A promising qualifying session at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife took a turn for the worse for established GT racer Christopher Haase. A critical incident involving a slower car allowed Max Verstappen to gain a decisive advantage. Haase had been in a strong position during qualifying, aiming to build a significant lead over the four-time F1 champion.
However, the unpredictable nature of the 20.8-kilometre circuit, and the constant risk of encountering traffic, proved to be the deciding factor in their on-track battle. “I had managed to pull away a bit,” Haase shared with the Mennem TV Podcast, recounting the unfortunate encounter with a backmarker. “I always tried to maintain as large a gap as possible because you never know when you’ll run into traffic. Then suddenly, someone is right on your tail. It’s always a trade-off.”
The incident occurred in the challenging Flugplatz section, a notorious part of the circuit where drivers must navigate a blind crest before a high-speed right-hander. Haase spotted the slower car ahead as he approached the section and attempted to manage the situation proactively. “I was driving through Flugplatz,” he explained. “Even on the approach, I could see the car over the hill. I eased off a bit; I thought it would be better to reduce my speed now so I wouldn’t crash into him later or have to brake hard. But he simply didn’t see me. He was driving right down the middle.”
‘There was no stopping him’
What followed was a clear example of the communication breakdowns that often plague multi-class motorsport. Haase committed to an overtaking line, only for the backmarker to move in the same direction at the most crucial moment. “So I thought, ‘Right, I’ll overtake him on the right.’ But at that moment, he steered right, and I had to brake, naturally. I downshifted. I mean, you lose 30 to 40 kilometers per hour just like that.”
Max Verstappen, demonstrating the exceptional racecraft that has defined his F1 championship-winning career, seized the opportunity immediately. The considerable speed difference created by Haase’s forced deceleration provided the Dutch driver with the perfect chance to overtake. “And naturally, Max appeared, going ‘Tu tu du du’ [humming Verstappen’s famous tune], and then there was no stopping him, and there was literally nothing I could do to defend,” Haase added with a touch of humor. “Because when you arrive there with 50kph more speed, that’s just how it is. But still, something like this will eventually happen the other way around.”