Max Verstappen is set to take on one of endurance racing’s most demanding challenges this week as he makes his debut at the 24H Nürburgring.
The four-day event begins with qualifying May 14-15, before the 24-hour race gets underway on May 16-17.
Known for his versatility across different machinery, Verstappen continues to showcase his ability to adapt at extraordinary speed in different disciplines.
As the first 24-hour race of his career, the 24H Nürburgring is a totally new challenge for Verstappen. The four-time F1 world champion’s team Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing fields a Mercedes-AMG GT3 operated in cooperation with Winward Racing, with the Mercedes-AMG Performance Driver Lucas Auer and Jules Gounon as well as Dani Juncadella.
In 2025 he earned his DMSB Permit Nordschleife and went on to win round nine of the NLS in a Ferrari 296 GT3 the same year.
In the build-up to the race, Verstappen spent a session at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, as captured in the editorial package now live on Red Bull Content Pool. Last month, ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, he tested himself at Fuji Speedway, where he climbed into a GT500 car in heavy rain for the first time and, on only his second flying lap, beat the lap time of experienced Super GT driver Atsushi Miyake (1:42.290 against 1:44.075).
Momentum for Verstappen’s 24H Nürburgring debut has been building, and April’s qualifying weekend offered an early read on Verstappen Racing’s pace. Their Mercedes-AMG GT3 was the first car to break the nine-minute mark in qualifying. Lucas Auer took it to fifth in the timed lap session, and in the four-hour race that followed Verstappen led the field for the opening 90 minutes before a splitter issue dropped the team down the order.
Entering one of motorsport’s toughest tests for the first time, Verstappen is clear on the team’s ambitions: “Success is winning. That’s why we’re here. I know it’s not going to be easy, but that’s the target for everyone.”
“It’s probably going to be the best feeling,” he said of racing through the night. “You’re by yourself, pushing in the night. The car is normally fastest in the night, so I’m looking forward to it.”
For Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen driver Dani Juncadella, who has twice reached the overall podium at the 24H Nürburgring, the Nordschleife never loses its edge. “It will never be just another track,” he says. “Somehow, this track is always intimidating, no matter what, especially when the conditions change so much. Even on a sunny, dry day, this track is just a bit different. Especially when you’re pushing and going to the limit.”
