16/09/2025
NEWS STORY
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen obtains the licence necessary to participate in GT3 races on the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife.
Having passed his exam on Friday, which qualified him for a DMSB Permit Nordschleife, Verstappen drove a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS on Saturday morning.
In a wet session the Dutchman posted a 10:21.591 in qualifying for the afternoon's 4-hour race, the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) - the 65th ADAC ACAS Cup, for which he qualified sixth in the CUP3 class, with Chris Lulham, who drives for Verstappen.com Racing in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance and Sprint Cup.
The race got underway on a damp track and Verstappen completed two seven-lap stints - posting a best time of 9:01.410 before handing over the car to Lulham.
The British driver had to pit early as rain began to fall on the infamous circuit, but subsequently switched back to slicks as the rain eased.
At race end the Verstappen-Lulham entry was 27th (of 114 starters), with the four-time world champion fulfilling the necessary requirements to receive the DMSB Permit Nordschleife which allows him to contest such events as the 24 Hours.
"I'm happy it all went smooth, and I got my DMSB Permit Nordschleife," he told his own website. "I really enjoyed myself, but that's always the case around here.
"It was good to drive stints in the race with traffic, both with faster and slower cars," he added. "There was also a 'code 60' race neutralisation, double waved yellows and a standard yellow flag. I drove in the wet, the dry and in mixed conditions. I've gained experience in where the grip is and isn't and completed a start procedure. It was really good to gain more experience on this circuit."
Pictures Copyright Verstappen/X