– Naturally, it could not be kept a secret: Max Verstappen was out on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife again last Tuesday, March 31. Various photos and videos quickly made the rounds on social media. Did the four-time Formula 1 world champion possibly test something secret after the disqualification drama at NLS2?
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An AMG spokeswoman confirmed to Motorsport-Total.com: No. It was simply a completely normal test in preparation for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, without any groundbreaking things being tested. It was simply about gaining more experience in the still young project.
Winward Racing returned to the Nordschleife in 2026 with a full GT3 program, after having primarily focused on DTM and IMSA in previous years. The team had merged with HTP Motorsport in 2019; the last HTP entry on the Nordschleife dates back to that year.
Especially after the canceled first NLS round, it was important to collect more kilometers in the “Green Hell”. Accordingly, both cars, the Verstappen car and the Ravenol-sponsored vehicle, were out all day. Several AMG factory drivers were in action.
Not quite the whole day, as some time was also used for content generation. The biggest response was triggered by the stop of the Verstappen AMG at the Döttinger Höhe gas station, one of the best-known meeting points for Nürburgring enthusiasts around the “Green Hell”.
The test day had been booked for a long time and was therefore not a reaction to the canceled NLS1 round. As is well known, the Nürburgring-Nordschleife is booked up all year round, whether for tourist rides, the car manufacturers’ industry pool, training courses, or test and racing events. Therefore, Verstappen will have had the date in his calendar for some time.
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In preparation for the 24-hour race, the day was likely only partially productive – unless winter conditions prevail in the Eifel for the race. Temperatures in the morning were only just above freezing. There was also light snowfall, which did not stick. During the course of the day, the track dried out, but it did not get warmer than six degrees Celsius.
Nevertheless, it was welcome for Verstappen, as he had recently explicitly wished to be able to drive in the rain a bit more. This was possible this time, albeit at temperatures at which the first NLS round had been canceled for safety reasons on a wet track.
The Red Bull Formula 1 pilot kept it short in a social media statement: “Fast on the Nordschleife. Really enjoyed it out there.” Since Verstappen is extremely critical regarding the current Formula 1 regulations, these words likely also carry a sports-political statement.
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Max Verstappen’s next start in a race on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife will most likely be at the 24h Qualifiers on April 18 and 19. He has already dropped a hint regarding this. The 24-hour race is scheduled for May 14 to 17.
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