Max Verstappen and his teammate Chris Lulham delivered a superior performance in the ninth round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, securing victory with a lead of over 20 seconds at the checkered flag.
The four-time Formula One champion started from third on the grid in the #31 Ferrari 296 GT3 and secured the lead on the first corner in classic Verstappen style. This move was the biggest advantage he received in the race, as he quickly built up a five-second lead in the initial laps, despite encountering traffic on the way.
Towards the seventh lap, the Dutchman stopped for the first time with a 20-second lead over his rivals. Continuing his run, he further extended his lead by clocking lap times around eight minutes at the Nürburgring. Toward the end of his two-hour stint, Verstappen had built up a 62-second lead at the front and also set the fastest time of the session with a 7:51.514.
His Emil Frey Racing teammate, Lulham, took over the wheel of the Ferrari for the final stint and extended the lead to 70 seconds in just a few laps. The 22-year-old driver battled yellow flags and traffic and crossed the finish line with a 22.7-second advantage.
The #31 Ferrari 296 GT3 driven by Max Verstappen of Netherland and Emil Frey Racing during the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, the 57th ADAC Barbarossapreis, at Nuerburgring on September 27, 2025 in Nuerburg, Germany.
The #31 Ferrari 296 GT3 driven by Max Verstappen of Netherland and Emil Frey Racing during the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, the 57th ADAC Barbarossapreis, at Nuerburgring on September 27, 2025 in Nuerburg, Germany.
Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images
This is a huge milestone for the Red Bull driver, who said after the GT3 qualifying that he was enjoying his debut session. After securing a P3 race start, Verstappen said:
“It went well. On the intermediates, it went super well, and the balance in the car is also excellent.
“There was a lot of traffic on the track, of course, so finding the right moment to set a fast lap wasn’t easy.
“When we were on slicks, I had too much traffic on my last lap to really get a good time. But the car is running well and the tyres are good, so it should be fine during the race.
“The speed differences with so many different cars are obviously huge. There was only one dry line, so I was pushing the limits in some corners. But I’m enjoying it.”
Verstappen was asked if winning his first GT3 race was the goal for the weekend. He said:
“Yes, that’s our goal, and it’s within our reach. But we’ll see.”
The 27-year-old driver entered the race weekend at the Nürburgring in top form, given his F1 wins at Monza and Baku in recent weeks. Speaking about his plan to compete in the GT3 class after securing his license, Verstappen said:
“It is my passion to do these kinds of GT3 races too. I can’t wait! I’m passionate about racing, also outside of Formula 1.
“Every lap at the Nordschleife is a different kind of experience. The atmosphere is also really good and there are a lot of endurance fans present.
“It’s my hobby to race in other categories than Formula 1. My dream is to eventually participate in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.”