This weekend, Max Verstappen will make his debut at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The Dutchman hopes to compete in two endurance races in the German NLS class. However, before he can do so, he needs to obtain the appropriate racing license – he will take the exam on Friday. Former driver Ralf Schumacher finds it ’embarrassing’ that a four-time Formula 1 world champion and perhaps ‘the best driver in the world’ still has to prove he can race.
While Formula 1 takes a short break, Max Verstappen travels to the Eifel region for a weekend of racing at the Nürburgring. He is expected to step into a Porsche Cayman GT4 on Saturday for an endurance race in the German NLS class. On Sunday, he could already be driving the faster Ferrari 296 GT3, with which he previously tested on the Nordschleife. In an interview with the German Motorsport-Total, Ralf Schumacher scrutinizes Max’s racing weekend.
The former driver explained that it makes sense that Verstappen received the green light from Red Bull for a trip to the Nürburgring. “If they were to prevent him from doing so, he would lose interest in the team,” Schumacher believed. “He could even become grumpy.” The German praised Max’s passion for racing: “I certainly find it interesting that, despite his children, he still takes the time for this and clearly enjoys motorsport so much. At the same time, the Nordschleife is of course not without its dangers.”
‘Embarrassing that Verstappen has to get a license’
For this reason, Verstappen must first obtain a special racing license for the Nürburgring, although Schumacher finds it ’embarrassing’ that no exception is made in this case. “I would have given him that license straight away,” said the six-time race winner. “The best driver in the world can handle it, I’m pretty sure of that. But instead of celebrating that Max is drawing attention back to the Nordschleife, and to all the drivers who race there, we’re going to argue about a permit. It’s embarrassing.”
Schumacher himself admits that he ‘would not have the courage’ to race on The Green Hell. “Just the run-off areas, the differences between the various classes, and racing with poor visibility,” he listed. “Hats off to the guys who dare to do that.” As for Verstappen’s chances at the Nürburgring, Schumacher is very clear: “Based on his performances, he is of course in the running for the final victory,” said the German. “He feels the limits of the car perfectly. But at the same time, a lot of factors come into play; the car has to hold up, the weather has to be good, and you have to have the right tires for all conditions.”
