Max Verstappen's Nürburgring 24 Hours schedule clarified after missed parade

Max Verstappen is yet to arrive at the Nürburgring ahead of his first appearance in this weekend's Nürburgring 24 Hours, PlanetF1.com understands. The Red Bull F1 driver missed a ceremonial parade on Wednesday—not due to safety concerns over his popularity, as some reports claimed, but simply because he hasn't reached the area yet. He will also skip Thursday's pre-event press conference, with his name absent from the official list of attendees.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's foray into GT3 endurance racing marks a significant expansion of his motorsport repertoire. Sharing a Red Bull-branded Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Jules Gounon, Lucas Auer, and Daniel Juncadella, his participation draws massive attention to the event. His limited media availability underscores a focus on the race itself, without the usual PR circus.

The details:

• Arrival status: Verstappen and teammate Juncadella have not yet arrived at the circuit. The other two drivers, Gounon and Auer, are already present.
• Parade absence: Reports suggested Verstappen was told to skip the parade due to overcrowding fears. However, sources confirm he simply wasn't there yet.
• Press conference: Thursday's media session includes Maro Engel, Christopher Haase, Kelvin van der Linde, Thomas Preining, and ex-F1 driver Timo Glock. Verstappen is not scheduled.
• Media policy: Verstappen is expected to give no interviews beyond mandatory post-qualifying and post-race press conferences—only if he finishes in the top three.
• Race schedule: Qualifying 1 and 2 are on Thursday. The 24-hour race starts Saturday at 15:00 local time.

What's next:

The on-track action begins Thursday with qualifying. If Verstappen and his team perform well, fans might catch his thoughts after the race. Otherwise, his Nürburgring weekend will be purely about driving—a rare chance to see him compete away from F1's spotlight.