F1 LIVE | Russell to skip media day in Baku as Marko predicts F1 champion

Last weekend, the Dutch driver visited the historic Nordschleife circuit with the goal of obtaining the A permit, which qualifies him to race in the GT3 class and, most notably, the legendary 24 Hours of Nürburgring—a goal he has long pursued.

The four-time world champion impressed not only with his speed but also with his ability to adapt to a completely different category and cars from those he normally drives, even though he has spent years training on simulators with GT cars and previously had the opportunity to drive the Ferrari 296 of the Emily Frey Racing team a few months ago, setting an unofficial lap record.

Verstappen completed the 14 laps required by regulations without incident, although he was unable to complete the additional seven laps in car 89 due to a technical issue. Despite this, the commission ultimately granted the Dutchman his license.

In a recent interview with Sport.de, Helmut Marko confirmed that Verstappen will be able to participate next year, as the event does not conflict with the Formula 1 calendar.

Last weekend, the four-time world champion arrived at the famous German circuit with a clear goal: to obtain the DMSB permit, which allows him to compete in the GT3 class and, more importantly, to take part in next year’s 24 Hours of Nürburgring—his true stated objective.

To secure the license, despite being a four-time Formula 1 world champion, Verstappen was granted no exemptions and had to follow the regulations to the letter in order to achieve his goal.

However, the training and exam didn’t come for free. The Dutchman had to pay €1,790 for the whole process, plus an annual fee of €102 to keep the license active.

To maintain its validity, Verstappen will also need to take part in at least one race at the Nordschleife every two years.