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.
KIM KARDASHIAN AND LEWIS HAMILTON SPOTTED ON ROMANTIC EUROPEAN TOUR TOGETHER
Kim Kardashian and F1 star Lewis Hamilton are turning heads across Europe as insiders reveal Kim's "Russell Wilson" nickname.
Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton are the latest celebrity duo making waves, and apparently, Kim’s already got a cheeky nickname for him. The two have been spotted out together in the Cotswolds, London, and Paris, just enjoying themselves and turning a few heads in the process.
Word is, Kim’s close friends are spilling a few details about this new romance. One insider claims Lewis isn’t looking to settle down right now, but Kim still has a special name for him—she calls him “her Russell Wilson”. If you know the reference, it’s a nod to NFL star Russell Wilson, who married singer Ciara after her high-profile breakup with rapper Future. Friends say Kim thinks of Lewis as a “sophisticated upgrade” from her ex, Kanye West.
Kim and Kanye—now legally known as Ye—were married from 2014 to 2021 and share four kids. Their co-parenting relationship is famously complicated.
Kim’s reportedly a bit anxious about how Kanye will react to her new thing with Lewis, considering Kanye and Lewis were friends back in the day. One source told the Mail, “They’re both cautious about Kanye’s feelings since he and Lewis go way back. Kim’s living for herself these days, but she doesn’t want to poke the bear. They know this could set Kanye off, so they’re keeping it light and just having fun for now.”
Kim and Lewis first crossed paths years ago at GQ’s 2014 Men of the Year Awards. Back then, they both showed up with their now-exes—Kim was with Ye, and Lewis was with Nicole Scherzinger.
Kanye even had Lewis over for Easter one year. He talked about it: “Lewis Hamilton’s over at my house, and we’re playing some music in my studio. We’re having Easter brunch—my wife’s family, my friends, everyone’s there. And everybody’s like, ‘What is this music?’ and I’m like, ‘It’s Lewis Hamilton’s music.’”
Since splitting from Ye, Kim’s dated Pete Davidson and moved on. Kanye’s remarried, too—this time to Australian architect Bianca Censori.
Those two have been in the headlines a lot, usually for their wild fashion choices. Things got especially wild when Bianca showed up at the Grammy Awards in a see-through gown. She arrived in a black fur coat but ditched it to reveal a sheer dress that left little to the imagination. People at the event were definitely stunned.
FERRARI SF-26 COMPLETES 121 LAPS IN HISTORIC LEWIS HAMILTON-LECLERC BARCELONA DEBUT
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed a "productive" 121-lap debut for the Ferrari SF-26 during 2026 testing in Barcelona.
Ferrari kicked off its on-track work for the 2026 Formula One season with a steady first day at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc split driving duties in the team’s bold new car, and the whole thing felt like the start of a new chapter.
With the 2026 rules shaking up both the chassis and the power unit, Ferrari didn’t chase lap times. They zeroed in on checking systems, making sure their data lined up, and ironing out any reliability kinks. The weather threw a few curveballs—rain, some dry patches—but even so, they got through their plan and stacked up plenty of laps.
Leclerc seemed upbeat after his first taste of the new machine. He said it felt good to get back behind the wheel and start figuring out the car, even if the focus was just on systems and not raw speed. “We came here to understand how everything works,” he said. “With the weather mixed up, today was all about checks. We finished what we set out to do, and the car did what we expected. It’s a solid start and a decent base.”
Hamilton, now officially in Ferrari red, felt the same. For him, it was a busy day—lots of on-track time, plenty of new things to get used to—but he called it productive. “We got good mileage, learnt a lot, and didn’t hit any big issues. That’s what matters with so many changes coming in. This gives us a strong platform for the next few days.”
Ferrari’s Head of Track Engineering, Matteo Togninalli, stressed how important it was just to get through the day cleanly. “Given the conditions, it went well for us,” he said. Rain or not, they racked up the laps and—most importantly—avoided any real reliability problems. That’s the top priority when you’re shaking down a brand-new car and engine.
Performance talk? Still way too early for that. Right now, Ferrari’s just learning how this new car behaves, gathering data, and building up bit by bit as the days go on—keeping their focus squarely on themselves.