The final weekend of September brought Ferrari fans plenty to celebrate across several championships, as the marque claimed victories, podiums, and title-contending finishes on some of the most iconic circuits in Europe. The highlight of the weekend came from Germany, where Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen secured his first-ever GT3 victory at the Nürburgring. Alongside teammate Chris Lulham, Verstappen piloted the Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 to glory in the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS). Elsewhere, Ferrari machines fought for championships in the 24H Series at Barcelona and the Italian GT Sprint Championship at Imola, keeping multiple crews in the hunt for national and international titles.
Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie: Verstappen’s Winning Debut
The spotlight shone brightest at the legendary “Green Hell” where four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen made his GT3 debut in emphatic style. Driving the number 31 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3, Verstappen and teammate Chris Lulham won the 57th edition of the 4 Hours of Barbarossapreis, round nine of the 2025 NLS season.
Qualifying had been heavily delayed due to dense fog rolling over the Eifel mountains, but once the race got underway, Verstappen wasted no time making an impression. Starting from third on the grid, the Dutchman stormed into the lead within 30 minutes, demonstrating both speed and confidence despite being new to GT3 racing. By the time he handed over to Lulham at the halfway point, Verstappen had built a commanding lead of just over a minute. Lulham managed the pace and pressure flawlessly, bringing the Ferrari across the line for a remarkable debut win.
Verstappen, who only recently obtained his GT3 license, praised the team effort and admitted that conquering the Nürburgring in a Ferrari felt like “a career highlight outside of Formula 1.” For Emil Frey Racing, the win confirmed the potential of the 296 GT3 in the demanding NLS environment.
Ferrari also had another strong result with the number 21 Frikadelli Racing entry, driven by team principal Klaus Abbelen. That car secured second place in the SP9 class and 13th overall, adding more silverware to Ferrari’s weekend haul.
The NLS will now conclude its season on 11 October with the Sportwarte-Rennen, where Ferrari aims to end the year on another high.
24H Series: Title Hopes Fade for Scuderia Praha
While Verstappen’s debut created headlines in Germany, the story in Spain was one of frustration. At the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Scuderia Praha’s number 56 Ferrari 296 GT3 entered the weekend just eight points off the championship lead, but mechanical issues dashed their hopes.
Drivers Josef Kràl, Miroslav Vyboh, Matus Vyboh, and Dennis Waszek showed competitive pace, even leading the race at one stage. However, a mechanical setback forced the car into the pits for several laps, costing them valuable time and any chance of challenging for the title. They ultimately finished 13th overall, ending the season sixth in the championship standings and second in the Pro Am category.
Era Motorsport’s number 81 Ferrari 296 GT3, crewed by Dwight Merriman, Kyle Tilley, Ryan Dalziel, Jake Hill, and Oliver Bryant, finished eighth overall and fourth in Pro Am. Their consistent results across the season secured them third place in the final Pro Am standings.
There was disappointment for the number 98 Ferrari of Into Africa Racing by Dragon, driven by Xollie Letlaka, Axcil Jefferies, Stuart White, and Arnold Neveling, which failed to finish.
The European phase of the 24H Series has now concluded, with the championship moving to the Middle East for the final round on 5 December, where Ferrari teams will aim for redemption.
Italian GT Sprint: Ferrari Crews Stay in the Hunt
At Imola’s Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, the penultimate round of the Italian GT Sprint Championship kept the title battle alive for Ferrari teams. In the Pro Am class, the AF Corse pairing of Ferrari–Raghunathan in the number 51 Ferrari 296 GT3 finished fifth in Race-1 but bounced back brilliantly to take victory in Race-2. That result ensures they remain firmly in contention for the national crown heading into the Monza finale.
Teammates Leonardo Colavita and Ibrahim Badawi, driving the number 62 Ferrari, also maintained their championship hopes with a strong second-place finish in Race-1 followed by third in Race-2. In the GT3 Am category, Sean Hudspeth and Rafael Duran brought the number 27 Ferrari home in third and fourth, showing steady pace throughout the weekend.
Ferrari also shone in the one-make series categories. Best Lap’s number 11 Ferrari 296 Challenge, driven by Lorenzo Pegoraro and Filippo Croccolino, scored a win and a third-place finish. Debutants Marco Zanasi and Andrea Belicchi impressed with Pinetti Motorsport’s number 171 Ferrari 296 Challenge, bouncing back from fourth in Race-1 to take victory in Race-2. Meanwhile, AF Corse’s number 169 crew of Stefano Gai and Fabrizio Fontana claimed second in Race-1.
In the First Division Am class, DL Racing’s Alessandro Pierluigi drove the number 3 Ferrari 296 Challenge to third and second places, while in the Second Division Am, MRNC12’s number 546 Ferrari 488 Challenge of Emiliano Pierantoni and Riccardo Paniccià collected second in Race-1 and fifth in Race-2.
All eyes now turn to Monza from 24 to 26 October, where the final and decisive round of the Sprint series will crown Italy’s GT champions.
From Verstappen’s stunning Nürburgring triumph to hard-fought podiums in Imola and a bittersweet end in Barcelona, Ferrari’s weekend reflected both the glory and heartbreak that define motorsport. With titles still on the line, the coming weeks promise even more excitement for the Prancing Horse.
