Verstappen Details His Test at Nürburgring: The Mystery of the Alias and the GT3 Experience
The current Formula 1 champion, Max Verstappen, has shared details about his recent test at the Nürburgring circuit, where he set a new record in the GT3 category. In addition, he revealed the reason behind the pseudonym “Franz Hermann” that he used during the competition.
Verstappen, taking advantage of the break between the Miami Grand Prix and the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, participated in a sports car test at the famous Nordschleife circuit, known for its 14-mile length. At the wheel of a Ferrari 296 GT3, the Dutch driver beat the previous record for a GT3 car, which was 7:49.5, although the official times were not published.
It was faster than the previous record, yes. I wasn’t there to prove I could break a lap record, I just wanted to have fun and learn the track with the team. We had a good time, picking up speed, and we were lucky with the conditions. It was very sunny, which is great.
Max Verstappen
The event organizers asked Verstappen to compete under a pseudonym to control the crowd size. The driver explained that, in this way, fans were prevented from flocking to the circuit early. Regarding the choice of “Franz Hermann”, Verstappen commented that they asked him for a false name and he opted for one that sounded as German as possible.
Verstappen aims to compete in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in the future, although he acknowledges that he needs to integrate more tests into his busy Formula 1 schedule. “I would like to do it in the future,” he stated. “That’s why I’m doing all these things, to prepare myself a bit, gain some experience.”
Verstappen was backed by Red Bull to participate in the test, despite being prevented from driving an F1 car in a demonstration at the same circuit in 2023 due to safety concerns.
The driver believes that current F1 cars, due to their configuration, would not be ideal for the Nordschleife circuit. The low ride height and stiffness of current single-seaters could increase the risk on such a demanding track. “I wouldn’t want to drive there with these current cars,” he said. “It’s too bumpy and there are too many compressions. Honestly, I think the speed of the GT3 cars is perfect. Anything above that is already a bit more risky.”
