Max Verstappen secures victory in GT3 race at Nurburgring.
Max Verstappen has secured a second GT3 race victory at the Nurburgring in advance of his first appearance at the renowned circuit’s 24-hour endurance race in May.
Verstappen triumphed in the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie’s four-hour ADAC Barbarossapreis event alongside teammates Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon for Verstappen Racing, which operates a Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Verstappen has previously expressed strong criticism of F1’s new vehicles — which he has referred to as “Formula E on steroids” due to their increased focus on battery harvesting and boosts — and Saturday’s race likely served as a welcome diversion.
His team secured pole position for the event and ultimately won by more than a minute, although the Dutch driver had to fight back after losing the lead on the first lap.
He previously won a similar event with Chris Lulham in a Ferrari 296 GT3 during a highly publicized debut at the circuit last September.
This time, the four-time F1 world champion was racing with his own team to prepare for the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May.
Verstappen Racing has entered that event, scheduled for May 16 and 17.
Verstappen will team up with Juncadella, Gounon, and Lucas Auer for the race.
The German circuit, known as “The Green Hell,” has achieved legendary status since its opening in 1927, but was removed from F1’s race calendar in 1976 due to safety concerns.
Verstappen has openly expressed his interest in exploring other forms of racing beyond Formula 1 — he also aims to participate in the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours — and his increasing dissatisfaction with the series will likely amplify interest in his non-F1 endeavors moving forward.
Following the Chinese Grand Prix last week, Verstappen described F1’s new cars as “a joke” and stated that anyone who enjoys the sport’s new battery-boosted overtakes does not comprehend true racing.
The Red Bull driver, who is contracted with the team until 2028, has indicated that he would contemplate leaving F1 if he no longer finds enjoyment in it.
Source: espn.com
