Verstappen at Nürburgring for GT4 outing after Monza triumph

Verstappen is scheduled to compete this Saturday at the Nürburgring Nordschleife in the GT4 class, before a likely return to the legendary German circuit at the end of September.

The Dutchman will line up in a Porsche Cayman GT4 for a four-hour race in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS). His participation comes with a mandatory theory test on Friday, a standard step for drivers entering the championship.

For Verstappen, who knows the 20.8 km Nordschleife intimately through extensive virtual laps and a Ferrari GT3 test earlier this year, the requirement is little more than a formality.

Earlier this season, Verstappen turned heads by running under a false name, Franz Hermann, before setting rapid times at the wheel of a Ferrari GT3. Now, with Red Bull’s approval, he is set to graduate to that level in competition.

The Red Bull's four-time world champion is expected to contest the penultimate round of the NLS on September 27, just one week after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, driving a Ferrari GT3 in another four-hour endurance race.

For Verstappen, the Nürburgring remains a playground away from F1 pressure, where he can indulge in pure driving on the most challenging track in the world.