Verstappen back in GT
Max Verstappen grabbed pole for the NLS2/58th ADAC Barbarossapreis at the Nürburgring, returning to GT racing and starting today’s race from the front row — a reminder he’s winning across platforms. Social buzz even notes he’s the only driver with the most recent victories in Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes cars, stoking memes about his versatility. (gpfans.com) (x.com)
The Verstappen/Juncadella/Gounon crew converted the weekend into an overall NLS2 victory at the 58th ADAC Barbarossapreis, finishing roughly one minute ahead of the second-placed ROWE Racing BMW in the four-hour event. (autosport.com) Verstappen’s fastest qualifying lap was a 7:51.571, a 1.974s advantage over Christopher Haase and 2.855s quicker than Raffaele Marciello, giving the team a decisive pace edge heading into the race. (gt-report.com) He piloted the No.3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo for Verstappen Racing/Winward-AMG alongside factory drivers Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon, a lineup confirmed in the team’s official programme announcement. (motorsport.com) The Mercedes carried a distinctive Red Bull “bull” livery for the weekend, part of a wider Verstappen Racing Nürburgring programme that includes a confirmed entry for the 2026 24 Hours of Nürburgring. (racingnewstoday.com) NLS organisers reshuffled the early-season calendar after the original opener was cancelled because of snow, and the NLS2 date was positioned between the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix in a move that organisers and media say aided Verstappen’s inclusion. (gt-report.com) Mainstream outlets and fan pages captured a surge of social media reaction — from surprise takes to memes — across X, TikTok and meme sites following the result and the car’s high-profile livery. (sportskeeda.com)
