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Max Verstappen won the NLS2 race at the Nurburgring last weekend before being disqualified, but the performance that earned him another headline came from the commentary box. NLS commentator Peter Snowdon caused a stir by describing the four-time Formula 1 world champion as the weakest member of his own team ahead of the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring in May.
How the Story Started
Verstappen took pole position at the start of the weekend and spent his opening stint in a battle with experienced Nurburgring regular Christopher Haase. It was a close and entertaining duel, and Verstappen came through it well. Over one million people followed the race via the various livestreams, and those viewers heard Snowdon make a comment that landed differently to what he had perhaps intended.
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"I made the point recently that for the 24-hour race, if Lucas Auer also joins the lineup, Verstappen might be the weakest link. He has no experience of a 24-hour race, while the others do. It's hard to know how he will hold up."
What Snowdon Actually Meant
The reaction online was predictable, and Snowdon moved quickly to clarify his position. He was not suggesting Verstappen is slow. He was making a specific point about experience in a very particular discipline. "It will be interesting to see how much he drives during the night.
I actually expect he will take on night stints, because he's not someone who shies away from a challenge. Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying he's going to be slow." His co-commentator added useful context: the point is not about Verstappen's raw pace but about the strength of the team around him. "It says a lot about how strong the rest of that team is that you could consider him, in certain conditions, for example at night or in the rain, as potentially the weakest link."
Is It a Fair Assessment?
In purely technical terms, it is hard to argue with the logic. Verstappen has completed 24-hour simulations in the simulator over the past few years, which is serious preparation. But simulator work is different from actually racing through a night session on the Nordschleife in real conditions, managing tyres, traffic, and fatigue at the same time. His teammates Gounon, Juncadella, and potentially Auer have all done it in competition.
The May race will be Verstappen's first real 24-hour event. Whether that experience gap matters at all will depend on how the race unfolds, but it is a legitimate question heading into the biggest weekend of his endurance racing calendar so far.
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