GT3 success at the Nordschleife, and a widening driver toolkit
Max Verstappen’s detour into GT3 racing delivered a standout victory at the Nordschleife, sharing an Emil Frey-run Ferrari 296 GT3 with Chris Lulham. The reigning F1 champion highlighted how years of simulator laps translated effectively to the real thing, calling the mixed conditions, stint management and race craft "a lot of fun"—and a valuable way to broaden experience outside the F1 bubble.
Rivals and peers increasingly view such outings as additive rather than distracting. Endurance stints cultivate mechanical sympathy, traffic management and multi-class awareness, while GT3’s different tire and aero characteristics sharpen adaptability. It’s all part of what drivers describe as a growing "toolbox" that can pay dividends under F1’s parc fermé pressures.
But 2026 F1 regulations could limit his options
Verstappen has cautioned that next year’s all-new technical rules may demand heavier driver involvement, especially early on, squeezing opportunities to fit further GT3 appearances around F1’s already packed calendar. Planning is complicated by team programmes, car choices and the learning curve expected in the opening phase of the new regs.
He has not ruled out a return—eyeing marquee events like the Nürburgring 24 Hours—but timing will hinge on how complex the 2026 landscape proves and how his primary F1 commitments evolve.
What we learned
- Nordschleife victory underscores how sim-honed skills transfer to real-world GT3 racing.
- Endurance events build racecraft that complements the demands of modern F1.
- The 2026 technical reset could temporarily pause extracurricular racing due to higher development and correlation workloads.
For now, Verstappen’s GT3 chapter reads like an effective cross-training regime—one that he’ll revisit when F1’s regulatory seas calm.
