Multi-car crash suspends Verstappen’s Nürburgring NLS4 race

A seven‑car pile‑up at the Steilstrecke on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife forced the NLS4 endurance race to be suspended after two laps, dashing Max Verstappen’s practice ahead of his 24‑Hours entry.

Why it matters:

• Verstappen used NLS4 for night‑time track familiarisation before his 24‑Hour entry.
• The crash highlights safety concerns at the steep Steilstrecke, a historic bottleneck.
• The suspension disrupts the NLS schedule and Red Bull’s data‑gathering plans.

The details:

• Red flag was waved after two laps; the race clock kept ticking until the flag was shown.
• Seven cars tangled in a high‑speed pile‑up at the uphill Steilstrecke section.
• Rescue crews attended to several injured drivers; medical teams remain on‑site.
• Lucas Auer, Verstappen’s teammate, was running ninth and was not part of the incident.
• Officials declared the race suspended pending rescue work.

What's next:

• Officials have yet to decide if NLS4 will restart; they are evaluating track conditions and driver health.
• NLS5, with the same Red Bull drivers, is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
• Verstappen likely to seek alternative track time before the 24‑Hour race, perhaps via private testing.