Max Verstappen passed by SEVEN cars before first corner in racing debut - but here's why Formula One world champion is NOT to blame

F1 legend Max Verstappen was incredibly overtaken by seven cars before turn one on Saturday in his GT racing debut.

The 27-year-old is trying his hand at endurance racing in between events in Italy and Azerbaijan in the F1.

But his first taste of the sport didn't get off to the best start as Verstappen drove around the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany for the ADAC Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie seven and eight on Saturday. 

Behind the wheel of a Red Bull customised Porsche Cayman GT4, the Dutchman was overtaken by a whopping seven cars before he even reached turn one of the circuit.

A clip showed Verstappen 'dropping back', as the commentator described it, as vehicles whizzed past him on either side. 

Yet the Red Bull driver is certainly not to blame for the mishap as he's driving a 'detuned vehicle' - one with an adjusted engine meaning it can only operate at a lower power output. 

Such restrictions have been placed on Verstappen because he's yet to be permitted the full required license which would allow him to race around the Nurburgring. 

He's so far only passed a 'B permit', meaning he must compete in an artificially powered-down car, leaving him hindered against his opponents in the GT race. 

The fact the powers that be failed to allocate Verstappen, a proven world-class motorsport driver, the required license was branded 'embarrassing' by former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher.

'Of course I would have given him that immediately, or he would have been given a briefing about the Nordschleife and the specific things,' he told Motorsport Total.

'That would have been the end of the cheese. The best driver in the world will be able to do it if the others can do it, I'm pretty sure of that. 

'Instead of many people being happy that Max also brings this attention to the Nordschleife again, and for what all the drivers do there, people argue about the fact that he gets his permit before he even drives. That's embarrassing.'

Despite the hinderance, Verstappen managed to claw back time on the other vehicles with an impressive 15.376 seconds off the pace. He ultimately finished sixth in his class and 27th overall. 

He must compete 14 incident-free laps in his current car, the GT4, if he's to be awarded the permit A license going forward. 

Verstappen will be back in F1 action next weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. 

He goes into the race on the back of an impressive victory at the Italian Grand Prix, beating McLaren's Lando Norris by more than 19 seconds. 

Verstappen sits third in the Drivers' Championship, currently 63 points behind Norris and 94 points adrift of leader Oscar Piastri.