The 65th ADAC ACAS Cup, marking the seventh event in the NLS series season, is poised to garner significant interest due to the participation of current Formula 1 world champion, Max Verstappen. Here’s a comprehensive look into the Nurburgring’s endurance racing series and the Dutch driver’s involvement.
What’s the NLS?
NLS stands for Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie, signifying a long-standing sports car championship held exclusively on the renowned Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit.
The 2025 season is comprised of 10 races spread across eight weekends, with two races designated as qualifiers for the Nurburgring 24 Hours event in June.
The current weekend will feature a double-header event, the 65th ADAC ACAS Cup for round seven, followed by the 64th ADAC Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen for round eight. Consistent with the majority of the NLS calendar, both races are structured as four-hour events involving teams of two, three, or four drivers.
Which car and class is Max Verstappen racing?
The NLS includes a diverse range of classes, spanning from high-performance GT3 cars typically seen in major sportscar series, to touring cars and production models, often with sub-divisions based on engine size.
While Verstappen is not yet listed on the provisional entry list, he is anticipated to compete for the Lionspeed GP team, piloting their Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS in the SP7 category. He might divide his driving duties between the #89 Cayman in SP7 and the #980 Cayman in the Cup 3 division.
SP7, largely a GT4-dominated class catering to engines ranging from 3.5l to 4.0l, is positioned just below the leading SP9 class for GT3 cars, indicating that Verstappen is primarily aiming for class victories rather than overall competition.
Max Verstappen, Emil Fray Racing Ferrari 496 GT3
Photo by: Max Verstappen
Both cars are also allocated to Verstappen’s sim racing colleague Chris Lulham, who partners with Verstappen.com Racing in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup this season, driving an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo.
Lulham also participates in the GTWC Sprint Cup for Emil Frey Racing – the same team where Verstappen underwent testing in May and is scheduled to make his SP9 GT3 debut on September 27.
Additionally, Belgian GT driver Matisse Lismont and American IMSA participant Kyle Tilley will share driving duties in both Caymans. Note that both cars are only participating in Saturday’s race. However, should either or both cars be unable to finish, consideration may be given to entering on Sunday to ensure Verstappen secures the second classified finish needed.
What is Max Verstappen’s NLS objective, and can he win on his debut?
Verstappen, under the alias Franz Hermann, created quite a buzz back in May when he purportedly set an unofficial GT3 lap record during a test, sparking discussion regarding the exact specifics of his vehicle.
However, aiming for lap records or even class wins is unlikely for this weekend, given that Verstappen lacks the required Permit A, which leads to limitations on his car’s capabilities.
In its standard configuration, the Porsche Cayman GT4 generates 425hp with a weight of 1,315kg, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 3.1kg per hp. This is noticeably below the 4.2kg per hp limit imposed on first-time Nordschleife competitors. As a consequence, the Cayman must be detuned, irrespective of the driver’s credentials, including a four-time world champion.
Under the “Permit B spec,” the car’s output is reduced to just over 300hp at 1,350kg. This leaves Verstappen with little chance of securing a class victory, much less setting lap records.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Pirelli
The restriction is in place due to the DMSB Permit Nordschleife (DPN), frequently referred to as the “Nordschleife licence”. The permit has two levels, and only the higher-level Permit A allows drivers to race vehicles with a power-to-weight ratio below 4.2kg/hp.
To acquire this permit, Verstappen must achieve two classified race results – which can be done within a single race by competing in two different vehicles, explaining his planned participation in both Lionspeed’s Caymans. To qualify, he needs to complete 14 laps and cover at least 20% of each car’s race distance.
During a typical four-hour race, the Caymans complete between 25 and 26 laps, meaning Verstappen could satisfy all criteria with two stints of seven laps each.
The purpose of the permit system is to ensure that every driver gains experience from the perspective of a slower vehicle before progressing to faster models, thereby fostering more respect on the track.
Since its implementation in 2015, the system has been a source of contention. Critics argue that it is an unnecessary impediment and a “cash cow” for the organisers. MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi has openly declined to race on the Nordschleife because of it. However, supporters, including the drivers’ working group at the Nurburgring, believe that the Nordschleife licence has markedly improved race dynamics.
Verstappen’s overarching goal is to eventually be eligible to compete in top-tier GT3 vehicles, potentially with his own team.
Where to watch Max Verstappen race in the NLS series?
All races of the NLS series, including Saturday’s 65th ADAC ACAS Cup and Sunday’s event, can be viewed for free on Motorsport.tv.
The Motorsport.TV livestream will begin at 8:15 CEST for qualifying on both days, while the race broadcast is scheduled to start at 11:15 CEST before the race begins at 12:00pm.
