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Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has secured the permit he needs to eventually race in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, after a complicated day on the Nordschleife.
As we explained yesterday, to secure his DMSB Nordschleife Permit Grade A, Max Verstappen had to complete 14 laps of the Nurburgring Nordschleife today during NLS7 - the seventh round of the Nurburgring single-circuit championship - while also fulfilling a double start requirement, meaning he had to be classified at the wheel of two different cars.
The problem was that one of his Lionspeed GP team’s entries, the #89, was involved in an accident this morning during qualifying and was unable to take the start.
Verstappen started the race behind the wheel of the #980 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, sporting Verstappen.com colors and, funny enough, carrying a huge ‘Permit B’ sticker on its rear bumper. The car was set to deliver 125bhp less than the standard 718 Cayman as it is driven by rookies. With its engine restricted to 300bhp, Verstappen had no chance of defending at the start against his rivals, despite having outclassed them in qualifying earlier that morning.
Unconcerned with the final result, Verstappen wasted no time and immediately completed the mandatory 14 laps to secure his Permit A - albeit only in one car. At 2:16pm, he handed the wheel over to Chris Lulham, simracer for his Red Line simracing team, who also secured his Permit A.
But for a long while, there was uncertainty because Verstappen had not been able to drive two cars as required.
Although the #89 appeared in the classification sheets, it was marked as DNF. Would this still count as a double start even though Verstappen never drove the car? Would he necessarily have to return tomorrow?
No, it appeared that since Verstappen did not drive the second car, a committee had to decide whether he would be granted his A Permit for the Nordschleife.
It would have been a worldwide embarrassment for the committee had they refused, especially since this clearly fell under force majeure. Unlike other top drivers, Verstappen good-naturedly complied with a process that some - including figures like Norbert Haug and Ralf Schumacher — openly criticised as ridiculous.
Without complaint, Verstappen followed yesterday the theoretical lessons, completed the e-learning, listened to advice from a specialised instructor on the racing lines, and accepted taking part in this race with a car producing less than a third of the power of his Red Bull RB21 F1, not to mention weighting 1320kg. It was a commendable display of humility that once again highlights his passion for the sport.
After several hours of deliberation, the committee confirmed Verstappen’s DMSB Nordschleife Permit Grade A, meaning he would not need to return to the track tomorrow.
He is now authorised to compete in the Nürburgring Endurance Series or the Nürburgring 24 Hours at the wheel of a GT3. When? Possibly as soon as September 27 for NLS9, held between F1’s Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix.
Such an appearance would undoubtedly boost the audience of the championship, which already saw an increase in attendance today for obvious reasons. That’s the Max effect...
By the way, the #980 Porsche finished as the highest-placed ‘Permit B Cup3’ entry and 27th overall, three laps down on the winning car, the #3 Porsche 911 GT3 R driven by Porsche factory drivers Julien Andlauer and Joël Sturm.
But that was hardly the point...
