Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen is climbing into a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the 2026 24 Hours of Nürburgring this May. Speculation about him driving in this race has been floating around for some time, but today Red Bull made it official with a pretty fun sizzle reel where skydiver Max Manow delivers him a steering wheel inside of a nuclear power plant silo.
Verstappen will run with the factory-supported Winward team, running under the Verstappen Racing banner with number 3 on the door. Factory drivers Lucas Auer and Jules Gounon, plus Genesis Hypercar driver Daniel Juncadella, will be his teammates, according to a release from Formula 1 and Motorsport.com. There will also be a sister car, number 80, with Maro Engel, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller, and Luca Stolz taking the wheel, per the race website. Red Bull shared that the team will take part in several events before the race: NLS1, NLS2, and the 24-hour Nürburgring Qualifiers.
“The Nurburgring Nordschleife is a special place,” Verstappen said in a release on F1’s website. “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.”
Red Bull posted that “The starting field at the Nürgburgring 24 Hours is more diverse than almost any other endurance race. In addition to works-supported GT3 teams, more than 130 vehicles compete in more than 20 classes.”
Also in Red Bull’s announcement is some good context on the race and track for those who are unfamiliar:
“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.”
This event, the 54th running of the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring, will take place May 14-17, 2026. Direct updates will likely appear first at the race’s official “experience online” page.
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