Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen will compete in the Nürburgring 24 Hours this May, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the factory-supported Winward Racing team. The endurance race is scheduled for May 14–17 at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife, one of the most demanding circuits in motorsports. Verstappen will enter the event under the Verstappen Racing banner and share the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with experienced factory drivers Lucas Auer and Jules Gounon, along with Daniel Juncadella, who recently signed as a driver for Genesis’ upcoming Hypercar program.
The confirmation follows months of speculation about whether the Red Bull Formula 1 star would add the famous German endurance race to his racing schedule. The Nürburgring 24 Hours is widely regarded as one of the most grueling events in global motorsports, combining a full day of racing with the unique challenges of the Nordschleife’s long and unforgiving layout. Verstappen’s participation marks a major crossover moment between Formula 1 and endurance GT racing, placing one of the sport’s most dominant drivers in a field filled with specialists who have spent years mastering the track.
The No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 entry will bring together a lineup with deep experience at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon, and Daniel Juncadella all have significant racing history at the circuit, giving the team a strong foundation heading into the event. Gounon and Juncadella also compete together in GT World Challenge Europe for the 2Seas Motorsport team, providing additional chemistry within the driver lineup as they prepare for the 24-hour challenge.
Before the endurance race takes place in May, the quartet will participate in a preparatory event at the Nürburgring as part of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. The NLS2 race, which serves as a critical test and preparation opportunity for teams entering the 24-hour race, will give Verstappen additional time behind the wheel on the demanding circuit. The event was moved forward by a week at the request of Mercedes so Verstappen could participate without conflicting with the Formula 1 calendar.
Originally scheduled for March 28, the NLS2 race would have overlapped with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. To accommodate Verstappen’s involvement, the race was rescheduled to March 21, allowing the Dutch driver to take part in the event while maintaining his commitments in Formula 1. The adjustment underscores the importance of preparation for drivers tackling the Nürburgring 24 Hours, where familiarity with the track and car setup can play a decisive role in survival and success.
The Nürburgring Nordschleife is widely known as one of the most challenging racing circuits in the world. The track stretches more than 12 miles through Germany’s Eifel mountains and includes hundreds of corners, dramatic elevation changes, and narrow sections that punish mistakes instantly. Weather conditions often change rapidly across the circuit, adding another layer of difficulty for teams attempting to maintain pace over a full 24-hour race.
Verstappen already has some experience at the Nordschleife, although his time on the circuit remains limited compared to veteran endurance racers. His previous appearance came during the penultimate Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie round last November. In that event, Verstappen competed in an Emil Frey Ferrari 296 GT3 rather than the Mercedes-AMG GT3 he will drive this season.
That appearance allowed him to secure the required DMSB Permit Nordschleife, a special license drivers must obtain before competing on the historic track. The permit system ensures drivers have demonstrated sufficient familiarity with the circuit before being allowed to race in major events like the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Verstappen’s prior participation also resulted in a victory during the NLS9 event, providing valuable early experience on the Nordschleife.
That previous outing laid the groundwork for his entry into this year’s endurance race. Teams competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours often emphasize preparation through NLS events, which replicate the demanding conditions drivers will face during the main race weekend. For Verstappen, the upcoming NLS2 race will offer another opportunity to gain familiarity with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 platform and the specific setup required for the Nordschleife.
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport will field two so-called Performance Teams in this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours, both operated by the Winward Racing organization. Alongside the Verstappen Racing entry, the manufacturer will also run a second car under the Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL banner.
The No. 80 Mercedes-AMG GT3 will feature an experienced lineup consisting of Maro Engel, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller, and Luca Stolz. Engel brings particular pedigree to the event, having been part of the driver lineup that delivered Mercedes’ most recent overall victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2016. That winning team included Engel alongside Adam Christodoulou, Manuel Metzger, and Bernd Schneider.
The Nürburgring 24 Hours remains one of the most prestigious endurance races in motorsports, attracting factory teams, professional drivers, and a wide range of GT3 machinery from leading manufacturers. The event’s massive entry list and unpredictable conditions often produce dramatic races, where mechanical reliability and driver consistency are just as important as outright speed.
For Verstappen, the decision to enter the race adds another chapter to a career already defined by success at the highest level of Formula 1. Despite dominating much of the modern F1 era, the Dutch driver has frequently expressed interest in competing across multiple racing disciplines, including endurance racing.
His Nürburgring appearance represents one of the most ambitious examples of that crossover. Unlike shorter GT races, the Nürburgring 24 Hours demands a combination of endurance, adaptability, and teamwork across four drivers sharing the same car for an entire day of racing.
The countdown now moves toward the March NLS2 event, where Verstappen and his teammates will take their first official steps toward preparing for the main endurance race. That outing will provide the first clear look at how the Formula 1 champion adapts to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 in competitive conditions at the Nordschleife.
If all goes according to plan, Verstappen will line up at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in May as part of one of Mercedes-AMG’s most high-profile entries. The race will mark his first attempt at conquering the legendary endurance event, placing one of Formula 1’s biggest names on one of motorsport’s most unforgiving stages.
Source/Photo Via Mercedes
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