F1 champion Max Verstappen forced to PAY for petrol to race

Max Verstappen

F1 champion Verstappen forced to PAY for petrol to race

Max Verstappen is racing at the Nurburgring this weekend

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Saturday 13 September 2025 15:14

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As a four-time world champion, Max Verstappen can be forgiven for thinking he has all his racing needs served up on a plate.

Yet the Formula 1 star has quickly found out that the red carpet isn't laid out for him everywhere he goes.

In an F1 season now where it seems like there is a race nearly every week, the Dutchman has got the racing itch on a week off and decided to race Porsches around the Nurburgring.

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Verstappen isn't going for wins this weekend though, the plan is to build up the required experience of 14 incident free laps in his detuned Porsche in the NLS series.

This will earn him a required 'A Permit' licence, with the plan for him to race a Ferrari 296 GT3 for Emil Frey Racing during the 57th ADAC Barbarossapreis. This is the ninth round of the NLS season and takes place on September 27 between the Azerbaijan and Singapore grands prix.

Do you have to pay for petrol in the NLS?

Yet unlike the world of F1, there are curious quirks to racing in the NLS series - including having to pay for petrol used in a pit-stop.

Unlike your trip down the garage though, Max won't have to shuffle out his car, triple check he isn't about to put diesel and then shuffle to the kiosk to pay while grabbing that inviting Mars Duo bar too.

His payment comes in the form of purchasing an all-inclusive package. This gives you all the essential race days costs, including the car, a professional team, coaching - and of course petrol.

Not that Verstappen will be counting his pennies too much given he earns over £50million a year - mind you he must have been bored at having to sit through being told how to race a car.

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