'Rookie of the year' Verstappen leaves fans astonished after Nordschleife outing

The four-time world champion raced yesterday in a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, with 130 horsepower less than his competitors and an additional 150 kg of ballast—requirements set by regulations, as he was paradoxically considered a rookie in the category.

Despite this, Verstappen managed to outperform several cars in qualifying on the wet track, even though their specifications were clearly superior.

He did the same in the race, finishing alongside teammate Chris Lulham in seventh overall in the CUP3 category, and well ahead in his rookie class. Here's the full results of yesterday's race.

Yesterday there was some confusion over whether Verstappen would receive the long-awaited A permit, which allows participation in GT3 races at the legendary German circuit, including the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

This was because Verstappen was unable to complete the 14 laps required by regulations in two different cars due to technical issues with car #89. Nevertheless, Verstappen was granted the license to race—but will he be driving the Ferrari 296 today? Here’s the answer!