Topics: Formula 1, Max Verstappen, Motorsport, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen's lap time around the Nurburgring has been compared with other Formula 1 drivers ahead of his debut race.
The four-time F1 world champion will arrive in Germany on the back of a dominant weekend at the Italian Grand Prix, where he finished almost 20 seconds clear of Lando Norris.
It was his first victory since May's Emilia Romagna GP and served as a timely reminder of his enduring ability. Now the Dutchman is set to add more motor racing to his schedule.
According to auto motor und sport, he will compete in the this weekend's Nürburgring Endurance Series around the Nurburgring.
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On 12 September, he will have to complete a mandatory training course, which will consist of both a theory and a practical section, to secure his license. It will not be his first time at the circuit.
Earlier this year, he set an unofficial lap record in a Ferrari 296 GT3, having secretly driven under the pseudonym Franz Hermann to avoid attracting crowds.
The Emil Frey Racing team recommended he did so. Autosport reported that Verstappen smashed the existing lap record of 7m49.578s, which had been set by Christian Krognes in 2022.
The Red Bull star joins a long list of F1 stars to take on the legendary German circuit.
Fellow four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel clocked around eight minutes in an Infiniti Q50 prototype.
Romain Grosjean drove a BMW M3 E92, finishing his lap in around 7m32s.
Mika Hakkinen, who won two F1 world championships, also drove around the Nurburgring, although his time was never made public.
Another former world champion Jenson Button also raced around the circuit in 2017, clocking a time of 7m43s. Verstappen is planning to take part in the Ferrari Nordschleife event at the end of September, adding another high-profile event to his calendar.
To obtain the required license, he must first compete at Saturday's Nürburgring Endurance Series event.
As a professional racing driver, the Dutchman is classified in the "platinum" driver category, which allows him to secure his license through competing just once in a GT3.
The rules mandate that he must start in two different cars on Saturday and complete 14 laps without incurring any penalties.
If all goes according to plan, Verstappen will then race in a Ferrari 296 GT3 at the end of September.
The F1 star has to balance a hectic schedule this month, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku also looming.
