Max Verstappen series switch confirmed as F1 champion heads Nurburgring entry list this weekend

Verstappen pole in NLS2 — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen series switch confirmed as F1 champion heads Nurburgring entry list this weekend

Verstappen will switch to GT3 combat this weekend

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Wednesday 15 April 2026 13:00 Updated: 15:26

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Max Verstappen will begin his bid for glory in the iconic 24 Hours of Nurburgring this weekend after the entry list for the Qualifiers was confirmed on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old Dutchman is no fan of F1’s new regulations in 2026, and the four-time world champion has found some solace away from the grid in GT3 racing, notably in the NLS series (Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie). And with this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East, he gets another chance now.

Verstappen raced in the NLS2 last month at the same iconic ‘Green Hell’ circuit, and claimed a brilliant victory before later being disqualified because his Mercedes team had used too many sets of tyres.

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This weekend Verstappen and Austrian Lucas Auer will compete in the No.3 car for the Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing and they head a list of 37 entries.

Assuming Verstappen is successful this weekend, he’ll then compete in the iconic 24 Hours of Nurburgring itself, between May 14 and May 17.

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Two four-hour races for Verstappen this weekend

It will be a busy weekend for Verstappen, with the format delivering two four-hour races - NLS4 on Saturday (April 18) and NLS5 on Sunday (April 19).

There is also a 90-minute Qualifying session on each day to set the grid for each race.

The schedule looks like this, with the races featuring German and English commentary on the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nurburgring’s YouTube channel, and you can also catch the action on Viaplay with Dutch commentary.

Session	Day	Time
Test Day	Friday, April 17	12:15 – 14:45
Qualification for Race 1	Saturday, April 18	8:30 – 10:00
Race 1	Saturday, April 18	17:30 – 21:30
Qualification for Race 2	Sunday, April 19	8:15 – 8:45
Top Qualifying for Race 2	Sunday, April 19	10:40 – 11:40
Race 2	Sunday, April 19	13:00 – 17:00

How the Qualifiers work

The two four-hour races are not only essential for Verstappen to gain valuable experience and test various setups, but also have a direct impact on the 24h Nurburgring in May, where Top Qualifying sessions will decide who claims pole position. A strong performance this weekend could already secure him a coveted spot in Top Qualifying 3.

The organisers have outlined a method to guarantee six teams a place in TQ3 based on the following criteria:

Position	Required Performance
1	Fastest driver during the qualifying sessions for NLS1, NLS2, and NLS3
2	Driver with the fastest race lap across NLS1, NLS2, and NLS3
3	Driver with the second fastest race lap in NLS1, NLS2, and NLS3
4	Fastest driver in the 24h Qualifiers’ qualifying session
5	Driver with the fastest race lap in the 24h Qualifiers
6	Driver with the second fastest race lap in the 24h Qualifiers

According to the organisers, these timings are theoretical, calculated by stitching together each driver’s best sectors to form an ideal lap.

If a team misses out on securing a spot in TQ3 in May, their challenge in battling for pole position will significantly intensify. While qualifying and starting order don’t guarantee a win - especially in a 24-hour race - starting from the front is crucial at the Nurburgring, where there is no safety car to help bunch up the field.

Verstappen will be determined to clinch one of these TQ3 spots by any means necessary.

Written by

Graham Shaw - Consultant Editor

Digital sports leader with 30 years of senior level experience running global brands. Built sportinglife.com to be a behemoth in the UK as well as being in charge of the Planet Sport network of sites including planetf1.com, football365.com, teamtalk.com and planetrugby.com. Then grew goal.com to be the world's biggest soccer website in 18 languages and 37 territories. Was GM of Portals for Perform Group (now DAZN) with overall responsibility for sportingnews.com, spox.de and voetbalzone.nl.

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