Young Belgian racer Jarno D’Hauw endured a devastating end to what had initially been a dream opportunity at the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours, after being disqualified from the event and having his racing licence revoked for repeated speeding offences under Code 60 conditions.
The 22-year-old had only expected to attend the legendary endurance race as a spectator, joining thousands of fans at the Nürburgring Nordschleife to witness the highly anticipated debut of Max Verstappen in the iconic event. However, D’Hauw’s weekend took a dramatic turn when JJ Motorsport contacted him for a last-minute replacement role in the No. 658 BMW M240i following the withdrawal of another driver.
The unexpected opportunity quickly became a nightmare during the race itself. According to reports from GPFans Netherlands journalist Vincent Bruins, D’Hauw was penalised after exceeding the speed limit in a Code 60 zone on three separate occasions. Officials recorded speeds of 63 km/h and 69 km/h in two incidents, before a much more serious breach saw the Belgian driver clocked at 136 km/h in the restricted section.
Race stewards responded by immediately disqualifying D’Hauw from the event. The punishment became even more severe when officials confirmed that his DPN racing licence had also been withdrawn following the infractions.
Code 60 procedures are widely used in endurance racing at the Nürburgring to neutralise dangerous sections of the circuit without deploying a full safety car. Under these conditions, drivers are required to reduce their speed to 60 km/h through designated marshal sectors where incidents or stranded vehicles may be present. The system is considered crucial for protecting marshals, recovery crews and drivers during one of motorsport’s most demanding races.
D’Hauw had spoken enthusiastically before the race after receiving the surprise call-up from JJ Motorsport. Speaking to GT Report, he admitted the chance to compete at the Nürburgring 24 Hours was impossible to turn down.
“The plan was to just watch the race,” he explained. “But JJ Motorsport got a last-minute call-off from one of their drivers. I of course said yes. Who doesn’t want to drive this race?”
Instead of becoming a breakthrough moment in his young career, the Nürburgring appearance ended in disappointment and controversy, with one of the harshest penalties issued during this year’s event.