Words: Andrew Sluys
Published 10 March 2026
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has finally announced his entry into the 24 Hours of Nürburgring endurance race.
Verstappen’s entry comes as little surprise as the Dutch driver has discussed his interest in competing in the iconic race for some time now.
As the video shows, Verstappen will be driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 car, which will be competing under the Verstappen Racing colours.
He will be competing alongside Lucas Auer and Jules Gounon, and Daniel Juncadella in the number 3 car.
A sister Verstappen Racing car wearing number 80 will be helmed by Maro Engel, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller, and Luca Stolz.
“The Nurburgring Nordschleife is a special place,” Verstappen said in a release. “There’s no other track like it. 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.”
“Last year, I was able to get my DMSB Permit Nordschleife and participate in NLS9, that we won. 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.”
In the release, Red Bull also provided some context as to why this race is so significant.
“At over 25 kilometers [15.5 miles] in length, the Nürburgring-Nordschleife is the longest permanent race track in the world. In the 24-hour race, the participants drive over the combined layout of the Nordschleife and GP circuit. This equates to a total of around 25.4 km per lap and an incredible 73 bends per lap.”
“What makes the Nordschleife so unique is the difference in altitude of around 300 meters between the highest point on the Hohe Acht (approx. 620 meters above sea level) and the lowest point at Breidscheid (approx. 320 meters above sea level). This is unique for a permanent race track.”
The ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring will take place May 14-17, 2026.
