Team Verstappen Advances at Nürburgring 24 Hours Qualifying After Dramatic Session

Max Verstappen's Team Verstappen entry cleared its first major hurdle at the Nürburgring 24 Hours on Friday morning, advancing past Top Qualifying 1. The #33 Audi, driven by Lucas Auer, finished inside the top five in a session marked by incidents and high pressure.

Why it matters

For a team led by a reigning Formula 1 world champion, success in endurance racing is a statement of versatility and ambition. This year's Nürburgring 24 Hours features a stacked field, and making the cut in qualifying is a crucial step toward a strong race result. Team Verstappen is building credibility in the GT racing scene, and every session matters.

The details

• The session required teams to finish in the top 20 to progress to Top Qualifying 2. Auer completed the first half-hour stint for Team Verstappen.
• Early drama: Michele Di Martino crashed his #33 car on cold tires on the GP circuit, suffering significant damage. He exited safely, but the incident triggered double yellow flags.
• Kelvin van der Linde, last year's winner in the #1 BMW, also spun during the session, highlighting tricky conditions.
• Auer's first flying lap was an 8:38.6, initially not enough for a top-10 position. He needed to improve and found pace on subsequent laps to climb into the top five.

What's next

Team Verstappen will now participate in Top Qualifying 2, which determines the final grid order for the 24-hour race. With momentum from a strong recovery, the team will look to secure a favorable starting position. The full field remains competitive, but Verstappen's squad has shown it can handle pressure.