Ford Admits It 'Would Prefer' Verstappen to Drive Ford Instead of Mercedes at Nürburgring

Ford has openly admitted it would rather see Max Verstappen racing its own Mustang GT3 EVO than a Mercedes-AMG at the Nürburgring 24 Hours this weekend. The Red Bull F1 star is set to make his Nordschleife debut in a Red Bull-branded Mercedes after a tie-up between the German manufacturer and Verstappen Racing last year.

Why it matters:

Verstappen’s Mercedes GT deal, though separate from his F1 duties, creates an awkward dynamic given Red Bull’s technical partnership with Ford from 2026. Ford’s public preference signals a desire to align all of Verstappen’s racing activities with its own brand, especially as it prepares for a Hypercar entry in the World Endurance Championship.

The details:

• Verstappen will share driving duties with Jules Gounon, Lucas Auer and Daniel Juncadella in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, starting Saturday.
• Ford made a “significant push” to convince Verstappen to race its Mustang GT3 EVO instead, according to Sportscar365, but the Dutchman opted for Mercedes’ program.
• Ford global director Mark Rushbrook: “We prefer our Ford drivers to stay in Ford. We understand why he did that. We love that he’s a racer… but obviously we’d love to have him in a Ford in the sportscar world.”
• Ford will enter the WEC Hypercar category in 2027, competing against F1 rivals McLaren, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Cadillac.
• Rushbrook confirmed talks with Verstappen about a future Le Mans appearance, but ruled out 2027: “It would be taking on too much in our debut season.”

What's next:

A Le Mans drive for Verstappen remains a long-term prospect. Rushbrook said discussions have been ongoing for “three-plus years” and that it could happen during or after his F1 career. For now, Verstappen will focus on the Nürburgring weekend, while Ford watches its preferred driver pilot a rival’s machine.