Red Bull F1 driver Max Verstappen was left slightly red-faced despite winning on his GT3 debut.
Four-time F1 champion Verstappen, 27, is best known for his exploits with Red Bull, but on Saturday, he turned his hand to a new sport as Formula One took a break before next week’s Singapore Grand Prix.
The Dutchman made his GT3 debut at the Nordschleife in the Nürburgring Endurance Series.
Driving an Emil Frey Ferrari 296 alongside teammate Chris Lulham, the 27-year-old made a huge statement just seconds into his debut.
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Verstappen qualified in third place, but by Turn One, he managed to take the lead before building a gap of around one minute in front of the chasing pack during the first two hours of the race in Germany.
The reigning F1 champion was then replaced by Britain’s Lulham, who managed to cross the line 24.5 seconds ahead of Dennis Fetzer, Jann Mardenborough and Fabio Scherer, who drove a Ford Mustang GT3.
Following his GT3 race debut, Verstappen described his performance as “great” before setting his sights on competing in the 24-hour race in 2026.
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“The first two stints went really well," Verstappen said after his victory.
"The car performs well on a dry track, I already knew that from qualifying, we didn't make any big mistakes, and to win here on our first attempt is obviously fantastic.
"I didn't see the [first lap incident involving another car] at the time. I only saw it after my stints, but these things happen.
"Of course, I would love to compete in the 24-hour race, whether that happens next year or later, but we still need more experience for that, of course.”
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However, despite being familiar with success and podium finishes, Verstappen appeared to make a blunder during his celebrations after the race.
The 27-year-old appeared to initially struggle to open his celebratory bottle of champagne before the cork eventually popped, allowing him to spray his counterparts with the liquid inside.
Fans were quick to have their say on Verstappen’s slightly embarrassing moment – although it’s fair to say his victory will be remembered rather than his struggles with the bottle.
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One said: “He couldn’t open the champagne ohh Max Verstappen, your goatism saves your loser aura.”
Another joked: “BREAKING: 4-TIME FORMULA 1 CHAMPION MAX VERSTAPPEN CAN’T OPEN CHAMPAGNE.”
A third claimed: “Not Max Verstappen winning his first ever four-hour race on the Nordschleife… and not being able to open the champagne bottle on the podium.”
Topics: Max Verstappen, Motorsport
Luke Davies