The Mercedes-AMG GT4 will make its race debut in this weekend’s six-hour VLN race, with a pair of cars taking to the Nürburgring Nordschleife as part of the new model’s testing and development program.

The cars will be run by Mercedes-AMG Testteam Uwe Alzen Automotive and Mercedes-AMG Testteam Black Falcon in the fifth VLN race of the season on Saturday.

It follows an extensive test program for the car, unveiled ahead of the Total 24 Hours of Spa last month, which has included a 30-hour endurance test at the Lausitzring.

“I am looking forward to the first test outing of the Mercedes-AMG GT4 at the Nordschleife in racing conditions,” commented Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing.

“This is the next step in our comprehensive test and development program. In the process, we are working together with long-standing partners and teams who are running our cars.

“Thus, we are not only collecting further technical insights, but also feedback from the various drivers which we can still incorporate into the car.

“Before we can deliver the first Mercedes-AMG GT4, we will carry out some more of these tests in racing conditions. Not only at the Nordschleife, but also internationally and with various teams.”

The VLN race debut is expected to bring an end to the GT4 car’s development program, with the first chassis set to be delivered to customers later in the year.

With the car yet to be homologated for to GT4 specifications, it will run in the SPX class this weekend.

Thomas Jaeger, Fabien Hamprechy and Mike Stursberg will pilot the Uwe Alzen-led car, while Stefan Karg, Fidel Leib, Jan Seyffarth and Alexander Toril will share the Black Falcon entry.

Black Falcon also has a Mercedes-AMG GT4 entered for Creventic’s 24 Hours of Portimao on Aug. 26-27, which is expected to mark the car’s 24-hour race debut.