Mad Max At It Again: Verstappen Confirms Nurburgring 24Hr Debut In 2026

Last Updated:March 09, 2026, 15:38 IST

Max Verstappen will debut at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring with Winward Racing, driving the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon, and Daniel Juncadella.

Max Verstappen’s insatiable appetite for racing clearly goes far beyond F1.

Fresh off an impressive comeback drive at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, where he stormed from P20 to finish sixth, the four-time world champion has now confirmed his next challenge: the legendary 24 Hours of Nurburgring.

After months of speculation, the Dutch star will make his debut at the iconic endurance race, scheduled for May 14–17, competing with the Winward Racing team under the Verstappen Racing banner.

The event, held at the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife, is widely regarded as one of the most demanding endurance races in motorsport — thanks to its punishing layout and unpredictable conditions.

For motorsport savant Verstappen, the race has long been a personal ambition.

“The Nurburgring Nordschleife is a special place. There’s no other track like it," Verstappen said.

“The 24h 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."

Verstappen will share the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with a formidable line-up of drivers.

He will be joined by Lucas Auer and Jules Gounon, both factory drivers for Mercedes-AMG, as well as Daniel Juncadella, who recently signed with Genesis Hypercar.

Preparations Underway

Before tackling the 24-hour marathon, Verstappen and his team will prepare through the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS), one of the key feeder championships for the main endurance race.

The team plans to enter NLS1, NLS2, and the 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers to fine-tune their preparations.

Verstappen himself is scheduled to compete in NLS2, which conveniently no longer clashes with the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.

The Red Bull driver already has some experience at the Nordschleife, having competed in NLS9 last year, where he secured victory after earning his DMSB Permit Nordschleife, a special licence required to race on the track.

“Last year, I was able to get my DMSB Permit Nordschleife and participate in NLS9, that we won," Verstappen explained.

“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 [Juncadella], Jules [Gounon] and Lucas [Auer] 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."

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