Max Verstappen Advances to Nürburgring 24 Hours Pole Shootout

Max Verstappen produced a strong lap in Top Qualifying 2 to progress to the final pole shootout at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, overcoming a Code 60 caused by a crash from his Winward Racing teammate Maro Engel. The Red Bull driver set an 8:14.4 lap, good for a spot in the top 12, despite the yellow flag interruption.

Why it matters:

The Nürburgring 24 Hours is one of the most demanding endurance races in the world, and Verstappen’s participation adds star power and cross-discipline attention. Advancing to the pole shootout against full-time GT specialists highlights his adaptability and raw pace outside Formula 1.

The details:

• Verstappen’s TQ2 session began smoothly until Engel’s crash at a high-speed section forced a Code 60. Fortunately, Verstappen had already cleared the area, so his lap remained valid.
• After the restart, Nick Yelloly posted the fastest lap, pushing Verstappen to sixth — still comfortably within the top 12.
• Earlier, teammate Lucas Auer went fifth in TQ1, setting up a strong team effort. The sister Winward car, however, faces a major setback after Engel’s crash.
• Verstappen’s 8:14.4 lap was competitive, though track evolution and rubber pickup could shift the order in the final shootout.

What's next:

The pole position fight (TQ3) will decide the starting grid for the 24-hour classic. With Verstappen in contention, all eyes will be on his ability to extract maximum performance from the Mercedes-AMG GT3. A front-row start would position him and his teammates for a strong race.