Antonelli reveals Nordschleife permit timeline after Verstappen example

The young Mercedes driver is enjoying a dream start to the season, with three pole positions and three victories in the last three Grands Prix. The impressive run not only allowed him to take the championship lead in Japan - becoming the youngest driver ever to lead a Formula 1 world championship - but also helped him extend his advantage over his team-mate in Miami, where the gap now stands at 20 points.

The Italian, however, much like Verstappen, has no intention of limiting himself solely to Formula 1 and has already set his sights on competing in other categories outside the pinnacle of motorsport, all while naturally keeping his main focus firmly on F1 and his primary objectives there.

“I’m going to get it… I’ll try by the end of the year,” Antonelli revealed while speaking with Jules Gounon, one of the four-time world champion’s team-mates in GT racing.

The A Permit represents the highest level of racing licence required to compete at the Nordschleife and it is essential for drivers wanting to race top-tier machinery such as GT3 cars in the SP9 category. It is a mandatory requirement for events including the 24h Nurburgring and races held as part of the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS).

Obtaining the licence is a gradual process, with drivers needing to gain experience around the Nordschleife through multiple race results in lower classes before becoming eligible, also depending on the drivers' previous experience. Clean driving standards are also crucial, as penalties and incidents can impact the application process, while dedicated training sessions and permit courses form another key part of earning approval to race the circuit’s fastest cars.

Staying on the same topic, the four-time world champion will compete this weekend in the highly anticipated 24h Nurburgring, after the Dutchman spent the past year building extensive experience through testing and several appearances in recent weeks in order to arrive fully prepared for his first outright entry at the famous Green Hell.

Verstappen Racing’s #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo will feature a four-driver line-up for this weekend’s action at the Nordschleife. Alongside Verstappen, the car will also be driven by Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer, with the quartet already having worked together across several recent appearances as part of the Dutchman’s preparations for the famous race.