At 28, Max Verstappen has already established himself as one the best drivers in Formula 1 historical past. But this weekend, he’s embarking on a really totally different problem.
In latest years, Verstappen has been more and more energetic in racing away from F1. The four-time world champion has competed in numerous sports activities automotive occasions with his personal workforce, Verstappen Racing, in addition to constructing a sim racing squad for on-line racing competitions.
This week, he’ll enter his first 24-hour sports activities automotive race on the Nürburgring in Germany. Across the race’s period, Verstappen will share duties behind the steering wheel of a Mercedes-AMG GT3 automotive with Daniel Juncadella, Lucas Auer and Jules Gounon.
“It’s going to be an amazing moment to be a teammate of a four-time world champion,” Gounon informed reporters ultimately week’s World Endurance Championship spherical in Belgium. “It’s something special.”
The Nürburgring 24 is one of many hardest sports activities automotive races on the planet, up there with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The occasion makes use of the fearsome Nordschleife structure of the Nürburgring observe. Known because the ‘Green Hell’, it is 12.9 miles lengthy and has about 70 turns.
Verstappen has already had a style for racing on the Nürburgring. He took half in a number of smaller races there final yr, taking one victory, and returned in March for a warm-up race forward of the 24-hour occasion.
Racing alongside Juncadella and Gounon, Verstappen’s automotive crossed the road first after 4 hours, however was later disqualified due to a tire rule infringement.
“It’s a dream come true to race with such an amazing talent,” Juncadella informed reporters in Belgium. “It seems to be a very competitive car this year. We’ll try our best.”
It’s uncommon for energetic F1 drivers to compete in different racing occasions.
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso gained the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Toyota whereas nonetheless racing in F1 in 2018, having additionally entered the Indianapolis 500 the earlier yr (he entered the race once more whereas taking an F1 sabbatical in 2019). And Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg gained Le Mans in 2015 as a one-off entry with Porsche.
Otherwise, few have dared stray exterior of F1 within the fashionable period, partially due to the lengthy season and particular calls for of grand prix racing, which takes place over shorter distances and with only one driver per automotive.
The Mercedes GT3 automotive Max Verstappen and his teammates are utilizing on the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours in observe this week. (Christian Kaspar-Bartke / Getty Images)
Yet Verstappen has continued to carve out the time to discover exterior pursuits.
He had examined GT sports activities vehicles privately for years, however solely up to now two years has he entered actual races. A future Le Mans entry is already in his thoughts.
Particularly at a time when he is disillusioned with the current state of F1 and is actively considering about his future within the class, lower-level sports activities automotive racing scratches a aggressive itch for Verstappen.
“He’s a competitive animal and he will one day want to enter all the big races,” mentioned Juncadella. “I think Nürburgring is the one that is most exciting for him, in the sense that it’s easier to prepare (for) because it’s a one-off race, not part of a championship.”
But preparations for a 24-hour race are nonetheless demanding. It’s not even essentially about driving a automotive as rapidly as potential over such a distance. It’s every part else that comes with it, reminiscent of guaranteeing focus doesn’t slip at any level, particularly when lapping slower vehicles.
In such contests, one second going fallacious can undo hours of fine work.
“Nürburgring is a mental toughness race, with all the slow cars that you need to manage, the traffic, the changing conditions,” mentioned Juncadella. “Psychologically it’s a hard race.”
The hubbub round Verstappen’s entry this weekend may also carry some contemporary challenges.
The race organizers have already introduced it is a weekend sell-out for followers, a primary in its historical past, whereas the variety of journalists attending is additionally set to be increased than ordinary.
Juncadella thought the important thing for Verstappen can be “managing the week, the expectations and just trying to be calm” regardless of the additional consideration. He additionally famous the variations to collaborating in a 24-hour race versus a grand prix, which usually final from 90 minutes to two hours.
“He’s used to very short races, a lot of adrenaline in a very short time,” mentioned Juncadella. “In a 24-hour race, sometimes you go through so many emotions in a long period and that’s hard to manage sometimes.”
It makes one thing as primary as relaxation essential to handle for an endurance driver.
“I remember my first 24-hour races, I couldn’t sleep because I was excited because we were leading, and that’s something that might happen,” mentioned Juncadella. “That’s where I think he relies a lot on our experience.”
Juncadella did say he thought Verstappen might not even sleep in any respect throughout the 24 hours “because he likes to be watching, he likes to follow, (and) his adrenaline stays consistently on. But he’s done 24-hour races in the past in sim racing, so that also helps in terms of understanding the rest times you need through a 24.”
The one factor that is in zero doubt is Verstappen’s skill and pace behind the wheel. Despite how totally different a slower and heavier closed cockpit GT3 automotive performs in contrast to an F1 single-seater, the Dutchman has rapidly proved why he is so extremely regarded.
Max Verstappen within the paddock forward of the 2026 Nurbürgring 24 Hours. (Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)
Clips of Verstappen’s overtakes rapidly circulated after every of his earlier Nürburgring outings, together with a cross made with two wheels on the grass at an occasion final yr.
“I’ve known him for long enough to not be surprised at all, but it blows your mind when you see him do it,” mentioned Juncadella. “It’s just natural. He’s enjoying it, he’s confident and when he’s in that state of mind you can see what he’s able to do.”
With rain forecast for a lot of this weekend’s race, which begins at 3 p.m. native time on Saturday, one other curveball could also be thrown into Verstappen’s 24-hour debut. But each he and his co-drivers are ready.
“We have a good line-up,” mentioned Gounon. “At the end of the day, in those big races, I think the track and the place chooses its winners. You just have to go there, hope that you’re going to get picked, and do a good job.”