Mercedes issue statement after missing out with F1 champion Max Verstappen

Juncadella in the 24h Nurburgring — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Mercedes issue statement after missing out with Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen raced for Mercedes at the Nurburgring

Originally written by Vincent Bruins. This version is a translation.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 23:00

Max Verstappen's Nurburgring 24 Hour race last weekend ended in heartbreak, when victory was snatched away from him.

Verstappen and his team were leading for most of the race, but a drive shaft failure with just three hours left dashed his chances.

Instead, a different Mercedes-AMG car won, with Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and Maxime Martin claiming victory.

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The GT3 class battle at the Nurburgring 24 Hours turned into a fierce contest early on. Within the first six hours, several leading teams were forced to retire after a series of incidents.

When a heavy downpour hit on Saturday evening, Aston Martin’s Walkenhorst Motorsport opted for the wrong strategy. For a long stretch, a Mercedes-AMG car held both the first and second spots.

Bitter sweet for Mercedes as Verstappen’s race ended prematurely

“The 24h Nürburgring is one of the biggest and most important endurance races for us, and we were determined to win it again, I am overwhelmed that we have managed to do so after ten long years with the Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL,” Sagemüller stated to GPFans.

“As is so often the case in motorsport, however, joy and disappointment are never far apart.

“For long stretches, we witnessed a close battle between our two performance cars. That is why it is particularly unfortunate that the race came to an early end for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing. My thanks go to everyone involved who supported this extraordinary event.

“This is a truly significant achievement, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

F1 Max Verstappen Mercedes Nürburgring Nurburgring Nordschleife 24 Hours of Nurburgring