Max Verstappen suffered frustration on the Nurburgring Nordschleife as his race victory was taken away from him because of a rule breach.
Max Verstappen has had his NLS2 victory taken away from him (Picture: Getty)
Max Verstappen has been stripped of his dominant win at Nurburgring Nordschleife earlier at present. The four-time Formulation One world champion joined Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon within the Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Crew Verstappen Racing. The trio received the second race of the 2026 Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) comfortably, ending over one minute quicker than the subsequent workforce within the four-hour occasion on the historic 15.5-mile circuit. However it has since been confirmed Verstappen and his workforce have been disqualified for a breach of the foundations.
Throughout post-race technical checks, officers discovered that Verstappen and his squad used seven units of tyres, exceeding the restrict of six for race day which covers qualifying and the race itself. Meaning the Rowe Racing duo of Don Harper and Jordan Pepper as a substitute inherit the victory. Organisers mentioned in an announcement: “After crossing the end line on the second spherical of the ADAC RAVENOL Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie, Max Verstappen, Daniel Juncadella, and Jules Gounon celebrated their first victory of the season within the Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Mercedes-AMG Crew Verstappen Racing.
“About two hours later, actuality set in. Through the technical fee’s routine evaluation of the so-called Tyre App, it was found that the workforce had used seven units of tires on race day as a substitute of the permitted six. The stewards had been thus compelled to disqualify the automotive.”
Verstappen’s workforce certified on pole within the No.3 Winward Mercedes-AMG GT3 with the Dutchman having fun with two stints behind the wheel. The 28-year-old thought he had secured his second-ever Nurburgring win, his first in a Mercedes, till the rule breach was revealed.
Below the FIA and NLS sporting codes, a tyre allocation breach is taken into account a serious infringement as a result of it offers a possible efficiency benefit. Consequently, the stewards had no alternative however to challenge a compulsory disqualification, handing the victory to the second-place finishers.
Christian Hohenadel, the workforce principal of Winward Racing, mirrored: “For us, this was our first outing as a Mercedes-AMG Efficiency workforce on the Nurburgring Nordschleife. I wish to apologise to everybody who was rooting for us. We’ll now totally analyse the day, meticulously put together for the remaining races, and work towards the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nurburgring with full focus.”
Whereas Stefan Wendl, the pinnacle of Mercedes-AMG’s buyer racing, mentioned: “A blended begin to the 2026 Nurburgring season. We crossed the end line first however had been subsequently disqualified. Throughout routine checks by the technical fee, it was discovered that the workforce used seven units of tyres on race day, as a substitute of the permitted six.
Crew ?????? pic.twitter.com/BwC9wGOvPx
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) March 21, 2026
“The error occurred throughout qualifying, when a number of driver and tyre modifications had been practiced. An NLS weekend we cannot overlook anytime quickly: Nice racing, unimaginable environment, and initially, the enjoyment of victory.
“The frustration is all of the larger as a behind-the-scenes mistake led to disqualification, which hurts. On the Nordschleife, all the things should come collectively. Now, we give attention to analysing, studying, and making ready for the upcoming races and the 24-hour spotlight.”
Verstappen, in the meantime, has a prolonged break in his schedule after the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. He’s trying into the potential for racing in NLS3 on April 11, a four-hour race across the Nordschleife.
“Properly, for me this is likely one of the craziest tracks on the earth,” the Dutchman mentioned. “I have been watching this for a really very long time, and it is simply certainly one of these races that you simply wish to compete in. A minimum of lastly, this 12 months I’ve the prospect to do it.
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“It additionally relies upon a bit on what the calendar permits me to do. I am already racing so much. I’ll attempt to do as a lot as I can. We’re trying into it [NLS3]. It simply all relies upon if it is all possible. However I am at all times comfortable to race right here.”
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