NLS2 – Max Verstappen (Mercedes) takes pole position!

Max Verstappen didn't take long to make its mark on the legendary Nordschleife in 2026. For its first participation in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie championship (NLS, or Nürburgring Endurance Series), the four-time world champion of Formula 1 achieved pole position for the race held this Saturday, March 21st! An excellent start for the driver who shares his commitment with Frenchman Jules Gounon and Spaniard Daniel Juncadella.

At the wheel of the Mercedes BenzDriving the Verstappen Racing AMG GT3, Max Verstappen set a time of 7:51.751 on a track that included the shortened GP version of the Nürburgring and the famous Nordschleife. The Dutchman finished ahead of circuit experts such as Christopher Haase (Audi) by 1.974 seconds and Raffaele Marciello (BMW) by 2.855 seconds.

Four different manufacturers occupy the top 4 with theAston Martin Mattia Drudi in 4th place. A second Frenchman is in the top 10, with Thomas Neubauer (Classic Ferrari for sale), 8th alongside David Perel and Thierry Vermeulen.

That's it!!! POLE POSITION for Verstappen Racing in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 🙌🙌

Max clocks the fastest time in qualifying for NLS2: a 7:51.751 ⏱ pic.twitter.com/ZIrH0XJz3Y

— Max Verstappen (@VerstappenCOM) March 21, 2026

Max Verstappen is competing in this NLS round to prepare for his major challenge this spring, the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (May 14-17). "The Nürburgring Nordschleife is a unique place," he explained on Friday evening. "There's no other circuit like it. The Nürburgring 24 Hours has long been on my bucket list. We're racing here this weekend to prepare as best we can."

The NLS2 race will start at 12:00 PM this Saturday and will be streamed live on AUTOhebdo.fr. An onboard camera view from inside the Verstappen Racing Mercedes will also be available. The race will last four hours. 

NLS2 2026

Ranking Qualifications 

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