Full Breakdown
Max Verstappen's Nürburgring 24 Hours Debut: A Deep Dive
5/16/2026, 9:23:33 PM
Core Event – Debut and Grid Position
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen made his first appearance in the ADAC RAVENOL 24 Hours of Nürburgring on 16 May 2026. Driving the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Verstappen Racing, he qualified fourth on the grid after teammate Dani Juncadella set an 8:12.005 lap in Top Qualifying 3. The pole was taken by Luca Engstler in a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 (8:11.123).
Background & Context – From F1 to Endurance
Verstappen entered the event after winning the 2025 Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) in a Ferrari 296 GT3 and expressing frustration with Formula 1’s 2026 “anti-racing” power-unit rules, which he likened to “Mario Kart”. He has repeatedly said he wants to “explore other things” while still at peak performance, citing childhood exposure to endurance racing through his father.
Key Figures & Teams – Verstappen Racing Lineup
Verstappen Racing fields a factory-supported Mercedes-AMG GT3 driven by:
- Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
- Dani Juncadella (Spain) – starting driver
- Lucas Auer (Austria) – former Red Bull junior
- Jules Gounon (France) – two-time Spa 24 Hours winner
The car is entered under the “Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing” banner.
Qualifying Performance – Times and Grid
Top Qualifying 1 produced an 8:18.539 best lap for Verstappen; Top Qualifying 2 saw him post 8:11.614, placing sixth. In Top Qualifying 3 Juncadella’s 8:12.005 moved the entry to fourth on the grid. The overall pole-setting Lamborghini team posted 8:11.123, with a 0.345-second gap to its sister car.
Data & Statistics – Schedule, Track, Entries
- Track: Combined Nordschleife + GP-Strecke, 25 km (15.769 mi) “Green Hell”.
- Schedule: Qualifying 1 – 14 May 9–11 pm BST; Top Qualifying 3 – 15 May 9:35–10:35 pm BST; Warm-up – 16 May 6 pm CET; Race start – 16 May 3 pm CET (2 pm BST, 9 am EDT).
- Entries: 161 cars across 23 classes, the largest grid in a decade.
Official Statements & Responses
Red Bull TV and the Nürburgring official channels confirmed free live streaming of the entire weekend. Verstappen Racing’s engineers emphasized a “fluid strategy” that will be refined after the warm-up, noting that driver stints are typically set an hour before the race. ADAC organizers highlighted the sold-out weekend as evidence of heightened public interest.
Criticism & Opposition
Verstappen publicly called the new Formula 1 regulations “anti-racing”, arguing they diminish driver skill and likening the experience to a video-game environment. His remarks have sparked debate among F1 officials and fans about the sport’s technical direction.
On-the-Ground Reports
Fellow competitors praised Verstappen’s commitment. Marco Mapelli described his presence as “a big respect for this kind of talent”, while Luca Engstler said Verstappen is “someone I’m looking up to”. Jules Gounon called him “an amazing team-mate, very nice, no ego, very humble”.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact race-start time: some list 2 pm BST (UK) while others cite 3 pm CET (local). Additionally, while all reports agree Dani Juncadella started the car, a few articles ambiguously suggest Verstappen might have taken the opening stint, leaving a minor clarification gap.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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,” — Max Verstappen, driver
- “I felt comfortable in the car because we were targeting to get to the top qualifying three, which of course is not easy with the competition out there,” — Max Verstappen, driver
- “It's a big respect for this kind of talent.” — Marco Mapelli, Audi driver
- “Engstler said: “He's definitely someone that I'm looking up to and someone that I can learn from a lot.” — Luca Engstler, Lamborghini driver
What’s Next – Race Progress and Prospects
The 24-hour race will run from 3 pm CET on 16 May to the same time on 17 May. Verstappen is slated to take his first stint after Juncadella’s opening lap, with the team targeting a podium finish based on strong qualifying performance and a balanced driver lineup. Ongoing strategy updates will be released by the team’s race engineers throughout the event.
