Max Verstappen's biggest rivals at the Nürburgring 24 Hours

Max Verstappen heads to the Nürburgring 24 Hours this weekend looking to add a second Nordschleife victory to his name, but the SP9 class is stacked with 40 other entries, many of which boast proven endurance pedigree.

Why it matters:

After winning his GT3 debut in the Nürburgring 24 Hours qualifiers and then a second race that was later disqualified, Verstappen returns with a strong team—Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Lucas Auer. But navigating a full 24-hour race requires reliability and strategy, and the competition is fierce. This weekend tests whether the four-time F1 champion can transfer his raw speed into endurance glory against some of the world's best GT drivers.

The details:

• #16 Scherer Sport PHX: Christopher Haase has been a frequent sparring partner for Verstappen in previous Nordschleife battles. His teammates include Alexander Sims (2020 Nürburgring 24H winner, two-time IMSA class champion) and Ben Green (2022 SP10 class winner at the 24H and multiple NLS class victor).
• #1 ROWE RACING: The reigning champions (#1) won in 2025 despite starting from 17th, finishing over a minute ahead of pole. Drivers Augusto Farfus (two-time Nürburgring 24H winner), Raffaele Marciello (ex-F3 champion), Jordan Pepper, and Kelvin van der Linde (three-time winner) make them heavy favorites.
• #99 ROWE RACING: The sister car features Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor, Dan Harper (fresh off a class win at Imola), and Max Hesse. Harper and Hesse took a surprise pole at the Nordschleife two years ago.
• #84 Red Bull Team ABT: Finished second in the qualifiers with Luca Engstler, Mirko Bortolotti, and Patric Niederhauser. Strong consistent pace.
• #130 Red Bull Team ABT: Headlined by Nicky Catsburg (two-time Nürburgring 24H winner in 2020 and 2023) and Nick Yelloly (2023 winner, plus LMP2 class win at Le Mans). A formidable duo.
• #911 Manthey Racing: Runner-up in 2025 after taking pole. Drivers Kevin Estre (2024 WEC Hypercar champion), Ayhancan Güven (2025 DTM champion), and Thomas Preining (2023 DTM champion) aim to end Porsche's five-year win drought at the Nordschleife.

What's next:

Qualifying and the race unfold this weekend. With so many elite entries in SP9, Verstappen's path to victory is far from guaranteed—but his raw speed and experience in the car make him a serious contender. Expect tight battles between the Red Bull-backed ABT cars, ROWE's defending champions, and the ever-dangerous Manthey Porsche.