Max Verstappen can race Nürburgring 24 Hours after Nordschleife debut

Max Verstappen has cleared the final hurdle to race in the Nürburgring 24 Hours next year, after making his competitive debut at the circuit and securing the required ‘Permit A’ after authorities granted him special dispensation.

He could compete in next year’s race on 14-17 May, which doesn’t clash with the F1 calendar, falling between the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix.

After having to undergo a day of instruction ahead of the event, the four-time Formula 1 world champion raced a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS), sharing the No980 car with long-time sim-racing collaborator Chris Lulham, and finished 27th overall.

Because Verstappen hadn’t raced at Nürburgring’s 12.944-mile Nordschleife before, the pair were running in a detuned set-up, which left them with 130bhp less than most other rivals in the competitive Cup 3 class.

Even so, Verstappen set a qualifying lap time of 10min 21.591sec, which placed him sixth out of his class of 18, and 27th overall on the 116-car grid.

The Lionspeed GP car finished in the same place that it started, with Verstappen driving for 14 of the 24 laps completed. However, Verstappen’s plans to race in two cars — taking a seat in a second Lionspeed Cayman GT4 after handing over the first to Lulham — were scuppered when the other car was damaged in qualifying.

It meant that Verstappen ended the day without the two classified finishes required for the top-level permit that would allow him to take part in the higher GT3 category, and the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

The German motor sport federation (DMSB) granted him dispensation, citing force majeure and his strong mileage in the No980 machine, and awarded him the Permit A, which will also allow him to race at GT3 level in other NLS rounds

Why Verstappen had to go to race school

On the Friday before the race, Verstappen had to first pass a theory test before completing a run behind an instructor’s car and then logging race mileage in the Cup 3 category — as all Nürburgring race rookies must do.

“It was fantastic to drive a few laps ahead of the world champion,” Verstappen’s Nürburgring instructor Andreas Gülden told De Telegraaf. “Luckily, I had a lot more power, otherwise it might not have worked…

“We were in contact via radio and I gave him some tips, but in the end we were also fooling around a bit. He was driving on slicks, I was on regular street tyres, and I was really pushing hard. He thought that was funny and I think he appreciated it too.”

Gülden added: “He looked very interested during that bus ride around the circuit. For example, he asked about which line to drive in the rain, and I was able to tell him about the different types of asphalt and the flag signals, which are different from other racing series.

“I think we learned something from each other. He’s a really nice guy. A huge enthusiast, too. It’s wonderful to see him smiling behind the wheel, driving on the most beautiful circuit in the world.”

A future beyond Formula 1

Earlier this year, Verstappen caused a stir when he appeared at the Nürburgring under the pseudonym ‘Franz Hermann’ to drive in a low-key event.

Franz Hermann was the German-sounding alias chosen by Verstappen when he secretly tested a Ferrari 296 GT3.

The idea arose from Emil Frey Racing, who suggested Verstappen run under a fake name to avoid crowding and media frenzy.

“They asked me for a fake name, so I said let’s make it as German as we can,” Verstappen explained at the time.

The name became a viral sensation, and even a 1/18 scale version of the car was put up for sale.

Verstappen has always insisted that Formula 1 will not be the only chapter of his racing career, and the Dutchman’s appearance at the legendary German venue is the latest reminder of his longstanding fascination with racing beyond F1.

Verstappen has repeatedly suggested that he could walk away from Formula 1 earlier than expected. He is contracted to Red Bull Racing until the end of 2028 when he will still be only 31.

While drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have built careers lasting into their 40s, Verstappen has openly questioned whether he wants to spend decades on the F1 treadmill.

“I don’t see myself driving until I’m 40 because I want to also do other stuff,” Verstappen said back in 2022.

“I’m having a lot of fun with what I’m doing right now and I’m still in F1 for a couple more years… I’m signed until ’28.

“After that, it also depends how everything is going but I will probably try to do a few different kinds of racing because it’s important also to try different things.”

Last weekend’s Nürburgring outing will inevitably reignite debate over how long Verstappen will stay at the pinnacle of single-seater racing.

“People sometimes hang around maybe to create more money, but at the end of the day, that doesn’t come first,” Verstappen told The Athletic earlier this year.

“It’s important you’re here because of the hunger to win. Some people come here to just get the best out of their car because some don’t have a winning car.

“But that’s why I think: as long as I can do that, and I’m working with the people that I enjoy working with, then, yeah, we’ll drive.

“I don’t know when that will stop. Is that 32? Is that 35? 36? I don’t know. It’s impossible to know.”