Four-time Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion Max Verstappen has announced plans to make his debut at the ADAC 24H Nürburgring this year.
Verstappen Joins Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing
The Dutchman will share a Winward Racing-run Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO with Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella in the top SP 9 Pro category, under the ‘Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing’ banner.
Verstappen said: “The Nürburgring is a special place. There’s no other track like it. The 24h Nürburgring 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.”
He added that he was able to get his DMSB Permit Nordschleife last year and participate in NLS9, which his team won. He said this preparation is valuable.
Preparation for the 24H Race
In preparation for the 24H Nürburgring, Verstappen will contest the second round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie on 21st March. The team will also run at this weekend’s NLS1 and the ADAC Qualifiers weekend in April.
Verstappen said: “We’ve got a strong line-up with Dani, Jules and Lucas 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.”
Verstappen made his NLS debut last year, earning his Nordschleife Permit A in a Porsche Cayman during NLS7 before winning outright in NLS9, when he shared an Emil Frey Racing-run Ferrari 296 GT3 with his protégé Chris Lulham.
Experienced Co-Drivers
Verstappen’s co-drivers all bring extensive experience of both the Nordschleife and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO to the team. Auer and Gounon are both Mercedes-AMG performance drivers, a position Juncadella also held before departing the German marque at the end of 2023.
Juncadella said he loves the 24h Nürburgring and has been racing there for many years. He said he is hoping to finally get a shot at winning this race and that their package is extremely strong.
Juncadella added: “It’s a very competitive car with a very strong line-up. I know Max quite well from his simulator racing team. Also preparing for the 24h Nürburgring in the simulator is very valuable, and we have already done a lot of preparation work.”
Winward Racing’s Return
Winward, which finished second overall in 2016, last competed at the 24H Nürburgring in 2019. Since then, the team has gone on to win the GTD class at the 24 Hours of Daytona three times, and won titles in IMSA, GT World Challenge Europe and 24H Series competition, all with Mercedes-AMG.
Alongside the Verstappen-headlined entry, the German-American team will also field a Pro effort under the ‘Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol’ banner, as it seeks to deliver the three-pointed star its first win at the event in a decade.
Winward Racing will be Mercedes-AMG’s only Performance Team at the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours, although customer GT3 efforts are expected.