Max Verstappen showcased his growing endurance racing pedigree with a commanding victory in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) opener (NLS2), the ADAC Barbarossapreis. Sharing the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo with Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon, Verstappen secured his second series win—this time with a different manufacturer.
Although the final margin exceeded 59 seconds, the race unfolded as a closely fought contest in its early phases. With NLS1 cancelled due to poor weather a week ago, NLS2 marked the start of the 2026 campaign.
Early duel captivates the Nordschleife as Haase takes the lead from Verstappen
At the start, Verstappen converted pole position into an early lead. However, Christopher Haase in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II from Scherer Sport PHX quickly mounted a challenge.
Using the long Döttinger Höhe straight on the opening lap, Haase surged past into first place. From there, the pair engaged in a relentless, high-speed battle. As they threaded through dense traffic from the 128-car field, the gap between them rarely stretched beyond a second.
Nevertheless, Verstappen remained patient and alert. Near the end of the first hour, he seized an opportunity when traffic slowed the Audi, reclaiming the lead with a decisive move before the pit cycle began.
Pit stops shift momentum with Verstappen Racing behind after opening phase of 2026 NLS2
The first round of stops briefly reshuffled the order. Nico Hantke took over the Audi and exited the pits ahead of Juncadella. Yet, the advantage proved short-lived.
Juncadella’s experience quickly came to the fore, and he dispatched Hantke before the Audi began slipping down the standings.
At the same time, the ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO emerged as a serious contender. Driven by Dan Harper and Jordan Pepper, the BMW crew opted for an earlier pit strategy, allowing them to leapfrog into the fight for the lead.
Key incident decides the fight
As the race entered its third hour, Harper closed rapidly on Gounon and even managed to edge ahead, taking advantage of the BMW’s superior straight-line speed.
However, the decisive moment arrived soon after. While navigating traffic on the Grand Prix circuit section, Harper collided with a slower Porsche Cayman. The contact disrupted his rhythm and allowed Gounon to retake the lead almost immediately. To compound matters, Harper later received a penalty for the incident.
From that point onward, the momentum firmly swung back to the Mercedes-AMG entry.
Verstappen seals control to take 2026 NLS2 victory after intense racing
With the lead secured, the Winward Racing-run car controlled the remainder of the race. Verstappen returned for the final stint and calmly extended the advantage, ultimately taking the chequered flag in dominant fashion.
The victory also carried added significance, as it followed the cancellation of the originally scheduled season opener due to severe winter conditions.
Importantly, this triumph built on Verstappen’s earlier Nürburgring success in a Ferrari 296 GT3, further underlining his adaptability across different machinery.
Intense battle for podium positions
Behind the winners, the fight for the remaining podium spots remained fiercely competitive. Harper and Pepper held on to second place despite their earlier setback.
Meanwhile, the Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo of Tim Heinemann and Sven Müller secured third, finishing just one second behind the BMW after a tense closing phase.
In addition, a tightly packed group battled for positions just off the podium. The Black Falcon Porsche, driven by Tobias Müller, Patrick Assenheimer and Dylan Pereira, emerged on top of that fight to claim fourth overall and Pro-Am honours.
Close finishes and notable performances
Just behind, Thierry Vermeulen led the Kondo Racing Ferrari effort, finishing within a second of Pereira. The Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 also remained firmly in contention, ending only a few seconds further back in sixth.
Further down the order, the eye-catching BMW M3 Touring 24H delivered a strong and reliable debut. Entered in the SPX class, the unconventional machine—born from an April Fools’ concept—impressed by running consistently and even competing with GT3 runners at times.
Verstappen’s endurance credentials grow as Verstappen Racing takes 2026 NLS2 victory
Ultimately, Verstappen’s performance highlighted not only his speed but also his racecraft in multi-class endurance competition. By managing traffic, executing decisive overtakes and working seamlessly with his team-mates, he secured a well-earned and authoritative victory.
As a result, his reputation beyond Formula 1 continues to strengthen with every outing at the Nürburgring.
