Verstappen set for Nürburgring 24 Hours debut next weekend

Max Verstappen says he feels “fully prepared” for his first 24 Hours of Nürburgring, where he and co-driver Lucas Auer qualified sixth in April.racingnews365
Organisers revised the Balance of Performance ahead of the race, and Verstappen must complete the full qualifying gauntlet with no exemptions.gpfans
Verstappen has also held talks with Ford ↗0.72% about a future Le Mans 24 Hours entry, though this year’s race clashes with an F1 round.sportbible

Max Verstappen Prepares for Nürburgring 24 Hours Debut as F1 Takes Mid-Season Break

Max Verstappen is set to make his debut in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring on May 16-17, 2026, trading his Red Bull Formula 1 car for a GT3 machine on the legendary Nordschleife circuit during a gap in the F1 calendar.

Verstappen Eyes Endurance Racing

The four-time world champion confirmed his readiness for the iconic endurance event, telling media including RacingNews365: “We have prepared as well as possible, but at the end of the day, of course, it also depends on the BoP [Balance of Performance], where we’re going to be at.” Verstappen and co-driver Lucas Auer qualified sixth during the 24-hour qualifiers event in April, with the Dutchman posting a lap time of 8:12.302 around the 25.3-kilometer Nordschleife.racingnews365

The event’s organizers have revised the Balance of Performance ahead of the race, adjusting power levels for rival entries. Verstappen will not receive any qualifying exemptions reserved for teams with strong results in earlier Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie races, meaning he must complete the full qualifying gauntlet.gpfans

A Difficult 2026 F1 Season So Far

Verstappen’s foray into endurance racing comes amid a challenging start to his 2026 F1 campaign. After four rounds, he sits seventh in the drivers’ championship with 26 points and no victories — a stark contrast to the dominance that earned him four consecutive titles from 2021 to 2024. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli leads the standings with 100 points and three wins from four races, followed by teammate George Russell on 80 points.formula1

At the most recent round in Miami on May 3, Verstappen finished fifth, nearly 49 seconds behind race winner Antonelli.silverstone

Le Mans Ambitions

Beyond the Nürburgring, Verstappen has held discussions with Ford about a potential entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ford’s Mark Rushbrook confirmed that talks have been ongoing for over three years, saying: “He wants to go race Le Mans and race for the overall win, but most years the schedule doesn’t allow it.” This year, Le Mans falls on the same weekend as the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in June, ruling out Verstappen’s participation.sportbible

The next F1 race is the Canadian Grand Prix, scheduled for May 22-24 in Montreal.formula1