Nurburgring 24 Hours: Meet Max Verstappen's team-mates for iconic race this weekend

Verstappen Racing after NLS2 victory — Photo: © IMAGO

Nurburgring 24 Hours

Nurburgring 24 Hours: Meet Max Verstappen's team-mates for iconic race this weekend

Meet the mighty Dutchman's team for this weekend

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Tuesday 12 May 2026 16:55 Updated: 09:55

Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen will take on the mighty challenge of the Nurburgring 24 Hours race this weekend, but he will not do it alone.

The 28-year-old Dutchman will be partnered by three seasoned racers as he dives into the brutal test of speed and endurance on the Nordschleife circuit known as 'The Green Hell' (Thursday May 14-Sunday May 17).

Verstappen is living his dream by hitting the track at one of motorsport’s most iconic races and alongside him will be Jules Gounon (Andorra/France), Dani Juncadella (Spain) and Lucas Auer (Austria).

Here’s a closer look at the talent joining him for this thrilling event.

Nurburgring 24 Hours: Watch Qualifying LIVE and free today

Jules Gounon

At 30 years old, Jules Gounon brings a decade of experience in GT3 racing. He won the 2017 ADAC GT Masters title behind the wheel of a Callaway Competition Corvette before clinching back-to-back championships in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup in 2022 and 2023 with Mercedes-AMG. Gounon has also celebrated two wins at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, three victories at the Meguiar's Bathurst 12 Hour, and a class win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Beyond being a Mercedes factory driver, he also competes in the Hypercar class for Alpine in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Dani Juncadella

Article continues under video

Dani Juncadella might sound familiar to Formula 1 fans. The nephew of former Minardi driver Luis Perez-Sala, he got his start with a few free practice sessions for Force India back in 2014 and now works as a simulator driver for the Aston Martin F1 team. Juncadella is a veteran in GT3 racing too - in 2022 he partnered with Gounon to win the 24 Hours of Spa and secure the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup championship, later adding a GTD Pro victory at Daytona to his resume. His impressive career to date also includes triumphs in DTM and the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMGT3 class, with noteworthy stints as a factory driver for both Corvette and now Genesis Magma.

Max Verstappen team-mate Dani Juncadella.

Lucas Auer

Lucas Auer is the standout name on the team. The Austrian is a fixture in GT racing and serves as a factory driver for Mercedes-AMG. Hailing from a renowned motorsports family - he is the nephew of former Formula 1 legend Gerhard Berger - Auer has firmly established his own legacy. He burst onto the scene in DTM in 2015, racking up 11 wins and 27 podium finishes through the 2025 season. Last season, he was particularly impressive, finishing as championship runner-up after notable wins at Oschersleben and the Lausitzring for Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf. Verstappen isn’t a stranger to Auer either; the two battled it out in the 2014 FIA Formula 3 European Championship, where Max finished third and Auer fourth in the standings.