Verstappen NLS DQ
Max Verstappen and Winward’s Mercedes were disqualified from their NLS2 victory after exceeding the allowed number of tyre sets — the car had crossed the line almost a minute clear before the penalty stripped the win ( ). Commentators have since questioned Verstappen’s role in the Nürburgring 24 Hours squad — calling him the “weaker link” — and the DQ stacks pressure on his bid for redemption in the ADAC NLS’s 50th season ( ).
Stewards’ post‑race technical checks recorded the No.3 Winward Mercedes used seven tyre sets (28 individual tyres) against the six‑set (24‑tyre) allocation, a count the stewards cited in their exclusion of the car. (sportscar365.com) The #3 had crossed the line 59.5 seconds clear after taking pole by 1.9 seconds, but the official classification was amended and victory was promoted to the ROWE Racing BMW M4, driven in NLS2 by Jordan Pepper and Dan Harper. (speedcafe.com) Winward’s team management publicly acknowledged the error shortly after the ruling, with Team Principal Christian Hohenadel apologising and calling the exclusion “tough to take” while saying the breach stemmed from a team mistake. (gt-report.com) Team‑mate Dani Juncadella later outlined how a pit‑lane/operational mix‑up during the four‑hour race contributed to the extra tyre change being made, describing the sequence of stops as the factor that escaped internal controls. (gpfans.com) Broadcast commentator Peter Snowdon specifically singled out Verstappen during on‑track coverage, naming him as the most questioned member of the car’s line‑up ahead of the ADAC 24h Nürburgring campaign. (planetf1.com) The NLS is running its 50th season as a ten‑race series that began on 14 March and runs through 10 October, with the next standalone NLS round on 11 April and the ADAC 24h Nürburgring qualifying events scheduled for 18–19 April. (gt-report.com)
