Verstappen Secures Nordschleife Pole Position in NLS2
Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen secured pole position for the second round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) on Saturday, March 21, 2026, driving the #3 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. He shares the car with Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon Verstappen Racing.
Qualifying Masterclass
Verstappen set a pole-setting lap of 7:51.751, besting seasoned Nordschleife veteran Christopher Haase (#16 Scherer Sport PHX Audi) by 1.974 seconds. This margin is equivalent to a 0.5-second gap on a standard 5km circuit. The Dutchman’s speedy lap came during a 20-minute green-flag window amidst a qualifying session frequently interrupted by neutralizations.
“You always need a bit of luck with traffic. I think that was literally the only lap of the day without a Code 60 slowing me down,” Verstappen said after the session.
He also noted the need to refine pit stop procedures, stating, “The AMG feels hooked up, but honestly, today is a glorified test session for us. I still need to receive the muscle memory down for the driver changes at the pit stops. We don’t exactly do those in F1.”
Interrupted Session and Grid Line-Up
The qualifying session was disrupted by an early incident at the Hohenrain-Schikane, requiring 45 minutes for barrier repairs. Further incidents at Aremberg and Hohe Acht in the closing stages ended any hopes of a late-session shootout.
Several teams faced challenges, resulting in less-than-ideal starting positions. HRT Ford qualified 20th, Dinamic GT Porsche in 22nd, and Dunlop Porsche in 24th.
The Dunlop Porsche competes under the Falken banner after Sumitomo Rubber Industries acquired the Dunlop brand in 2025, resulting in both Falken and Dunlop teams in the series. Motorsport.com
NLS2 Qualifying Top 10
| Position | Team | Drivers | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winward Mercedes #3 | Verstappen / Juncadella / Gounon | 7:51.751 |
| 2 | Scherer-Phx-Audi #16 | Haase/Hantke | +1.974 |
| 3 | Rowe-BMW #98 | Farfus / Marciello / van der Linde | +2.855 |
| 4 | Walkenhorst Aston Martin #34 | Krognes / Drudi | +3.503 |
| 5 | Winward Mercedes #80 | Schiller / Martin | +3.914 |
| 6 | KCMG-Mercedes #47 | Fukuzumi / Krohn / Pittard / Tsuboi | +4.070 |
| 7 | Rowe-BMW #99 | Harper / Pepper | +4.905 |
| 8 | Condo-Ferrari #45 | Perel / Vermeulen / Neubauer | +5.061 |
| 9 | HRT-Ford #65 | Main / Schumacher / Stippler | +5.664 |
| 10 | Falken Porsche #44 | Muller / Heinemann | +5.770 |
What is the NLS?
The Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS), is a long-distance championship consisting of 10 races, each held on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The layout differs from that used during the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Motorsport.com