Max Verstappen’s Nordschleife run may be the talk of the paddock, but Ralf Schumacher feels it was “not very smart” of the reigning World Champion, and if he were team principal at Red Bull, it would not have been allowed.

One team principal agrees, with Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu revealing his drivers, Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon, would’ve been told “no”, but that’s because he wants their full attention on F1.

Ralf Schumacher: If I had been the team principal…

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Last week, just days after the Miami Grand Prix, ‘Franz Hermann’ put in the laps at the Nordschleife at the wheel of a Ferrari 296 GT3, recording a lap time below lap record pace, set at 7:49.5s.

There is no ‘Franz Hermann’ though, it was a fake name used by Verstappen in an attempt to go incognito.

However, it didn’t take long for word to get out, with fans and locals flocking to the track to watch Verstappen conquer the formidable 20.832km Nordschleife circuit.

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But not everyone was impressed with Verstappen’s outing, with former F1 driver Schumacher highlight the dangers of the famed Nordschleife circuit.

“If I had been the team principal, I’d have asked Verstappen if he’s still all there,” Schumacher told Sky Deutschland’s Backstage Boxengasse. “To do something like that on the Nordschleife of all places is not very smart.

“I know, for many it’s a viewpoint they don’t want to hear, but I find the Nordschleife incredibly dangerous. That’s just the way it is, especially at this level and at these speeds.

“I then think back to when DTM races were banned here because those cars were going too fast, but today’s GT3 cars are also insanely fast and everything happens neck-and-neck.

“Something happens faster than you think. Doing this somewhere else, okay, but for most people the Nordschleife still represents the biggest challenge.”

Verstappen though pointed out to the media, including PlanetF1.com, at Imola that he didn’t go into the test blind as he’d already completed countless laps of the circuit in the sim world.

“I’ve done thousands of laps around there,” he said. “So for me, when I got there in real life, it was more knowing the grid level, the new tarmac in places, and then the grip level of the car.

“Of course, a few barriers here and there… The most important [thing] is that you know exactly where you’re going, and that I knew already.”

But while Red Bull have no issue with the driver dipping his toes into other series for the fun of racing, Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu says his line-up of Bearman and Ocon would not be allowed to.

“Max is Max,” Komatsu told the media, including PlanetF1.com, before adamantly saying “no” when asked if his drivers could do a similar test.

“Step by step,” he explained. “Max is a multiple World Champion, right? Oli is a rookie.

“Even Esteban, he’s got still lots to prove. He’s focused. What’s the benefit of them racing in another race?

“I think they have fun driving an F1 car. I think they’re pretty lucky that they’re driving an F1 car for their job. That’s lots of fun, I think.”

Pressed on whether it was banned in their contracts, he replied: “I can’t remember the contract, to be honest, if it is specific or not. Jet-ski is different. Skiing is different, right? But climbing is different, of course.

“Honestly, they’re are just focused, it’s busy enough, really. You know, in between these 24 races – it’s not like we haven’t got enough races, right? – In 24 they need to look after the physical condition, mental condition, and in between them, they have to work with engineers, simulators.

“It’s not like they’re sitting at home thinking about what to do. So I think they got plenty on their hands.”

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