What is Max Verstappen doing between the Formula 1 grands prix at Monza and Baku?
Simracing, as usual? Not this time. This weekend, he is in Germany to first receive the DMSB Permit Nordschleife, a mandatory requirement in order to participate in a race of the Nurburgring Endurance Series or the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
After having followed the lessons of a specialised instructor today, Verstappen will take part tomorrow in NLS7, the seventh of the 10 rounds of the 2025 season of this championship, entirely held on the German track of more than 25 km.
Why does he need the permit?
Though Verstappen is already one of the best drivers in Formula 1 history, it does not mean he gets a free pass when it comes to Nordschleife permissions. So, like all rookie drivers aspiring to participate in a Nürburgring Endurance Series race, he is required to obtain his DMSB Permit Nordschleife Grade B and A.
The DMSB Permit Nordschleife (DPN) is a prerequisite for participation in most races on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. These include the Nürburgring Endurance Series, the ADAC qualifying race for the 24-hour race, the 24-hour race itself and other events.
In addition to sufficient racing experience or participation in DMSB-approved driver training courses, passing an e-learning course is also a prerequisite for obtaining the DPN, which is currently issued in three levels (A, B, and C). Holders of an international license are not required to receive the C-levle permit.
To participate at the top level of the Nürburgring 24 Hours, which is Verstappen’s final objective, you need Permit A. But there is no direct way to Permit A - you receive it only through race experience in less major events at the track (or by doing the 24-hour race in a Grade B car like the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS or the BMW M2 CS).
Verstappen's programme for the weekend
This Friday morning, from 10am to 12pm, Verstappen will have undertaken theory lessons and an e-learning session. The goal: to learn all the specificities of the events held on the Nordschleife, such as Code 60 (speed limited to 60km/h), Code 120, or even the use of indicators which signal to another competitor which side you are moving to to let them pass. An e-learning session is a requirement for competitors every year when renewing their license.
In the afternoon, between 2pm and 4pm, the rookies are to complete eight laps of the track behind an instructor, who will in particular showcase all the different racing lines.
Next up, eight laps at the wheel of their designated race car between 4pm and 6pm during a free practice session.
In Verstappen's case, these quotas will have been reduced given he is a superlicense holder - though the exact reduction is not listed in the official documents.
If he successfully passes all these steps, Verstappen will have his Permit B on Friday night.
Permit B will then allow him to take part tomorrow in NLS7 at the wheel of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS #980 of Lionspeed GP, in Verstappen.com - and thus Red Bull - colours. He will notably share the wheel with Briton Chris Lulham, one of the simracers from Verstappen's Redline simracing team.
Officially, to obtain the permit, a driver must have two results in two different events since 01.01.2021 with no penalty, with at least 14 race laps in total. But since this year - only for FIA Platinum or Gold drivers (Verstappen is the former, but with a Superlicence, which is, as mentioned above, an extra consideration) - two results from one event (double start) can be accepted.
How the double start requirement would apply to Verstappen is not totally clear yet, but it is thought that if he receives no penalties in his NLS7 drive, Verstappen could obtain his Permit A already on Saturday evening, which would allow him to return next time – even as soon as Sunday in the NLS8 if he wished to – at the wheel of a GT3 car.
The end goal
Recently, in a video filmed for Ford, Verstappen confirmed his ambition to take part in all the greatest endurance races in the world.
“I really want to do all of them” he said.
And if the Nürburgring 24 Hours could be the first, he is also targeting the Spa 24 Hours, as well as the Daytona 24 Hours, the Sebring 12 Hours, and of course the Le Mans 24 Hours.
“I like GT3," he added. “You want to do the Nordschleife, the Spa 24 Hours... But of course, the other ones you want to do them in the fastest category [Hypercar/GTP]. They [Ford] are involved in so many racing projects, and of course they're coming back to Le Mans with a Hypercar.”
As a reminder, Verstappen's father Jos took part in the Le Mans 24 Hours twice, in 2008 and 2009.
In his first year, he even won the race in the LMP2 class, at the wheel of a Porsche RS Spyder entered by Van Merksteijn Motorsport.
You can watch Verstappen's debut on YouTube tomorrow.
