F1 champ Max Verstappen set for major test in switch to new racing series

Verstappen in Verstappen dot com Racing suit — Photo: © IMAGO

Formula 1

Max Verstappen set for major test in switch to new racing series

Red Bull's star driver is taking to the track away from F1

By Kerry Violet.

Thursday 11 September 2025 17:00

Max Verstappen is taking advantage of the lack of an F1 race this weekend to turn his hand to another racing series.

Given the four-time champion's famous love of racing, it should come as no surprise that he's getting back behind the wheel between the Italian and Azerbaijan grands prix. Instead, Verstappen is set to return to the notorious Nurburgring, this time to compete under his own name after his Franz Hermann testing stunt in the Ferrari 296 GT3.

The 27-year-old is heading to the German track to make his endurance debut on the Nordschleife, with hopes of being granted permission to compete in an NLS race on Saturday, September 13.

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But the Red Bull F1 star will have to pay attention in the classroom before passing an exam on Friday in order to compete.

And even that won't be enough for Verstappen to be given the green light to race on Sunday, regardless of his champion status in F1.

However, one Saturday race might be enough for Verstappen to be granted permission to get behind the wheel of the Ferrari 296 GT3 with Emil Frey Racing –the real aim ahead of Sunday's competition.

Verstappen prepares for Nordschleife test

Speaking on the Sky F1 podcast following the Italian GP, Simon Lazenby, David Croft and Nico Rosberg discussed Verstappen's latest racing venture away from F1.

"Max, driving the Nordschleife this weekend. He's going to the Nurburgring to compete in the Endurance Series, GT car. But, he's got to get his German permit for the Nordschleife from the German Motorsport Federation, with which he has to pass an exam on Friday.

"That will afford him a category B permit. So he could drive in the Porsche Cayman in his GT4 CS. If he gets two results, he gets his A permit. Unless the panel decides in one race he's good enough, in which case he'll then get to drive the Ferrari 296 GT3 on the second day, but not under his alias as Franz Hermann, he has to do it as Max Verstappen to get the permit," Lazenby revealed.

As the trio debated what Verstappen would be tested on in the theory exam, Croft then queried Rosberg over whether he had ever acquired the German permit.

"No. I've never done it and I don't have a permit," the 2016 F1 champion replied, before admitting his admiration for the Dutchman's hunger to race.

"Nevertheless, I find it so awesome that he's doing this, it’s incredible. Like all of us other drivers with 24 races, you're just like maxed out and all you can think of is doing some home time. Home time with a bit of training, routine, see the kids, and he goes off to go in to a classroom to get a license to then drive in the B class on the Saturday, and then hopefully make it to the A class by the Sunday. Unbelievable. That's so cool.

"The whole world will be watching this and even I'll be tuning in on Sunday to see how he's going because I think there's been so much talk about his lap record from five months ago, of course he can do the lap record. He's the most talented race car driver in the whole world and it doesn't matter what car he gets into, he will drive faster than anybody else in the world."

Red Bull Max Verstappen Formula 1 Nurburgring Nordschleife