F1 CLASH AVOIDED: NüRBURGRING SCHEDULE UPDATE CLEARS THE WAY FOR A MAX VERSTAPPEN RETURN
The NLS has shifted its 2026 schedule to March 21st, allowing Max Verstappen to compete between the Chinese and Japanese GPs.
Max Verstappen’s chances to race in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie just got a real boost thanks to a shift in the event schedule.
The organisers moved the second of the ten planned endurance races to the legendary German track. With the new date, Verstappen can actually take part.
Here’s what happened. When they first announced the 2026 Nürburgring schedule last September, the season opener was set for March 14, followed by another race two weeks later. The problem? Both those dates clashed with the Chinese and Japanese Grand Prixes. Realistically, Verstappen’s first shot to compete would’ve been at NLS6 in June.
But now, the officials have bumped NLS2 ahead by a week to March 21. They did it specifically so Verstappen could join the grid.
“The VLN is moving the second round of the ADAC RAVENOL Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) 2026 to March 21,” they announced. By taking advantage of a gap in the Formula 1 calendar, they’re letting top-level drivers, like Verstappen, jump in. They’re also hoping to ride the wave of global attention from Verstappen’s previous NLS appearance. The March 14 season opener stays the same.
Last year, Verstappen made his Nürburgring debut in a GT4 Porsche. He had to do that to get his ‘Ring Licence’. He passed the written test, then hit the track for his Permit B under the eye of instructor Andreas Gülden. After logging the required miles, Verstappen qualified seventh in the Cup3 class, clocking a time 25 seconds faster than the next CUP3(G) car.
A few weeks later, he was back—this time in a Ferrari 296 GT3. He and teammate Chris Lulham dominated, winning a four-hour race at the Green Hell from start to finish.
“Of course, I would really like to compete in the 24 Hours at some point,” Verstappen said back then. “If it happens next year, I’ll say so – but we still need more experience. That’s the way it is, so hopefully we’ll do more races here next year.”
Verstappen made such an impression that the German motorsport federation actually changed the licensing process, adding sim racing to the DMSB permit requirements. Before he ever raced at the Nürburgring, Verstappen had already spent plenty of time competing there virtually.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
