Max Verstappen slammed for ‘incredibly dangerous' decision ahead of F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix by Ralf Schumacher
MAX VERSTAPPEN has been blasted for his "incredibly dangerous" decision to race under a secret identity at one of motorsport's deadliest circuits.
The reigning world champion went incognito last week to test
a
Ferrari
296 GT3 at the official session ahead of the third round of the Nurburgring
Langstrecken-Serie (NLS)
.
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Max Verstappen has been slammed for his 'dangerous' decision to race in a test at the Nurburgring
Credit: The Mega Agency
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Verstappen drove under a fake name in a testing session ahead of the third round of the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie
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Ralf Schumacher blasted the Dutchman's act as 'not very smart'
Credit: Getty
However, Verstappen - who
The German ace gave his view on the Dutchman's appearance while on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, saying: "If I had been the team principal, I'd have asked Verstappen if he's still all there.
"To do something like that on the Nordschleife of all places is not very smart. I know, for many, it's a viewpoint they don't want to hear, but I find the Nordschleife incredibly dangerous.
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"That's just the way it is, especially at this level and at these speeds."
The Nurburgring Nordschleife is one of the most deadly circuits not only in F1, but in motorsport history.
The Nordschleife - which at 12.9 miles is the longest permanent racetrack in the world - was dubbed the "green hell" by Sir
Three-time F1 champion Niki Lauda suffered severe burns during a terrifying crash at the track in 1976, which had come after he had protested the race going ahead on safety grounds.
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Recalling his time on the circuit, Schumacher said: "I then think back to when DTM races were banned here because those cars were going too fast, but today's GT3 cars are also insanely fast and everything happens neck-and-neck.
"Something happens faster than you think. Doing this somewhere else, okay, but for most people the Nordschleife still represents the biggest challenge."
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Following the test there, Verstappen will now be focused on the Emilia Romagna GP.
The 27-year-old trails by 32 points to championship leader Oscar Piastri.
Red Bull have brought a major upgrade package to Imola including a dramatic overhaul of the sidepod design as F1 kicks off a European triple-header of races.
Speaking to media before the race, Verstappen said: "The team has been working really hard, and we will need to hit the ground running.
"Imola is a really old school and iconic track that is really technical, and I always enjoy racing here.
"It is difficult to overtake, so qualifying will be key here."
Verstappen has won each of the last three races at the track dating back to 2021, with the 2023 race not being held due to floods in the region surrounding the circuit.
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