Verstappen's dominant Nurburgring debut win overturned by disqualification

Max Verstappen's commanding debut victory in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) was stripped hours after the race due to a technical infringement. His #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entry, which took pole by a massive 1.9-second margin and won the four-hour race by nearly a minute, was disqualified for using one set of tires more than the permitted maximum.

Why it matters:

This incident underscores the unforgiving nature of endurance racing, where operational perfection is as critical as raw speed. For Verstappen's new-for-2026 Winward Racing-run team, which operates under the prestigious Mercedes-AMG Performance Team banner, the disqualification casts a shadow over an otherwise dominant performance and serves as a harsh lesson in procedural discipline ahead of the marquee 24-hour race.

The details:

• The #3 car, shared with Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella, was disqualified for using seven sets of tires, exceeding the six-set maximum allowed for the race.
• The penalty was applied retroactively two hours after the checkered flag, handing the victory to the #99 Rowe Racing BMW of Jordan Pepper and Dan Harper.
• Team Reaction: Winward Racing team principal Christian Hohenadel called the disqualification "painful," publicly apologizing for the team's mistake. Mercedes-AMG's head of customer racing, Stefan Wendl, acknowledged the deep disappointment, stating the error showed that "you can only win on the Nordschleife if everything comes together."
• Revised Podium: Following the disqualification, second place was inherited by the #44 Falken Motorsports Porsche of Tim Heinemann and Sven Muller, while the #48 Losch Motorsport by Black Falcon Porsche of Dylan Pereira, Tobias Muller, and Patrick Assenheimer was promoted to third.

What's next:

The team has vowed to analyze the error thoroughly as they prepare for the remaining races leading up to the ADAC Ravenol 24h Nürburgring in May.

• The next NLS round, NLS3, is scheduled for April 11. With the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix originally slated for that weekend now canceled, there is a possibility Verstappen could return to the Nürburgring for another attempt before the 24-hour classic.
• The focus for the Mercedes-AMG Performance Team will now shift to converting their evident speed into a flawless, rule-compliant operation for the championship's main event.