Verstappen drives a Porsche Cayman GT4 from the Lionspeed GP team. On Friday afternoon he arrived at the Nürburgring, where he first had to go through a course (including a bus ride over the circuit) and training, while driving behind an instructor in a green Mercedes-AMG. The qualification and four -hour race will follow on Saturday. If that all goes without problems, then the Dutchman deserves his so-called Permit A. who is required to drive races in the more powerful GT3 cars.
Max Verstappen is shielded as much as possible
Even the GT4 car from Verstappen is reduced in terms of power, due to the strict regulations to earn a driver’s license on the notorious and 24-kilometer circuit, which is also called the green hell. Because Verstappen does not yet have a driving license, he cannot fall back to 425 hp in his Porsche Cayman, but it is that downgrade to 300 hp. That in turn has to do with the minimum power-weight ratio for someone with a B license.
In a Porsche Cayman GT4, Max Verstappen hopes to achieve his A license this weekend on the Nordschleife. © Frits van Eldik
Also for a four-time Formula 1 champion, no exceptions are made, although the organization thinks along with Verstappen and he is protected as much as possible. Verstappen can in principle earn his license in one race on Saturday, if it runs smoothly and he takes fourteen rounds.
Arrival of four-time F1 champion conversation of the day
With the arrival of Verstappen, the local organization expects many fans – reportedly around 50,000 – on Saturday. As a precaution, two extra grandstands or viewing spots have been opened: the AMG Tribune and the Schwalbenschwanz. They normally remain closed with these types of races. On and around Circuit, the arrival of Verstappen is the conversation of the day. “That he does this says a lot about his passion. He shows that he is not a diva, but a pure racer,” said a German initiate.
Max Verstappen follows the green Mercedes-AMG during his mandatory course on the Nordschleife. © Frits van Eldik
Several, former Formula 1 and MotoGP drivers have picked up their noses in the past for the German rules, because they did not first want to go through the GT4 test. For Verstappen it is a ‘must’, but he does everything that needs to obtain his license. In the near future he would like to ride GT3 races and the iconic 24 hours of the Nürburgring is high on his list. If everything goes well this weekend, he could already ride that race next May.
