TV News: Verstappen Shatters Nürburgring NLS2 Viewership Records Despite Heartbreaking Disqualification
In a story that perfectly captures the thrill and cruel realities of endurance racing, four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has smashed viewership records for the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) — even after a post-race disqualification stripped him of victory.
The drama unfolded on March 21, 2026, during Round 2 of the NLS (the 58th ADAC Barbarossapreis), a four-hour endurance battle on the legendary 20.8 km Nordschleife. Verstappen, driving the No. 3 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo alongside Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon, delivered a masterclass performance. He claimed pole position with a blistering 7m51.751s lap and helped the team cruise to an on-track win by a commanding 59.5 seconds.
But the celebration was short-lived. Hours after the checkered flag, the NLS technical commission disqualified the #3 entry. The reason? The team had used seven sets of tires (28 tires total) during race day instead of the strict maximum of six. Officials traced the error back to qualifying practice, where multiple driver changes and tire swaps pushed the allocation over the limit. Victory was handed to the ROWE Racing BMW crew of Dan Harper and Jordan Pepper.
Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing head Stefan Wendl called it a bitter pill: “That hurts, and naturally everyone involved is very disappointed… It shows once again that you can only win on the Nordschleife if everything comes together.”
A Viewership Explosion That Redefined the Event
The disqualification couldn’t diminish Verstappen’s star power. His presence turned this niche endurance round into a global phenomenon:
– English-language stream on the official NLS YouTube channel: 1.1 million viewers
– German stream: ~896,000 viewers
– Onboard camera from Verstappen’s car alone: 1 million views (compared to a typical maximum of ~30,000 for other entries)
For perspective, Verstappen’s NLS debut in September 2025 (Round 9, in a Ferrari 296 GT3) drew just 215,000 English-stream viewers. Non-Verstappen English streams that year rarely broke 150,000. This time, the numbers surged more than fivefold — a clear sign that “Mad Max” draws millions of new eyes to one of the world’s most demanding circuits.
“One of the craziest tracks in the world… in a good way!”
Despite the outcome, Verstappen left the ‘Ring with a huge smile. Handling the opening and closing stints, he soaked up every lap as valuable preparation for his upcoming Nürburgring 24 Hours debut in May.
“For me, this whole weekend has been about getting to grips with the car on the Nordschleife, which yes, has been super enjoyable,” he said in a post-race interview. “The team also prepared the car really well, so we could do some decent testing. They made me feel really comfortable with the car.”
He added: “This whole venue is amazing. Also, to see all the fans, and just how passionate they are about racing and the cars here, it’s always fantastic to see… For me this is one of the craziest tracks in the world… in a good way!”
Verstappen confirmed he’ll be back for NLS3 on April 11, using the shorter NLS rounds as perfect build-up while the 2026 F1 calendar has gaps (Saudi Arabian and Bahrain GPs were canceled amid regional conflict).
Why It Matters
Amid criticism of the new 2026 F1 regulations and Red Bull’s early-season struggles, the Dutchman looked happier than he has at any Grand Prix this year. The Nordschleife offered pure racing joy, raw seat time, and a reminder of why fans love motorsport.
Even without the official win, Verstappen proved once again that his talent and charisma can elevate any series. The NLS, the Nürburgring, and endurance racing as a whole just gained millions of new fans — all thanks to one driver who refuses to slow down.
The Green Hell claimed another victim with that disqualification, but it couldn’t touch the legend. Max is already counting down to his next lap around the most challenging track on Earth.
What a weekend. Roll on NLS3.