Overview

• Max Verstappen won his Nürburgring NLS GT3 debut with Chris Lulham in an Emil Frey Ferrari 296 GT3 by 24 seconds and set the fastest lap at 7:51.514, repeatedly lapping under eight minutes and narrowly missing the series record.
• The Red Bull driver arrives in Singapore after F1 victories in Monza and Baku, cutting his deficit to 44 points behind Norris and 69 behind Piastri with seven races remaining.
• Red Bull figures frame Singapore’s high-downforce, hot conditions as a key gauge of whether recent upgrades and a refined setup approach can carry beyond Monza and Baku.
• Advisor Raymond Vermeulen says Verstappen is committed to Red Bull for 2026 only, keeping 2027 options open based on competitiveness.
• Team politics sharpen the driver market: Laurent Mekies publicly lauds Yuki Tsunoda in his battle with Liam Lawson for an RB-linked seat, Ralf Schumacher criticizes Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari dynamics, and Hamilton skipped a 2026 Pirelli tire test at Mugello due to his dog’s serious illness with Zhou stepping in.