Max Verstappen Starts Fourth at Nürburgring 24 Hours

Max Verstappen will start the Nürburgring 24 Hours from fourth on the grid, driving the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entry. His teammate Dani Juncadella qualified the car just 0.8 seconds behind the pole-sitting #84 Red Bull Team ABT Lamborghini.

Why it matters:

Verstappen’s presence adds star power to the iconic endurance race on the Nordschleife. The four-time F1 champion has made no secret of his passion for GT racing, and a strong result here would further cement his versatility beyond single-seaters. It also draws a broader audience to the event, which traditionally attracts massive crowds.

The details:

• Pole position: The #84 Red Bull Team ABT Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, driven by Engstler, Bortolotti and Niederhauser, topped qualifying.
• Verstappen’s row: The #3 Mercedes shares the second row with the #16 Scherer Sport PHX BMW M4 GT3 EVO.
• Top five starters:
  • 1st: #84 Red Bull Team ABT (Lamborghini)
  • 2nd: #130 Red Bull Team ABT (Lamborghini)
  • 3rd: #16 Scherer Sport PHX (BMW)
  • 4th: #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing (Mercedes)
  • 5th: #45 REALIZE KONDO RACING (Ferrari)
• Notable entries: The #911 Manthey Porsche starts 8th, while the #1 ROWE Racing BMW lines up 9th. A total of 161 cars are entered across multiple classes.

What’s next:

The green flag waves at 15:00 local time. The 24-hour race around the 25.3 km Nordschleife is one of the most grueling events in motorsport, and Verstappen’s team will look to manage strategy and reliability over the full day. Fans can expect a tense battle among the SP9 class leaders, with weather and traffic playing major roles.