Max Verstappen claims dominant win in NLS2 as Nurburgring preparation continues
Four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen, along with teammates Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon, claimed a dominant win in second round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS2) on Saturday.
Driving the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3, ‘Team Verstappen’ cruised to a 59-second win in the four-hour format race, as Verstappen continued his preparation for the iconic Nurburgring 24 Hour race in May.
BMW M4 GT3 EVO from Rowe Racing (#99) and the Porsche 911 GT3 R from Falken Motorsports (#44) finished second and third respectively.
Earlier, Verstappen had stormed to pole position with a time of 7:51.751. The Dutch driver then took a swipe at the latest F1 regulation updates, quipping, ”At least you can drive flat out without looking after the battery.”
Verstappen has struggled in the F1 2026 season so far – finishing sixth in Australia and suffering a DNF in China – triggering some scathing criticisms.
“It is not fun at all. It is Mario Kart. This is not racing. We are boosting past. Then you run out of battery, and they boost back past you again. For me, it is just a joke. I would say the same if I was winning because I care about the racing product. It is not about being upset because of where I am. It is fundamentally flawed. It is painful. It will eventually ruin the sport,” said Verstappen after the Chinese Grand Prix.
Published on Mar 21, 2026