Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen makes his GT3 race debut on Saturday when he contests a 4-hour round of the NLS, the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie.

The Dutchman will share the cockpit of a Ferrari 296 GT3 - run by the Emil Frey Racing - with Chris Lulham, the 22-year-old Briton, who is contesting the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance and Sprint Cup for Verstappen.com Racing.

"It is my passion to do these kinds of GT3 races... I can't wait!", Verstappen told his own website. "I'm passionate about racing, also outside of Formula 1.

"Every lap at the Nordschleife is a different kind of experience," he added. "The atmosphere is also really good and there are a lot of endurance fans present.

"It's my hobby to race in other categories than Formula 1. My dream is to eventually participate in the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring Nordschleife."

Having done thousands of laps of the infamous Nordschleife in his simulator, Verstappen is only too aware why the 24.358 km long circuit is nicknamed the 'Green Hell'.

"The Nordschleife is at the top of my list of tracks I want to race on," he said, "as it's extremely challenging and demanding, with its enormous length and tight historic layout."

Having testing in a Ferrari 296 GT3 at the Nordschleife in May, under the pseudonym Franz Hermann, Verstappen proceeded with the next step two weeks ago by acquiring the DMSB (Deutscher Motor Sport Bund) Permit Nordschleife, that allows him to participate in GT3 races at the Nordschleife.