Verstappen to enter Nurburgring 24 Hours with Mercedes

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen will tackle the legendary Nurburgring 24 Hours with Mercedes this year.

Following months of speculation, the Dutchman has been confirmed to make his debut at the German endurance classic on 14-17 May with the factory-supported Winward team, running under the Verstappen Racing banner.

Verstappen will be joined in the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 by factory drivers Lucas Auer and Jules Gounon, plus new Genesis Hypercar signing Daniel Juncadella.

Auer, Gounon and Juncadella all have extensive experience at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, while the latter two drivers also compete as team-mates for Winward in GT World Challenge Europe.

The quartet will make a preparatory outing in this month’s NLS2 race, which has been brought forward by a week to 21 March at Mercedes’ request to allow Verstappen to take part.

The event had originally been scheduled for 28 March, which would have clashed with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Verstappen had made it clear internally that he wanted to complete at least one race in the early part of the NLS to ensure he felt ready for the 24-hour enduro.

His only previous outing at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, last year’s penultimate round in November, was at the wheel of an Emil Frey Ferrari 296 GT3, rather than the Mercedes-AMG GT3 that he will be racing this year.

“The Nurburgring is a special place,” Verstappen said. “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. 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.”

“With our performance line-up, we are excellently positioned for the traditionally strong field of the 24h Nurburgring,” said Mercedes customer racing head Stefan Wendl.

“Together with RAVENOL and Verstappen Racing, we put together a balanced driver pairing whose different strengths complement each other perfectly.

“We are very proud that Max Verstappen and his team are also part of the AMG line-up. Together with the operational team Winward Racing and tyre partner Michelin, we have analysed the Mercedes-AMG GT3 in detail once again to tap into further performance potential.

Verstappen Racing Mercedes AMG GT3

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

“With the start of an intensive test programme in southern Europe at the end of February, the foundation has been laid for a successful outing at the Nurburgring.”

Mercedes will enter two so-called Performance Teams at the Nordschleife enduro this year, both run by Winward. Apart from the Verstappen Racing entry headlined by the F1 star himself, the German brand will also be represented by a second car run under the Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL moniker. 

Maro Engel, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz will form the driver line-up for the #80 Mercedes. Engel was part of the crew that scored Mercedes’ last win at the Nurburgring 24 in 2016, together with Adam Christodoulou, Manuel Metzger and Bernd Schneider.

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– The Autosport.com Team