Max Verstappen at the Nürburgring 24 Hours: Why he...
Key takeaways
- The prospect of a four-time world champion using one of his free weekends to race in one of the most chaotic endurance races on the planet has captured the imagination of fans across motorsport.
- Verstappen has long held an ambition to race at the Nürburgring 24 Hours -- an event he has followed for years from afar.
- The process to get his permit included test days, classroom exams, and a race on the circuit in a lower GT4 category before he could take part in races in the top SP9 (or GT3) class.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The prospect of a four-time world champion using one of his free weekends to race in one of the most chaotic endurance races on the planet has captured the imagination of fans across motorsport.
Verstappen has long held an ambition to race at the Nürburgring 24 Hours -- an event he has followed for years from afar. Via his love of sim racing, he has completed "thousands" of laps of the circuit in the virtual world, but this year's edition of the real-world 24-hour race was the first he could realistically dovetail with his F1 commitments.
In an interview with ESPN in March, he described the thrill of racing on the Nordschleife as "what real motorsport is like," adding that he is trying to seek "old-school, proper racing" and ultimately have a smile on his face when he jumps out of the car. It's easy to conflate Verstappen's Nürburgring side quest with his disillusionment around Formula 1's new regulations, but his first steps towards competing in the 24-hour race were taken last year before he drove his 2026 Red Bull.