Max Verstappen Earns Praise from Nurburgring Rival Timo Glock: 'We Must Thank Him'

Max Verstappen’s first appearance at the Nurburgring 24 Hours has already made history, with weekend tickets selling out for the first time. Former F1 driver and current Nurburgring entrant Timo Glock credits the four-time world champion for reigniting interest in German motorsport, calling him a ‘figurehead’ and saying ‘we must thank him’.

Why it matters:

Verstappen’s rare foray outside Formula 1 underscores his immense star power and ability to draw crowds to grassroots events. It also shines a light on the health of German motorsport, which has been largely overlooked since the country lost its F1 race after 2020.

The details:

• Verstappen will race the Nordschleife for the first time this weekend, with the event starting at 15:00 local time on Saturday.
• Weekend tickets sold out for the first time in the event’s history, a surge widely attributed to Verstappen’s participation.
• Glock, a three-time F1 podium finisher, praised Verstappen’s impact: “The Nordschleife would not have been named so often in recent weeks and months if he were not here. We do have to thank him 100 times over.”
• Glock also emphasized that German motorsport is very much alive, contrary to the perception that it is dying, and hopes Verstappen’s presence changes that narrative.

The big picture:

• Verstappen’s involvement highlights a trend of top F1 drivers occasionally returning to historic events, despite a crowded calendar. His commitment could inspire other elite drivers to follow suit, boosting the profile of non-F1 racing.
• The sellout also signals strong fan appetite for seeing F1 stars in different disciplines, potentially encouraging more cross-series collaborations in the future.