Max Verstappen’s Italian GP Win Highlights Monza’s Brutal Pole Curse

The “curse” at Monza isn’t about bad luck it’s about just how tough it is to actually turn pole into a win at the Temple of Speed. In the turbo-hybrid era, plenty of drivers have started from the front, but almost all of them have fallen short when it mattered most on Sunday.
Only three men have managed to pull it off: Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and now Max Verstappen. Not exactly bad company to be in. It’s a reminder that at Monza, getting pole is only half the battle, surviving the chaos, pressure, and sheer pace of the race itself is where legends are made.

Max Verstappen to Race This Weekend Despite F1 Absence

The Nurburgring is about to get a little more star power this weekend, with none other than reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen set to take part in the 65th ADAC ACAS Cup — round seven of the NLS endurance series. The NLS (short for Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie) is an all-out endurance championship held exclusively on the Nordschleife, where GT3 machines, touring cars, and even production cars share the track for four-hour races that test both speed and survival.

Verstappen is expected to join Lionspeed GP, splitting driving duties in a pair of Porsche 718 Cayman GT4s alongside Chris Lulham, Matisse Lismont, and Kyle Tilley. The catch? Because he doesn’t yet have the required Permit A, Verstappen will be racing in “Permit B” spec meaning the Caymans are detuned to just over 300hp instead of their usual 425. That rules out any shot at chasing lap records or even fighting for class wins.

So why’s he doing it? Simple: experience. Verstappen needs two classified finishes to move up the permit ladder and eventually step into GT3 machinery. With two Caymans and two stints of at least seven laps each, he could check off that requirement this weekend. For Max, it’s about the long game.