The NLS postpones a round to facilitate the arrival of Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen has never hidden his ambition to participate in the legendary 24 Hours of Nürburgring. After obtaining his license to drive on the Nordschleife, the Dutchman won his very first GT3 race in a round of the Nürburgring Langstrecke-Serie (NLS), between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix in the fall of 2025. He was then driving a Ferrari 296 GT3 of Emil Frey Racing, which he shared with Chris Lulham.

While the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours is scheduled for May 16th and 17th, the preparation rounds unfortunately overlap with the Grands Prix of Formula 1Originally scheduled for March 28, the same day as the Japanese Grand Prix, the second round of the NLS has now been moved to March 21. An update strategic "According to the organizers. In fact, Max Verstappen could take part and prepare for the Nürburgring 24 Hours. However, no preparation race is mandatory, so it would be a personal preference of the Dutchman."

A change in the tactical calendar

« In order to maximize international participation, NLS2 has been moved to March 21st. NLS reveals on its social media. This adjustment takes advantage of a free window in the F1 calendar, between the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix. By aligning with the international calendar, we enable top-tier drivers to participate in the NLS. This decision increases our global visibility, benefiting all teams, participants, and the entire Nürburgring region. »

« The decision to postpone a date that had been set very early on was taken after intensive discussions with numerous stakeholders, weighing all interests in the spirit of motorsport., assures Mike Jäger, head of the NLS, in comments relayed by GT Report. We want to capitalize on the global attention the NLS received last year thanks to Max Verstappen's participation, for the benefit of all teams and all competitors. "Faced with the expected enthusiasm for the arrival of the Dutchman, the German circuit had indeed added additional stands in September 2025.

It should also be noted that Verstappen Racing, Max's team, has signed an agreement with Mercedes Benz-AMG for a GT World Challenge Europe commitment. Max Verstappen should therefore be driving a Winward-run Mercedes-AMG if he enters the NLS2.

Chris Lulham and Dani Juncadella are competing in the Sprint Cup for Verstappen Racing this season as well as theEndurance Cup, for which they will be accompanied by Mercedes factory driver Jules Gounon. Gounon notably had a front-row seat to Max Verstappen's GT3 tests at Estoril (Portugal) at the end of 2025. However, Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon will have to attend the Prologue of the WEC in Qatar on March 22nd and 23rd where they will respectively drive with Genesis and AlpineThus, Lucas Auer, Mercedes driver in DTM, is expected to join the Dutchman during NLS2.

ALSO READ > "He amazed me": Jules Gounon recounts Max Verstappen's GT3 tests