Max Verstappen hailed as 'king in a Ferrari' after triumph

Sep.29 (GMM) Max Verstappen has added another chapter to his racing legend, conquering the Nurburgring in his GT3 debut at the weekend, and doing it at the wheel of a Ferrari.

Partnering fellow sim racer Chris Lulham in Emil Frey Racing’s 296 GT3, the reigning Formula 1 world champion dominated the four-hour Endurance Series round, crossing the finish line with a commanding 24.5-second lead.

Italy’s Corriere della Sera revelled in the sight of Red Bull’s superstar winning in Ferrari colours. “Verstappen was the king of the Nurburgring, in a Ferrari,” the newspaper declared, calling it “fantastic publicity” for Maranello and even hinting it could spark speculation of closer F1 ties between the two giants.

Despite qualifying only third after tricky conditions and heavy traffic, Verstappen surged to the front with a bold outside move, quickly pulling out a one-minute cushion before handing the car to Lulham.

“It was fantastic,” Verstappen said. “The car worked brilliantly in the dry. To win here on my debut is special. Ultimately, we’d like to come back for the 24-hour race, hopefully with more NLS rounds next year.”

The frenzied atmosphere at the track underlined his global star power. Verstappen's personal security staff admitted they were overwhelmed as fans crowded the Emil Frey garage, forcing organisers to bring in extra track security. Meanwhile, the Verstappen family celebrated on two fronts.

Max’s father Jos clinched the Belgian Rally Championship the same weekend, finishing third in the East Belgian Rally.

“You want to be as well prepared as possible and have the right people around you,” said the 53-year-old, who also praised his son’s ever-growing appetite for racing beyond Formula 1.

“Max still gives 100 percent to the sport and the team,” Jos told De Telegraaf. “Red Bull must be very happy to have him. He’s a really nice guy, but you don’t want to make him angry.”