Overview
- Max Verstappen secured NLS2 pole at the Nordschleife with a 7:51.751 in a Winward-run Mercedes‑AMG GT3, nearly two seconds clear of the field alongside teammates Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella.
- The four-time F1 champion said he enjoys driving the GT3 “flat out without looking after the battery,” renewing his public complaints about F1’s boost‑and‑battery racing dynamics.
- Verstappen has only eight points from the opening two F1 rounds and retired in China with an ERS failure after being lapped, highlighting Red Bull’s early reliability and performance issues with its new in‑house power unit.
- F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has met Verstappen and said the series is listening to his concerns, while indicating he does not expect the driver to walk away imminently.
- Nelson Piquet Jr and Ralf Schumacher suggested Verstappen’s tone reflects Red Bull’s current form and urged him to handle grievances privately, as he continues preparations for May’s Nürburgring 24 Hours with Mercedes‑AMG.