Max Verstappen qualifies with huge gap to class rivals in Nurburgring outing

Max Verstappen qualified sixth in the CUP3 class at the Nurburgring ahead of a four-hour race on Saturday afternoon, while driving a detuned Porsche GT4 Cayman.

While he was around 15.3 seconds off the top time in class, Verstappen’s performance can be better analysed by the enormous 25-second gap to the next car in the CUP3(G) class.

Max Verstappen qualifies 25 seconds faster than class rivals at Nurburgring

At a wet Nurburgring on Saturday morning, Verstappen was one of dozens of drivers across GT3 and GT4 looking to set a time for the afternoon’s four-hour NLS7 race.

Using the entire Nurburgring layout, which incorporates the corners from the Grand Prix circuit last seen in Formula 1 and the fearsome Nordschleife, that left 170 turns to navigate to complete a lap of the ‘Green Hell’.

The Red Bull driver confirmed his attendance was in order to gain the specific licence he needs to go racing at the Nurburgring in future, with the four-time World Champion having set his sights on eventually competing in the circuit’s famed 24-hour race.

As he is looking to gain the requisite racing licence, along with the other drivers looking to do so, the Porsche Caymans in use in the CUP3(G) class have been detuned from the usual 425bhp to approximately 300bhp.

Nevertheless, that did not stop Verstappen from outperforming the majority of the CUP3 class anyway, with an initial effort of a 10:34.244 being improved upon by 13 seconds come the end of qualifying, with a 10:21.591 his best lap.

As a direct comparison to other CUP3(G) cars, this was a full 25 seconds faster than the next-quickest car in class.

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Verstappen has spoken before about the hours he has put in on the circuit on simulators in years gone by, meaning he arrived at a GT3 test in May having memorised the full layout.

The Dutch driver will be partnering 22-year-old Chris Lulham in the four-hour race later on Saturday, with whom he races for his Team Redline sim racing outfit.

Explaining his entry at the Nurburgring this weekend, Verstappen told his official website: “Racing is not just my profession, but also my hobby.

“This weekend I am at the Nordschleife with the goal to qualify for the mandatory race permit needed to race here in a GT3 car, which I would love.

“The Nordschleife is at the top of my list of tracks I want to race on, as it’s extremely challenging and demanding, with its enormous length and tight historic layout. I can’t wait!”

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