Toto Wolff request is successful as race moved to help Max Verstappen and Red Bull

A gap has opened up for Max Verstappen to compete in a regular-season Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) event ahead of the series' famous 24-hour race in May after the Dutchman received a helping hand from Toto Wolff and Mercedes.

The Silver Arrows' team principal had reportedly campaigned alongside Mercedes boss Ola Kallenius for the NLS to move its season opener, the NLS1, which was set to clash with the Chinese Grand Prix. In the end, the series opted to move the NLS2 instead.

Verstappen is targeting the Nurburgring 24 Hours race later this spring after successfully obtaining his license last year. However, to compete in the event, drivers must run in at least one preparatory race earlier in the year. As things stood, all of these clashed with F1 duties, which, for logistical reasons, could not be moved for the 28-year-old's convenience.

The NLS2 event was scheduled to clash with the Japanese Grand Prix on March 28th, but this has now been moved to the previous weekend, March 21st, allowing Verstappen to make his first NLS start of the season before the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

The four-time F1 world champion is expected to join the Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG team for the event, driving a Verstappen.com Racing liveried car. The German automotive giant's involvement was a significant motivating factor for Wolff and Kallenius' proactive support.

Now, Verstappen has been cleared to play out one of his dreams. With Mercedes and Red Bull's permission already acquired, the Dutchman will now assemble his co-drivers for the big race in May.

"I like racing in general, also outside of F1," Verstappen said last year after obtaining his NLS permit. "I knew that if I wanted to get my permit, I needed to do that race, and we just went about it. It was all organised very well.

"They were all very helpful as well from the organisation side. Every lap that you do around there is a different kind of experience, so for me it was still very useful even though people say the car is down-tuned and it must be very boring.

"Of course, the car is not the most exciting to drive, but I look at it in a different way. You try to then focus on other things that might be useful in the future when you go there with a proper car. I had fun, it's a nice environment to be in, a bit different to F1."