Max Verstappen to compete in 24hr Nurburgring during F1 season

Verstappen in Verstappen dot com Racing suit — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen confirms 24hr Nurburgring participation during F1 season

Max Verstappen will compete at the Nurburgring 24 Hours this year

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Monday 9 March 2026 10:37

Max Verstappen will contest the 2026 Nurburgring 24 Hours this year, alongside his F1 campaign.

Since winning on his GT3 debut in the ninth round of the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) last year, Verstappen's debut in the 24-hour race has been hotly anticipated.

Now, the four-time champion confirmed that he will compete for his Verstappen Racing outfit in a Mercedes-AMG GT3, alongside Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer, to take on one of endurance racing's greatest challenges. The car will start under the No.3, also Verstappen's F1 driver number.

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Verstappen will make an appearance at NLS2 (21 March) to prepare for the 24 Nurburgring, which will take place between the Chinese and the Japanese Grands Prix.

The 24hr Nurburgring Qualifiers take place between Saturday April 18 and April 19, which clashes with the Saudi Arabian GP race weekend.

Should the F1 race in Saudi Arabia be cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, then this would also allow Verstappen to take part in the qualifiers.

The 24hr race itself is scheduled between May 14 and May 17, the weekend prior to the Canadian GP and does not clash with any F1 race weekends.

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How Verstappen's Nurburgring 24 Hours attempt came to be

Earlier this year, the NLS made changes to the 2026 calendar to aid Verstappen's Nurburgring 24 Hours bid, moving the NLS2 date so that it sat between China and Japan.

Reportedly, Mercedes-Benz Chairman Ola Kallenius and F1 team principal Toto Wolff had personally campaigned to make Verstappen's start in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 possible.

NLS Director Mike Jager explained that: "The decision to move an already fixed date was taken in intensive discussions with many stakeholders, weighing all interests — in the interest of motorsport.

"We want to continue to build on the worldwide recognition that the NLS gained last year through Max Verstappen’s participation, to the benefit of all teams and participants."

On his debut, Verstappen himself said: "The Nurburgring Nordschleife is a special place. There’s no other track like it. The 24hr Nurburgring is a race that’s been on my bucket list for a long time, so I’m really thrilled we can make it happen now.

"Last year, I was able to get my DMSB Permit Nordschleife and participate in NLS9, that we won. That preparation is very valuable, as we have learned a lot that we can take into our programme this year with NLS2 and the 24-hour race.

"We’ve got a strong line-up with Dani, Jules and Lucas and great support from Red Bull and Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. Now it’s about putting in the right preparations before the events, so we can maximise everything in the races."

The announcement was also delivered in spectacular fashion on social media, with Red Bull themselves sharing a high-octane video.

Following a video call with Verstappen, skydiver Max Manow performed a 131-metre B.A.S.E. jump into a cooling tower, and as he landed, unveiled the Red Bull livery of the Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing.

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Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen 24 Hours of Nurburgring