Tension rises as Max Verstappen calls out misleading claims from a DTM driver following his mysterious GT3 run at Nürburgring.
“Don’t spread things if you don’t know the facts.”
Max Verstappen’s secret GT3 test at the Nürburgring, under the alias Franz Hermann, is still making waves, especially now that questions are being raised about the conditions of the run. And Verstappen isn’t staying silent.
DTM driver Maro Engel tried to make light of the situation on social media, suggesting that “Hermann” benefited from a favorable Balance of Performance (BoP), a racing setup that typically gives cars more power, less weight, and a lower ride height.
“Some facts about Franz Hermann’s GT3 test on the Nordschleife,” Engel wrote on Twitter. “The car had a DTM-style BoP (lighter, more power, lower ride height than the NLS spec). Lap time was 7:48. Impressive for a first time on the Green Hell. Would be cool to see Franz race!”
But Verstappen, or someone on his team, quickly pushed back, setting the record straight.
“False,” came the firm reply. “Don’t spread things when you don’t know how the car was set up or what engine settings we used. Why would I join an NLS track day with the wrong BoP? Enjoy your day tomorrow.”
Engel acknowledged the correction and walked back his comment. “Looks like the paddock talk was wrong. You’re obviously in the best position to know what you drove. Thanks, and you too!”
Still, the rumor mill had already done its damage. Another driver, David Perel, added fuel to the fire: “I followed Franz for a few laps. He could be really good if he took it seriously. But yeah… he had a lot of power and straight-line speed!”
Whether Verstappen’s clarification is enough to stop the misinformation from spreading remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: even under a pseudonym, Verstappen doesn’t hold back when it comes to setting the record straight.
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Horner: Verstappen Free to Race GT3 “We’re Not the Type to Say No”
Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner has called Max Verstappen’s surprise GT3 run at the Nürburgring “madness”, but in the best way possible.
After watching onboard footage from Verstappen’s test on the Nordschleife, Horner admitted he was amazed by what he saw. Though no official lap time was released, Verstappen reportedly broke the GT3 record at the iconic circuit, despite completing only a handful of laps.
Horner made it clear that Red Bull had no intention of restricting Verstappen’s racing interests beyond Formula 1. In fact, the team had known for some time that their star driver had set his sights on the Green Hell.
“We didn’t ban him from anything,” Horner explained. “He sent us the onboard footage from the Nürburgring and it was insane. You can see why he loves it. He’s passionate about all forms of racing, GT racing, sim racing, he even has his own GT team.”
Verstappen’s Nürburgring run wasn’t a secret within Red Bull. According to Horner, the Dutchman had talked about it for a while, and the team supported the idea.
“He was very excited about driving there. It’s something he’s wanted to do for a long time. He did a great job and clearly enjoyed every second of it,” Horner said.
“That’s who he is. That’s what he loves. It would be very hard to take that away from him.”
With Formula 1’s demanding 24-race calendar, time is tight for drivers to explore other motorsport disciplines. But Verstappen is determined to strike a balance between his commitments in F1 and his personal racing passions.
“You’ve got to stay focused on the main job, of course,” Horner said. “But his versatility is something I really admire.”
“We’ve always been a bit more relaxed than other teams when it comes to giving our drivers freedom.”
“He finds a good balance. The priority is Formula 1, no doubt. But it’s great that he’s so engaged in the wider world of motorsport.”
To make it clear, Horner stressed that Verstappen’s outside activities won’t interfere with his F1 schedule. “He’s not going to miss any races, that’s for sure,” he added, referencing Fernando Alonso’s infamous absence from the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix to race in the Indy 500.
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