Max Verstappen’s emphatic triumph at the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie was dramatically overturned, as he and his Mercedes-AMG outfit were disqualified following a post-race regulatory breach. What initially appeared to be a dominant and flawless performance was ultimately invalidated by a technical oversight.
Teaming up with Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon in the #3 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, Verstappen had delivered a commanding display across the four-hour endurance event. The trio comfortably secured victory by nearly a minute, having controlled the race from pole position and fended off all challengers with authority.
However, jubilation quickly turned to disappointment when post-race scrutineering revealed a critical infringement involving tyre usage. The team had inadvertently exceeded the permitted allocation, deploying seven sets instead of the maximum six—an error that left race officials with no alternative but to disqualify the car.
Team principal Christian Hohenadel acknowledged the mistake, accepting full responsibility and extending apologies to supporters. He described the breach as an internal miscalculation and assured that the team would conduct a thorough review to prevent a recurrence, vowing a stronger return in future endurance events.
Despite the setback, Verstappen remains eager to continue his ventures in GT3 racing, expressing a clear ambition to compete again at the Nordschleife should his Formula 1 commitments allow. With upcoming schedule gaps due to cancelled Grands Prix, opportunities may arise for the Dutchman to further pursue success in endurance racing.
About the Author
