Max Verstappen’s Nürburgring NLS Debut: Race Highlights & Permit Drama!

It's been a different kind of race weekend for Max Verstappen as he's taken part in the ADAC NLS race at the Nürburgring. The much anticipated racing debut of the four-time world champion did not disappoint and in this video I'm going to give you the full event summary with highlights from qualifying and the race plus details on Verstappen's permit status. So let's get right into the events from the Nürburgring. Firstly, Max Verstappen was required to take part in an exam on Friday which would give him the necessary B permit to be able to race the next day. This included an exam portion as well as a driving part. The driving included Verstappen doing two laps behind a certified instructor as well as two laps in front of the instructor. The Dutchman Before we summarize his Saturday, it's important to note that the car he was driving and its handicaps. Verstappen drove a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS that was heavily detuned due to his B permit status. His Porsche was downgraded from 425 horsepower at 1,315 kilograms down to 300 horsepower at 1,350 kilograms to fit within the 4.2 kilograms per horsepower ratio for the Cup 3 class. This means he was racing other Cup 3 cars with 130 less horsepower and 150 kilograms of extra weight so keep that in mind for later. On Saturday, qualifying began early at 8am on what was a wet and damp Nordschleife. Verstappen completed four laps in the Cayman with a best time of a 10.21.59 while the track was drying. He was fastest among other Cup 3 guest drivers and sixth in his class while P27 overall. This was quite an impressive lap considering the car's limitations and conditions. Moving on to the race a few hours later, the field of 112 cars split into 34 classes was ready to tackle the four-hour Grand Prix around the Nürburgring. In the number 980 Porsche, Verstappen started in the second group and was immediately blown past by the other competition. The downgrades on his Porsche can really be visible here during the race start but as we've come to expect from Verstappen, he still made the most of it while fighting with other cars around him. After settling into his race, he was mostly on his own in the field, being significantly faster than the other Cup 3 guest drivers. With 2 hours and 50 minutes to go, Verstappen boxed for what was some sort of a brake issue as the car was up on the jacks for a few minutes but he returned to action after only losing a few short minutes in the pit lane. Verstappen pitted again with an hour and 44 minutes to go having finished his stint and handing over his car to his teammate Chris Lulham. Verstappen completed a 14-lap stint with a best lap of a 9 minute 1 second and an average lap time of a 9.34.1. At the time, Verstappen was running P8 in his class and P28 overall. Now in order for the Dutchman to successfully obtain his A permit license, he must complete 14 laps penalty free in two different cars. The problem for Verstappen was the second car he was supposed to drive, the number 89 Lionspeed GP car, had technical issues preventing any track action for the whole race. However, just at the end of the 4 hours, live timing has shown that the number 89 made it out on track for an outlap. This would mean the car is classified with Verstappen and thus he has fulfilled all the requirements for an A permit. This is all subject to confirmation from the race director officially. With that permit, Verstappen will be able to race GT3 cars at the Nürburgring and he would likely enter the GT3 race at the end of the month with Emil Frey racing. The F1 champion impressed many on his debut, not just with his speed, but also his commitment to the process of attaining the racing permits. This was a huge deal in the racing world and it was evident from the fact that around 50,000 spectators were estimated to watch Verstappen in which an extra two grandstands had to be opened. Although his NLS debut was not about results and speed, his next outing in a GT car is sure to be more competitive. What looks to be a successful weekend at the Nürburgring, Verstappen will be returning to his normal day job next week as a Red Bull Racing Formula 1 driver. Just another day in the life of one of F1's modern greats. What's your thoughts on Verstappen's NLS debut? Leave a comment down below and if you enjoyed watching this video, like it and also subscribe to the channel for more.