F1 champion to race Mercedes in 24-hour classic – Just days after the opening round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, the paddock has been handed an unexpected storyline, taking it away from the grand prix circus. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen is set to swap his Formula 1 machinery for a GT3 car and compete in the legendary 24 Hours of Nürburgring this May.

Even more intriguingly, the Dutchman will do so behind the wheel of a Mercedes-AMG GT3. This has already sparked speculation across the motorsport world, not only because of Verstappen’s well-known competitive nature, but also because this announcement comes amid his growing criticism of the current direction of Formula 1.

For Verstappen, however, the explanation appears far simpler: it is a race he has always wanted to do.

“The Nürburgring is a special place. There is no other racetrack like it,” he said in a statement. “The 24-hour race at the Nürburgring has been on my wish list for a long time, so I am very excited that we can now make it happen.”

 

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A racing driver first and foremost

To many observers, Verstappen’s decision reflects something fundamental about the Dutch star: he simply loves racing.

Away from Formula 1, he has long been known for spending significant time in simulators and endurance racing programmes. The Nürburgring’s daunting Nordschleife, widely regarded as the most demanding circuit in motorsport, has become something of a personal obsession.

Last year, he obtained his official Nordschleife permit and made his competitive debut in the Nürburgring Endurance Series. Driving a Ferrari 296 GT3 alongside Christopher Lulham, he stunned many in the paddock by winning the NLS9 race outright.

This performance paved the way for an expanded programme in 2026.

“This preparation is very valuable,” Verstappen explained. “We learned a lot that we can incorporate into our programme this year with NLS2 and the 24-hour race.”

Before the 24-hour race in May, Verstappen will return to the Nordschleife for the second round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series on 21 March, neatly squeezed between Formula 1 races in China and Japan.

 

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Switch to the German marque: A formidable Mercedes lineup

For the Nürburgring programme, Verstappen will drive the Mercedes-AMG GT3 with the number 3 starting position for Verstappen.com Racing, run in cooperation with Winward Racing.

His teammates form one of the strongest driver lineups at the event.

Verstappen will share the car with Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella, who are all highly experienced Mercedes-AMG factory drivers with extensive GT and endurance racing credentials.

“With Dani, Jules and Lucas, we have a strong line-up,” said Verstappen. ‘We also receive great support from Red Bull and Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. Now it’s about making the right preparations before the event so we can perform to the best of our ability in the race.”

Mercedes-AMG will field two major entries for the 2026 Nürburgring campaign. Alongside Verstappen’s car, Ravenol will support a second entry featuring Maro Engel, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz — a quartet who raced together in the 2025 edition of the event.

 

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TJ13 paddock view: is this more than just a guest drive?

Within the Formula 1 paddock, Verstappen’s Nürburgring outing is already being viewed through a wider lens.

Officially, it is simply a racing side project, a chance for one of the sport’s fiercest competitors to tick off a bucket-list event. Yet the optics are hard to ignore.

Verstappen is currently one of the most influential figures in Formula 1, and his long-term future is a constant subject of speculation in the paddock. A high-profile race appearance with Mercedes-AMG will inevitably fuel discussion about possible future collaborations.

From the outside, it also represents a clever move by Mercedes.

By providing Verstappen with a competitive seat, a top-tier driver line-up and factory support, the German manufacturer can showcase its racing ecosystem beyond Formula 1. Endurance racing has long been one of Mercedes-AMG’s strongest pillars, and the Nürburgring 24 Hours is one of the brand’s most prestigious events.

 

 

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The Nürburgring dream

Few circuits command the mystique of the Nürburgring Nordschleife. At over 20 kilometres long and featuring more than 150 corners, it remains one of the last great endurance challenges in global motorsport.

For drivers, conquering the Nürburgring 24 Hours is often considered the pinnacle of their career, even for Formula 1 champions.

Verstappen’s early success on the Nordschleife suggests that he already has what it takes to be competitive.

With a factory-backed Mercedes entry, an elite supporting cast, and a race that rewards both raw speed and resilience, there is growing expectation that the Dutchman could be a genuine contender for overall victory.

For now, however, Verstappen is keeping his focus firmly on preparation. After all, even for a Formula 1 world champion, conquering the Nürburgring is never guaranteed.

 

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NEXT ARTICLE – 2026 Australian GP: Exciting or Whacky races as perilous dangers become apparent

Probably the most debated change in technical and sporting regulations in the history of Formula One finally was born into reality in Melbourne on Sunday 8th March. On the way to the grid, local hero Oscar Piastri slammed his McLaren car into the wall as an apparent torque spike took control of the MCL40.

The Australian was to take no further part in the days action. Previously in qualifying on his first flying lap, the driver considered a generational talent and maestro of car control, Max Verstappen suffered a similar fate sending his RB22 skipping across the gravel trap at turn one and into the barrier.

Max would start the Grand Prix down in in 20th place. The all new 2026 F1 cars have enormous amounts of torque available at the push of a button to the drivers, delivered from the hybrid powertrains which now sport 50% electrical power output alongside the internal combustion engines (ICE).

 

New cars, new rules, new kind of F1 racing

Torque from the electric motors unlike from the ICE is instant and uncontrolled will spin up the wheels at the rear of the car, leaving the driver helpless to control what follows. Add into the mix that the 2026 cars have lost a huge amount of downforce and ride on tyres which have a smaller contact patch meaning less grip.

Throughout the weekend, F1 analysts and broadcasters were marvelling at the fact the F1 cars were no longer on rails and that the drivers were being forced to wrestle control of their machines. Another improvement to the spectacle was the fact that the new aerodynamics and powertrains were allowing the cars to follow more closely without the driver behind destroying his tyres.

At the start of the race, George Russell on pole position reported his battery pack appeared empty and with the lights going out almost instantaneously he and a number of drivers were caught by surprise. Charle Leclerc in his fast starting Ferrari weaved between Hadjar ahead and then Russell to…CONTINUE TO READ THIS ARTICLE