NLS9: Max Verstappen and Chris Lulham win on GT3 debut

Max Verstappen and Chris Lulham made their first Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) GT3 outing look easy, taking a commanding victory in the four-hour NLS9 with the #31 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3.

Battle for pole

The day started with a qualifying duel between Verstappen, Frank Stippler (aboard his second entry, the #8 JUTA RACING Audi R8 LMS GT3), and Christian Krognes. In the closing minutes, a drying track and heavy traffic made the difference between pole and third place as the top contenders traded purple sectors only to lose time behind slower cars. In the end, Krognes guided the #34 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin AMR GT3 Evo to pole position.

Verstappen seizes control

Starting third, Verstappen made the decisive move immediately, diving into Turn 1 and taking the lead before the field reached the Nordschleife. From there, the Formula 1 World Champion reeled off quick laps, building a gap of over 60 seconds by the time of the driver change hallway through the race. Lulham brought the car home without drama to claim a debut victory — a near-perfect first appearance for the Ferrari crew.

Mustang charge through the field

Frank Stippler provided the early excitement, catapulting the NLS8 winning #6 Haupt Racing Team Ford Mustang GT3 from 13th on the grid to second on the opening lap and briefly keeping Verstappen in his sights. As the race unfolded, the sister #9 Mustang of Dennis Fetzer, Jann Mardenborough, and Fabian Scherer moved into contention and, with a smart final-hour strategy, grabbed second place. Kolb and Stippler’s #6 car held on for third.

Max Kruse Racing just misses the podium

In one of the other stories of the day, Max Kruse Racing made its GT3 debut with the #22 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, running on alternative fuel in the AT 1 class but with SP9/GT3 class pace. Benjamin Leuchter closed rapidly in the final stint, pressuring Kolb’s Mustang all the way to the flag but missing out on a podium by just 0.5 seconds in a still remarkable debut for the Kruse squad in GT3.

Walkenhorst fights back

Pole-sitters Christian Krognes, Mateo Villagomez, and Anders Buchardt saw their race compromised immediately when the #917 Speedworxx Automotive Porsche Cup car of Tim Heinemann tapped the Aston Martin’s left-rear under braking for Turn 1. The Aston survived without major damage but dropped out of the lead fight. A strong recovery drive brought them back to fifth overall and the SP9 Pro-Am victory.

Mühlner wins Cup 2 in commanding fashion

Cup 2 was dominated by Mühlner Motorsport, whose #921 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Arne Hoffmeister, David Jahn, and Tim Scheerbarth led from the opening lap and never looked back. The trio not only secured a comfortable class win but also crossed the line sixth overall, underlining their pace across the four-hour race. 48 LOSCH Motorsport by BLACK FALCON’s #948 Porsche of Tobias Müller, Noah Nagelsdiek and Carlos Rivas followed in second, while Sorg Rennsport’s #901 Porsche of Joel Grütter and Thomas Grosse completed the class podium finishing ninth overall behind the SP9/GT3 class #786 Renazzo Motorsport Team Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo II of Kiki Sak Nana, Christoph Breuer, and Danny Kubasik.

Klaus Abbelen’s farewell

After his intended farewell was cut short two weeks ago with gearbox failure, today marked the definite end of an era as Frikadelli Racing boss Klaus Abbelen bowed out of NLS competition. Driving solo in the #21 Ferrari 296 GT3, Abbelen claimed 13th overall and second in SP9 Am — a fitting goodbye to one of the Nordschleife’s most recognisable figures.

Season finale up next

With NLS9 complete, attention now turns to the season finale. In two weeks’ time, the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie returns for the 1. NLS Sportwarte-Rennen – Final Race of Champions on 11 October, bringing the 2025 season to a close.