Max VerstappenPlayer·Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula 1Competition·Formula 1 world champion, recently added a significant chapter to his diverse racing career by participating in the 24 Hours of NürburgringCompetition·24 Hours of Nürburgring. His entry into the endurance classic, held from May 14-17, 2026, marked him as the 28th different Formula 1Competition·Formula 1 champion to compete in a full-day race, drawing considerable global attention to the event.
Driving the #3 Red BullTeam·Red Bull-liveried Mercedes AMG GT3Team·Mercedes AMG GT3 for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen RacingTeam·Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, the Dutch driver teamed up with Lucas AuerPlayer·Lucas Auer, Jules GounonPlayer·Jules Gounon, and Dani JuncadellaPlayer·Dani Juncadella. Verstappen made an immediate impact on the challenging NürburgringVenue·Nürburgring Nordschleife, quickly moving from 10th position to the lead during his initial stint on Saturday evening. His performance included an exceptional night stint where he further solidified the team's advantage, leading by over half a minute at one point on Sunday morning.
However, the team's aspirations for victory were curtailed by a mechanical problem. A driveshaft failure struck the Mercedes AMG GT3Team·Mercedes AMG GT3 with just over three hours remaining in the race, ultimately forcing them to finish in 38th place. Following the race, Verstappen expressed his frustration at the "unfortunate and frustrating ending" but also affirmed that he "still really enjoyed the experience" and the unique challenge presented by the NürburgringVenue·Nürburgring's formidable "Green Hell" circuit. He indicated a desire to return to the 24-hour race in the future, provided his schedule permits.
Verstappen's foray into endurance racing highlights a broader trend among Formula 1Competition·Formula 1 champions. Historically, only seven world champions have not competed in a 24-hour race: Alain ProstPlayer·Alain Prost, Ayrton SennaPlayer·Ayrton Senna, Mika HakkinenPlayer·Mika Hakkinen, Lewis HamiltonPlayer·Lewis Hamilton, Kimi RaikkonenPlayer·Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian VettelPlayer·Sebastian Vettel, and Nico RosbergPlayer·Nico Rosberg. The remaining 28, including Verstappen, have participated in at least one of the four major 24-hour events: Le Mans, Spa, Daytona, or NürburgringVenue·Nürburgring. Notably, no driver has started in all four.
Among the Formula 1Competition·Formula 1 champions who have also tasted victory in these endurance races are Giuseppe FarinaPlayer·Giuseppe Farina, Mike HawthornPlayer·Mike Hawthorn, Phil HillPlayer·Phil Hill, Graham HillPlayer·Graham Hill, Jochen RindtPlayer·Jochen Rindt, Niki LaudaPlayer·Niki Lauda, and Fernando AlonsoPlayer·Fernando Alonso. Niki LaudaPlayer·Niki Lauda remains the sole Formula 1Competition·Formula 1 world champion to have won the 24 Hours of NürburgringCompetition·24 Hours of Nürburgring, achieving this feat in 1973. Fernando AlonsoPlayer·Fernando Alonso stands out as the most successful among them, securing two victories at the 24 Hours of Le MansCompetition·24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018 and 2019 with ToyotaTeam·Toyota, alongside a win at the 24 Hours of DaytonaCompetition·24 Hours of Daytona in 2019 with CadillacTeam·Cadillac.
Verstappen's participation in the NürburgringVenue·Nürburgring event was described as a "bucket list" project, reflecting his long-held passion for endurance racing and his ambition to test his skills across various motorsport disciplines. This comes amidst a challenging period in his Formula 1Competition·Formula 1 career, as the 2026 F1 season has seen a "miserable start" for both Verstappen and his Red BullTeam·Red Bull team, with their RB22Team·RB22 car struggling for competitive form. After four Grands Prix, Verstappen currently sits P7 in the F1 World Championship standings, with his best result being a fifth-place finish in Miami. Mercedes, led by Andrea Kimi AntonelliPlayer·Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who holds a 20-point lead over George RussellPlayer·George Russell, has been the dominant force in the championship thus far. Despite these F1 struggles, former F1 boss Bernie EcclestonePlayer·Bernie Ecclestone believes Verstappen will re-enter the championship fight, stating that "Red BullTeam·Red Bull has apparently overcome the slump. Max has caught fire again – and then he's dangerous.” Verstappen is set to return to Formula 1Competition·Formula 1 action at the upcoming Canadian Grand PrixCompetition·Canadian Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen and his team in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Credit: Eibner/IMAGO
Eibner/IMAGOThis article was generated by AI (gemini-2.5-flash). Learn more.
