Helmut Marko has explained why he stopped Max Verstappen from attempting a Formula 1 demonstration lap at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Verstappen is heading back to the famous circuit this weekend, but not in F1 machinery. He will be driving his GT3 team's Mercedes AMG in the NLS2 event.
Why Marko said no
The Nordschleife, often called the Green Hell, is famous for being tough on drivers and cars. It is narrow, fast, and has very little run-off. Marko, the former Red Bull advisor, said those facts set off alarm bells when Verstappen first brought up a demo in a Red Bull Formula 1 car.
Safety concerns and a bold idea
According to Marko, Verstappen had been enthused after watching Timo Bernhard's 2018 flying lap in the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo and thought a modern F1 car could do something similar. Marko said he felt a run in an F1 car at the Nordschleife would be too risky and therefore banned the idea.
- Bernhard's 2018 lap remains a benchmark for outright speed at the circuit.
- Marko's view was that the combination of modern F1 performance and the Nordschleife's layout was too dangerous.
- Result - no F1 demo at the Nordschleife for Verstappen.
What Verstappen will do instead
Verstappen has found an outlet for his Nordschleife interest by racing a Mercedes GT3 car. Marko said he is glad Verstappen can enjoy the track in GT3 machinery, but suspects the idea of Bernhard's record lap still lingers in the champion's head. Marko also described Verstappen as a driver who still chases ambitious targets.
In short, safety won this round, and Verstappen gets to play at the Green Hell in a GT3 car rather than a Formula 1 car.
