Max Verstappen is officially making his debut today at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, unfolding on Saturday, May 16. Driving for the Red Bull-backed Mercedes-AMG squad alongside Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Lucas Auer, Verstappen is already in a prime position to challenge for victory after his team qualified a stellar fourth on the grid during Friday’s intense Top Qualifying session. And, if he wins the race, he will match this legendary record of Niki Lauda.
By entering this 24-hour marathon in the Eifel region, Verstappen is chasing a piece of history that has stood untouched for over half a century. The Dutchman is aiming to become the first driver since the legendary Niki Lauda to win both a Formula 1 World Championship and the Nurburgring 24 Hours.
Lauda achieved this feat back in 1973, conquering “The Green Hell” in a Jagermeister Alpina BMW 3.3 CSL alongside co-driver Hans-Peter Joisten, two years before claiming the first of his three F1 world titles.
Max Verstappen is aiming to become the first driver since Niki Lauda to win both a Formula 1 World Championship and the Nürburgring 24 Hours 🤝 pic.twitter.com/lwx4PtEjah
— Autosport (@autosport) May 15, 2026
While other ex-F1 drivers like Joachim Winkelhock and Johnny Cecotto have won the endurance classic, no world champion has ever replicated Lauda’s dual-discipline supremacy. If Verstappen’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 crosses the finish line first on Sunday, he will join Lauda in one of the most exclusive clubs in motorsport history.
What Made Max Verstappen Enter Nurburgring 24 Hours Amid Challenging F1 Season?
Taking advantage of the off-weekend on the F1 calendar before the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix 2026, Verstappen’s cameo appearance provides a welcome distraction from what has been a highly challenging F1 2026 season so far. Red Bull have struggled to adapt to the 2026 Formula 1 engine overhaul, leaving the reigning champion uncharacteristically down in 7th place in the drivers’ standings with just 26 points.
With the Mercedes team dominating the grid, led by phenom Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the top of the standings with 100 points and George Russell close behind with 80, Verstappen has found himself fighting an uphill battle in a car lacking its usual dominant pace. A victory at the Nürburgring this weekend would not only etch his name alongside Niki Lauda but also provide a big morale boost amidst a heartbreaking Formula 1 Grand Prix calendar.
