The doubleheader double succes ánd Max Verstappen
It was time to race again on the ever-beautiful Nordschleife. After the previous races, it was time to perform well again. With all the bad luck in the past races, we wanted to show what we’re capable of, not just me, but the whole team. Everyone is determined to achieve a strong result! It would also be a weekend that, for the media, would mainly focus on that other Dutchman,Max Verstappen.
The week starts off a bit tense, as I’ve been sick in bed since Monday and still don’t feel well enough to race. On Thursday, we head to the circuit anyway, with me lying in the backseat and my father at the wheel. I start feeling slightly better, so the weekend could either be very tough or go perfectly if I recover quickly enough. Once we arrive at the circuit, I briefly greet the team and quickly retreat back to bed. Plenty of rest is essential, because even though I feel better, I need to be in top shape for the race. Fortunately, I recover quickly.
Friday starts early. On Thursday evening, the team mentioned that one car needed a shake-down. The car had been rebuilt, and someone needed to test it for a few laps to make sure everything was in order. Naturally, I was first in line and was there early on Friday to take this opportunity.
This wasn’t just any car, it was a Porsche GT4 RS. Under the hood sits the 4.0-liter six-cylinder boxer engine also found in the Carrera Cup car, with an impressive 500 HP! Truly a beast of a car and an amazing, valuable experience.
With the morning session over, it’s now time to wait for the afternoon session and begin the test session with the BMW. Throughout the day, something becomes noticeable in the paddock, it’s quite busy around pit box 24. We already knew this ahead of the weekend, but Max Verstappen is racing this weekend! Because he loves this class and this circuit, he wants to compete here as well. Of course, like me, he also needs to obtain his Permit B. After 14 laps in a Permit-B car, he earns his Permit A, just like I did, allowing him to race in the fast GT3 cars. During this double-header weekend, he can efficiently get valuable track time.
Max Verstappen is racing here because next year he wants to compete with the GT3 Ferrari. He thinks this championship is next level and really wants to join the 24-hour race next year. It’s pretty cool that a four-time F1 world champion spends his free time racing in the NLS. It also confirms that we’re definitely on the right track!
The training:
The training session goes well; I quickly get a feel for the car, although I did need a moment to adjust to the speed compared to the Porsche. Fortunately, that comes quickly. In this session, I get time for five laps, which is great since I still feel room for improvement, not just in the car, but especially in myself. The circuit has around 84 corners, and even after, say, five races, you still haven’t mastered them perfectly.
At the end of the day, the three drivers (Marius, Piet-Jan, and I) sit down with our engineer to plan the strategy. I mention that I’d like to do the fast lap in qualifying and start both races. Everyone agrees, and soon we’re ready to push hard. The team spirit and motivation are high.
Saturday:
Although we were, of course, hoping for dry conditions, we wake up to a soaking wet track. Normally, I would start qualifying early, but now we have to wait until the last moment to set the perfect lap. With the wet track, the longer you wait, the drier it becomes. As expected, that’s exactly what happens. We plan it so that I’ll have a total of four laps. In case a Code 60 comes at the end, we want to already have a strong time on the board. This works out, and after three laps I’m first on the list, but not yet satisfied. The track dries quickly, and I’m convinced I can go much faster on the final lap.
Again, as expected, I go out for my last lap and am already several seconds quicker, until a Code 60 appears… Still, I hear over the radio that there’s room for improvement! “PUSH PUSH PUSH,” my engineer Panthi shouts over the radio. I give it everything I’ve got, and at the end of the lap I hear that I’ve improved myself again, despite the Code 60 interruption. My instinct was right, resulting in a dominant pole position with more than seven seconds’ advantage over P2! And all under challenging conditions, INSANE! Bring on the race.
Race 1:
I feel very confident going into the race, especially because my pace in the wet was fast. Normally, my dry pace is also better compared to my rivals. Bring it on, full throttle!
I get to start from the front row and get off to a good start. After one lap on the GP circuit, we head onto the Nordschleife with a comfortable lead. Unfortunately, there’s a front-wheel-drive Audi RS3 in front of me. This car is a jet on the straights but a truck in the corners… I can’t pull away enough, and my opponents quickly close in. This sparks a battle that keeps going.
Like we’re on a string, the three of us race around the circuit. Due to the slipstream, positions keep bouncing back and forth. I drop to P3, then climb back to P1, fall to P2, and then back to P3, but because our pace is so close, the fight for the lead is constant. After five laps, I’m at the front of the three-car train. On the final lap down the straight, we’re bumper to bumper, with the top three (me, P2, and P3) within 0.3 seconds of each other! This is real racing—not endurance racing, but pure sprint racing.
We’ve been pushing 100% around the circuit for over an hour, giving each other no space at all as we fight it out. With a lot of respect for one another, there are no collisions or crashes. This is insanely exciting! On the final straight before I enter the pits, I drop back to P2 in the train, but just half a meter from P1’s bumper, I dive into the pits and hand the wheel over to my teammate Marius. Marius and Piet-Jan drive the rest of the race, and due to a bit of bad luck with Code 60s, we finish 3rd. A podium finish, not bad at all, but there’s room for improvement.
After collecting the trophy, I sit down with my mechanics and engineer to discuss the race. The perfectionist in me wants to perform better and fight for more, not just in the car, but in myself. Sorg Rennsport is the right team for that: driven by people who go for victory and nothing less. We discuss until we’re almost tired of analyzing every detail, but… by the end of the evening, we’ve agreed on a plan. We’ve found areas to improve in the car, but also in myself, so that’s promising! A few small adjustments are made to the car’s setup, and we’re ready, we’re going to BLAST!
Sunday:
Qualifying is wet again, not as wet as yesterday, but still wet. However, today it’s drying faster, so we wait longer during the session. With enough time for three laps, we head out on track. Lap 1 is fast, lap 2 is faster. But on lap 3, it’s actually too dry for wet tires, and I slide around a lot. Luckily, I’m not the only one, others are struggling too. This does, however, make the gap much smaller. Fortunately, I secure pole position again, but today by just 0.150 seconds!!! Over a 10-minute-36-second lap! Unreal, but pole is pole! We’re ready to push hard to stay at the front in the race. With yesterday’s adjustments and the improvements in my mindset, I enter the race full of confidence.
Race 2:
During the formation lap, we head onto the straight and the lights go out! I don’t get away very well, and P2 is just ahead of me. In turn 1, there’s a yellow flag, forcing me to stay behind P2. I make sure to stay as close as possible to his bumper so I can attack as soon as it turns green. This works, and I reclaim the lead. Where I struggled yesterday to pull a gap, the improved setup now allows me to do so. I open a gap, and P2 can’t quite follow. The margin is minimal, but I see it gradually getting bigger.
This gives me a lot of confidence and calm, allowing me to focus on myself and look ahead. With this calmness, the gap continues to grow, up to 20 seconds! A massive step compared to the previous day. It just goes to show how important teamwork is; you can’t do it alone! I complete my stint and enter the pits with a comfortable lead.
Just like yesterday, Piet-Jan and Marius take over the race, and we finish strong,slightly better than the day before. The gap to P1 is smaller, we’re back on the podium, and P3 is upgraded to P2! Definitely not bad.
It was an amazing weekend. Thanks to the extensive track time and great teamwork, we were able to make a difference. This keeps us moving forward, becoming stronger with every race. And that’s good, because in just a few days we’ll be back for the 9th round of the NLS! I’ll prepare well so we can come back even stronger for the next race!!
