (start number and team) rather than to the drivers (Article 25.6.2). The top twenty cars in each race score:
| Overall position | Points |
|---|---|
| 1st | 35 |
| 2nd | 28 |
| 3rd | 25 |
| 4th | 22 |
| 5th | 20 |
| 6th | 18 |
| 7th | 16 |
| 8th | 14 |
| 9th | 12 |
| 10th | 11 |
| 11th to 20th | 10 down to 1 |
The three fastest cars in qualifying add 3, 2 and 1 points. A perfect weekend is therefore worth 38 points. The dropped-result rule applies only to the drivers’ classifications, so every Speed Trophy result counts. The top three receive 4,000, 2,500 and 1,500 euros.
In 2026 the trophy was settled before the final round. According to Motorsport-Total.com, the #77 Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO led the #48 LOSCH Motorsport by Black Falcon Porsche by 38 points, and would win a tie on its two outright victories.
Which other trophies are awarded?
Alongside the overall drivers’ classification the regulations list a Class Winner Trophy, a Production Car Trophy, a Junior Trophy, a Gentleman Trophy and a Ladies Trophy for drivers, plus the KW Team Trophy, the NLS Speed Trophy and the Goodyear Award for teams. Each has its own eligibility rules, and the VLN publishes separate standings for each of them.
Who can score points at all?
- Only drivers and teams registered for the series score points. Unregistered cars are not removed from the results, so registered drivers do not move up when an unregistered car finishes ahead of them.
- A registration that arrives late only scores from the next event onwards.
- A driver entered in two cars must tell the organiser before 08:00 on race Saturday which car counts for the championship. Without that choice, the car with the lower start number counts.
Source: ADAC Ravenol Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie 2026, Part 1 Sporting Regulations, Articles 7, 25.1 to 25.6. The regulations can change from year to year.
New to the series? Start with What Is the NLS?.