Ralf Schumacher has criticized the Mercedes AMG team behind Max Verstappen after the Dutchman was disqualified from the NLS2 race at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Verstappen won the four-hour 58th ADAC Barbarossapreis race on his GT3 return. However, a post-race penalty stripped the team’s result.

The race itself marked Verstappen’s second GT3 outing at the Nordschleife. Driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3, he secured pole and controlled the race across two stints. He shared the car with Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon, maintained track position through the pit cycle, and built a gap in the closing stages.

However, the No. 3 team was later found to have used seven sets of tires, exceeding the limit of six. The violation led to immediate disqualification, with the win awarded to the Rowe Racing pairing of Dan Harper and Jordan Pepper.

Reacting to the penalty, Schumacher said, via RN365:

“It was a huge rookie mistake, a mistake by the team. I know the team; my son (David Schumacher, GT racer) also rode for them. I am also familiar with the team principal. It didn’t surprise me that this happened. A lot of things used to go wrong there in the past as well. They don’t take things very seriously and seem to have other priorities than focusing on the essentials, so no, it doesn’t surprise me at all.”

The tire regulation in NLS competition restricts teams to six sets during the race, and any breach results in disqualification. In this case, the oversight was procedural, but it directly affected the final classification.

Schumacher also questioned how such an error could occur with a driver of Max Verstappen’s profile in the car.

“When Max Verstappen is competing, you check everything two or even three times. And yet you still manage to miscount a set of tires or make the wrong choice. It is just as bad as that time Ferrari was ready for a pit stop with three tires. There is little else to say about that. Six sets, six. That should be clear,” he added.

The incident takes some shine off what was otherwise a strong weekend. Max Verstappen previously won in his NLS debut in 2025 with Ferrari, but this marked his first competitive outing in a Mercedes package. While the result won’t stand, the practice time remains valuable as he prepares for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

Max Verstappen focuses on positives despite NLS2 disqualification

Max Verstappen’s performance across the weekend was impressive. He adapted quickly to the Nordschleife in the new GT3 car, managed traffic, and executed a decisive move to retake the lead early in the race. By the final phase, the car had already built a lead of over one minute. He returned in the closing stint and extended the gap further.

The emphasis, however, was always on preparation. The race served as a test for longer runs, pit procedures, and driver changes. Even with the disqualification, those objectives were met. Verstappen remained measured in his reaction after the race:

“It could be a lot worse. Also, winning in two different cars is great. For me, this whole weekend was about getting a feel for the car on the Nordschleife. I was really happy with that. The team prepared the car very well, so we were able to test quite a bit, and I felt very comfortable. It was a very good experience for me to race here today.”

The team also acknowledged the error in its post-race communication, framing it as a miscalculation rather than a deliberate breach. The focus now shifts to what comes next. Max Verstappen is open to another outing in the NLS3 race, which would offer additional practice ahead of the 24-hour event in May.