Source: REUTERS/Bruna Casas
[Saba Sports News] A significant document from the FIA has surfaced revealing that four-time F1 World Champion Max Verstappen has voluntarily applied for a “Platinum” racing license, officially paving the way for his entry into top-level endurance races beyond Formula 1. The 27-year-old Dutch driver joked in the application form: “I intended to get a Bronze badge, but ended up with Platinum—this is outrageous, I’m filing an appeal.” It is noted that the driver grading system is the core threshold for GT events, and the Platinum level indicates that Verstappen qualifies to participate in the World Endurance Championship and Le Mans 24 Hours, among others. Previously, Verstappen set impressive lap times on the Nurburgring North Loop driving a Ferrari 488 GT3, even surpassing the track’s performance balancing limits. In response, Verstappen told media, “The real challenge is how to make F1 coexist with endurance racing.” Internal reports suggest that Verstappen is fully focused on securing a spot in the 2025 Nurburgring 24-hour race. The event occurs between the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix, but participation requires overcoming two major hurdles: an FIA Platinum license as well as a special permit from the German motorsport federation, which requires drivers to complete at least three certified races on the Nordschleife within a year.