Max Verstappen will compete in this weekend’s Nürburgring 24 Hours, driving a Red Bull‑branded Mercedes‑AMG GT3 as he broadens his racing programme beyond Formula 1. He has spent the past year preparing at the Nordschleife, making six outings to get ready for the iconic endurance event, which starts at 2pm on Saturday and is available to watch live on the Sky Sports app.
Since clinching a fourth F1 world title at the end of 2024, Verstappen has stepped up efforts to tackle some of motorsport’s most famous races. He has long said he does not want to be only an F1 driver and wants to sample other categories while he is still at his peak. “All the big endurance races I want to do, it’s something that when I was a kid, my dad was doing them,” he said earlier this year. “I don’t need to be only an F1 driver, I can also do other things… I don’t want to do them when I’m 40 years old. Now is the perfect age to do it.”
About the Nürburgring 24 Hours
The Nürburgring 24 is one of the world’s toughest endurance races. This year 161 cars are entered to tackle the 15.769‑mile Nordschleife circuit, long praised and feared as “The Green Hell” by a three‑time F1 champion. The track’s length, narrow sections and mix of corners make traffic and overtaking major factors; the presence of multiple classes raises the risk of incidents, especially after dark.
There are 23 classes at the event. Verstappen’s entry races in the top class alongside the fastest GT3 machinery — Mercedes‑AMG GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 R, BMW M4 GT3, Ferrari 296 GT3 and Lamborghini Huracán GT3 among them. Top‑class drivers must thread through much slower traffic while maintaining pace; one of the prime overtaking spots is the 1.333‑mile Döttinger Höhe straight, where cars can exceed 190mph. Verstappen has already shown competitive battles on that straight in earlier NLS races this year.
Pit stops in a GT3 car typically include tyre changes, refuelling and, when required, driver changes. Under normal conditions a GT3 car can run for roughly an hour on a full tank of fuel, so teams plan multiple driver stints across the 24 hours.
Verstappen’s racing beyond F1
Verstappen is deeply involved in motorsport outside the Formula 1 paddock. He regularly races on simulators with Team Redline and is regarded as one of the top sim racers in the world. He credits sim work with keeping him sharp: “It keeps me ready to go, because I’m spending a lot of time also then on the setup,” he said, noting that sim racing can mirror GT driving techniques and provides a different driving challenge to F1.
He also competed in and won an iRacing Nürburgring 24 Hours event in 2024 during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend, holding off rivals despite reduced rest. Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described him at the time as “basically a racing machine,” highlighting Verstappen’s habit of testing setups and racing in varied series.
Plans and possibilities beyond F1
Verstappen has tested prototype cars — the type that typically contest Le Mans overall honours — and has expressed interest in racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in future. That prospect has gained traction because Ford will rejoin the top class of the World Endurance Championship and Le Mans from 2027, and Ford is a technical partner of Red Bull’s F1 power unit programme. Other endurance events he has mentioned include the Daytona 24 Hours and the Spa 24 Hours.
Speculation about a break from F1 has followed comments Verstappen made after a difficult start to the current season; he hinted in March that he was considering his future in the sport. F1 organisers have since adjusted power unit regulations and plan further changes next year that aim to address drivers’ concerns about racing and the new engine characteristics.
Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until at least the end of 2028, though reports indicate performance clauses could allow an earlier exit. Whether he might step away from F1 for a year or two to pursue endurance challenges remains an open question, but his recent activities make clear he is keen to build a broader racing résumé while still at the top of his game.
Next in F1: the championship heads to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and a Sprint weekend, with coverage on Sky Sports F1 on May 22–24.