Max Verstappen GT3 debut confirmed as Kimi Raikkonen wins title – RacingNews365 Review
RacingNews365 rounds up a packed week across motorsport, headlined by Max Verstappen’s long-awaited competitive GT3 debut at the Nordschleife and Kimi Raikkonen celebrating world championship success in his post-F1 role. Elsewhere, Jacques Villeneuve urges McLaren to pick a number one driver as Max Verstappen closes the title gap, Charles Leclerc admits to a costly setup change in Baku, Felipe Drugovich lands a full-time Formula E drive with Andretti, and Toto Wolff rejects the narrative that Mercedes’ Azerbaijan form was simply down to cool temperatures.
Max Verstappen set for competitive GT3 bow at the Nordschleife
Max Verstappen will race a GT3 car competitively for the first time this weekend at the legendary Nordschleife. The triple F1 world champion recently secured his Nordschleife racing license by contesting a four-hour event in a scaled-back Porsche Cayman GT4, and will now put that permit to immediate use in GT3 machinery. It marks a much-anticipated crossover appearance for Verstappen at one of motorsport’s most demanding venues.
Kimi Raikkonen celebrates title as team principal
Kimi Raikkonen has tasted world championship glory in the managerial ranks. His Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre clinched the Motocross world championship in Australia, delivering Raikkonen’s first title as a team principal. The 2007 F1 world champion’s success comes years after his final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi 2021 — and still stands alongside Ferrari’s most recent drivers’ crown.
Villeneuve: McLaren must choose a number one as Verstappen closes in
1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve says McLaren can no longer afford equal status between its drivers with Max Verstappen mounting a title fightback. After back-to-back wins, Verstappen has trimmed Oscar Piastri’s lead to just 69 points, increasing pressure on McLaren to back a single spearhead to secure the championship.
Leclerc’s setup regret after Baku reset
Charles Leclerc revealed he made an unusual and ultimately regrettable setup change ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver arrived at the Baku City Circuit on a run of four consecutive poles at the venue but opted to overhaul his approach for the weekend — a decision he now wishes he hadn’t made.
Drugovich secures Andretti Formula E seat
Felipe Drugovich will race full-time in Formula E, joining Andretti as team-mate to Jake Dennis. The 2022 Formula 2 champion had not held a full-time professional single-seater seat since his title-winning year and has been serving as Aston Martin’s F1 reserve. The move signals a major step in his career as his F1 opportunities have faded.
Wolff rejects Mercedes “cold weather” theory
Toto Wolff dismissed the suggestion that Mercedes’ best result in seven races at the Azerbaijan GP was simply due to lower temperatures. The two-four finish for George Russell and Kimi Antonelli was the team’s strongest since a one-three in Canada back in June. While Mercedes has historically performed better in cooler conditions, Wolff pushed back on the idea that temperature alone underpinned the upswing.
Key takeaways
- Verstappen will make his competitive GT3 debut at the Nordschleife after earning his license in a Porsche Cayman GT4 event.
- Raikkonen secures his first world championship as a team principal via Romain Febvre’s Motocross triumph.
- Villeneuve urges McLaren to back a single driver as Verstappen cuts the title gap to 69 points.
- Leclerc regrets a radical setup change in Baku despite past pole success at the venue.
- Drugovich joins Andretti in Formula E, partnering Jake Dennis.
- Wolff rejects the idea that Mercedes’ Baku form was purely temperature-driven.
