Akshay Gupta’s 2025 season unfolded on one of motorsport’s most demanding stages, the Nürburgring Nordschleife, a circuit that exposes both ambition and vulnerability in equal measure. An Indian endurance racing driver and auto-tech entrepreneur, Gupta competes internationally in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie and major 24-hour endurance events. This year, his campaign was defined by relentless mileage, flashes of brilliance, and a physical toll that quietly shaped everything around it.
The results tell part of the story. Gupta secured a second-place finish in the TCE class at the Dubai 24 Hours and followed it with multiple podiums in NLS competition aboard his Hyundai i30N. Over the course of the season, he collected several top-three finishes, continuing to establish himself as a consistent performer on the Nordschleife, where traffic density, changing weather, and endurance racing chaos test even the most experienced drivers.
Yet the moments that stayed with him most were not captured by classification sheets. One came in the rain at the Nordschleife, when he found himself almost overtaking Max Verstappen in a slower car on slick tyres. Another was a high-risk overtake executed mid-corner, with all four wheels briefly airborne and the barrier inches away. The third highlight looked ahead, with Gupta testing the Aston Martin GT4, a car aligned with his future in endurance racing.
Despite the podiums, Gupta is direct about how the season measured against his expectations. “I wanted to win the overall championship out of 120 cars. We had a horrible season with respect to luck. Mechanical failures twice while I was driving, 3 crashes, some penalties for equipment malfunction. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong.” It was a year where momentum repeatedly slipped away through factors beyond his control.
The most difficult challenge, however, was one he did not anticipate. “Since March 2024 I have not had any rest. I have had back to back races since I did the Dubai 24 hours in January[ 2024,] and [the] 2024 season ended late in November. In total, I did 20 races back to back [over] 18 months. It was exhausting. Especially since I was nursing a lot of injuries, broken ligament, scoliosis, neck injury. The travelling between time zones every second weekend was draining and I wasn't expecting this to be the biggest challenge but it was.” The accumulation of physical strain and constant travel became as demanding as the racing itself.
Away from competition, he found perspective after the Nürburgring 24 Hours. “Travelling to Switzerland after the Nurburgring 24 hours [was an enjoyable experience]. I loved it so much I went again 2 months later.” The off-season now serves a different purpose. “Rest and recovering from my injuries. I want to live pain free or with less pain at least. That's my first goal.”
Looking ahead, the objective is clear. “I want to win the NLS championship in a GT4 car either in the Cup3 class or SP10. The most competitive classes in the championship.” For those joining the grid, his advice reflects hard-earned experience.
“Nurburgring isn't like any other race track and this championship isn't like any other. You have find a good team with good set of drivers where you can spend the entirety of your first year learning the track and the car. Build up speed gradually and work closely with an experienced driver who knows the circuit well.”
