Verstappen’s Nürburgring – Max Verstappen’s 24-hour debut at the Nürburgring ended early when a damaged driveshaft forced his shared Mercedes AMG GT3 to slow down, drop the lead, and enter the pits. Maro Engel’s sister Mercedes team went on to win.
NÜRBURG, Germany — Max Verstappen’s long-awaited shot at victory in his 24-hour racing debut at the Nürburgring was cut short when a mechanical issue sidelined the car Sunday.
Verstappen, a four-time Formula 1 champion, had been setting the pace in the morning, leading by more than half a minute.. He shared the Mercedes AMG GT3 with Lucas Auer. Jules Gounon and Dani Juncadella. building an advantage through an endurance rhythm that felt worlds away from a normal F1 weekend.
That control didn’t last after Juncadella took over from Verstappen with three and a half hours remaining. He slowed down with a damaged driveshaft, and the lead slipped as the car headed into the pits. The team then pulled the car into the garage.
Victory went instead to the team’s sister Mercedes car, driven by Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and Maxime Martin.
Even so, Juncadella’s evening wasn’t finished in disappointment. About three hours after his incident, he was able to get back on track and ensure the team was counted as a finisher in 38th.
The race was a “bucket list” project for Verstappen, arriving a week before Formula 1 returns at the Canadian Grand Prix. He has also questioned his future in F1 this year, pointing to his displeasure with the 2026 cars’ reliance on electrical power.
Before the mechanical trouble hit, Verstappen made an immediate mark in his first stint Saturday evening.. He moved from 10th to the lead with a fast. aggressive style that mirrors what fans see in F1. using a sequence of overtakes to seize control.. There was intensity even in the moments of near-mistake: he lost grip over a bump. ran wide onto the grass. narrowly missed the barrier. and then stayed involved in a close battle for the lead overnight.
Shortly before the incident ended the win bid. Verstappen said he enjoyed his longest race yet and hoped to return in 2027.. “I think in general it’s just the competition, the endurance style racing where you share with teammates.. The 24-hour race here, the track is super challenging, so it’s a whole combo,” he said.. He added, “As for next year, ‘I will for sure try.. It always depends a bit on my schedule, but let’s first enjoy now.’”
The Nürburgring also tested him in ways F1 doesn’t. Verstappen came in with familiarity from shorter races in recent months and “virtual experience” drawn from realistic online simulator events. Still, he was facing a scale and cadence of endurance racing that’s different from a standard grand prix.
With 161 cars entered and 159 taking the start. he had to weave through much slower traffic and avoided trouble when two slower Porsches collided in front of him.. Weather proved another constant variable on the hilly. 15.8-mile (25.3-kilometer) circuit. with conditions changing so quickly that it could be raining hard at one point and dry at another.
It was also his first real test of night-time endurance racing without the huge floodlights used by F1 to light up the track.
The day’s story tightened around a single sequence: Verstappen led by more than half a minute in the morning. Juncadella took over three and a half hours from the end. a damaged driveshaft forced slowing and the lead was lost. and the car was pulled into the garage—while the sister Mercedes took the win and the affected team later finished 38th after returning to the track.
Max Verstappen Nürburgring 24 hours Mercedes AMG GT3 driveshaft Maro Engel Lucas Auer Jules Gounon Dani Juncadella Luca Stolz Fabian Schiller Maxime Martin endurance racing