Max Verstappen's Team Starts Fourth at Nürburgring 24 Hours After Top Qualifying 3

Team Verstappen will start the Nürburgring 24 Hours from fourth on the grid after Dani Juncadella took the wheel for Top Qualifying 3. Max Verstappen had earlier guided the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 into the session, setting up a shot at the front row. But Juncadella ended the 20-minute shootout eight-tenths off the pace set by the #84 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, which took pole position.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's first full 24-hour race debut is drawing major attention, and a top-five start puts the team in contention for a podium finish. The Nürburgring endurance classic demands consistency over speed, so grid position is only a small piece of the puzzle.

The details:

• Pole position: #84 Red Bull Team ABT (Lamborghini) with Engstler, Bortolotti, Niederhauser.
• Second: #130 Red Bull Team ABT (Lamborghini) – Mapelli, Catsburg, Yelloly.
• Third: #16 ROWE Racing (BMW M4 GT3 EVO) – Haase, Sims, Green.
• Fourth: #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing – Verstappen, Juncadella, Gounon, Auer.
• The top 12 cars were separated by less than a second in TQ3, underscoring the tight competition in SP9 class.
• Other notable entries: #45 Ferrari 296 GT3 (5th), #911 Manthey Porsche (8th), #1 ROWE BMW (9th).

What's next:

The Nürburgring 24 Hours is set to get underway later today, with the full 24-hour race scheduled to start in the afternoon. Team Verstappen will aim to climb through the field and challenge for a top result, but reliability and pit strategy will be critical over the long distance.