NLS NLS2

Passing Max Verstappen: Why the F1 champ impressed Christopher Haase

Christopher Haase went through the battle of his lifetime at NLS2 as the Audi veteran went wheel-to-wheel with the four-time Formula 1 world champion

Heiko Stritzke

Published: Mar 24, 2026, 10:35 AM

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#3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO: Max Verstappen, Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon

Photo by: Jan Brucke/VLN

Christopher Haase is officially the first driver to ever legitimately put an overtake on Max Verstappen at the Nurburgring Nordschleife in the same class. Verstappen eventually punched back, leaving Haase impressed about his ability to follow in dirty air.

"His precision in the dirty air is something else. Whether through the Mutkurve, Pflanzgarten, or Flugplatz he just sticked to my back. You just don’t see that very often", he told Motorsport.com Germany.

Haase has raced the Audi R8 LMS GT3 for more than 15 years, a car known for being easy to follow as it doesn’t leave too much aerodynamic turbulence.

Yet, even the veteran was impressed: "I’ve rarely seen anyone tuck in and stay pinned in the wake of another car like Max does."

Overtaking the champ

By that time, Haase had already etched his name into the Green Hell’s history books as the first driver to legitimately overtake Verstappen on the Nordschleife.

Christopher Haase is an expert in the Audi R8

Stepping out of the car, he told the official NLS broadcast: "I haven't had this much fun in a race car for a long, long time."

Reflecting on the buzz two days later, he admits the magnitude of the moment only hit him later.

"When I got out, I didn't have the feedback from the fans or the team yet. I was just buzzing from the duel. But seeing the global reaction... it’s just unreal. It shows the massive appreciation for what we do here, and I’m thankful Max brings that spotlight to us."

Haase started from P2, which he saw as a disadvantage. "I hate starting second. You’re at the mercy of the polesetter’s pace and the lights. Give me pole or P3 any day,” he said.

But the 38-year-old had a plan. He worked the tires relentlessly on the formation lap, betting on Verstappen’s relative lack of experience with the finicky GT3 warm-up window.

Max Verstappen raced alongside Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon

Photo by: Max Verstappen

It paid off. Verstappen had to lift through Galgenkopf, and Haase didn't need a second invitation. He pulled alongside the AMG early on the Dottinger Hohe, used the Audi's slight top-speed edge, and made the move stick.

Verstappen fights back: "At that point, I'd already lost"

What followed was an exciting chase with both going right to the limit. In one situation, Verstappen nearly tagged Haase’s rear when he had to brake due to an accident in front. The four-time F1 champion eventually made it back to the lead.

The duel was fought in a classic side draft battle on the Dottinger Hohe with both racers trying to break each other’s airflow and thus putting on a parachute.

"I thought I had the final laugh to keep my nose ahead into Tiergarten. I was wrong. He had a hand’s width on me and held the inside line. At that point, I’d already lost. There’s no point in trying to be a hero there,” Haase recalled.

Trying to win the battle in a game of chicken wouldn’t have made sense as Laurens Vanthoor found out painfully back in 2022 when he tried to fight his brother Dries during the 24-hour race, resulting in a spectacular crash from the “Grello” Porsche.

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