Verstappen Prepares for Tricky Weather at Nürburgring 24h Opening Day

Max Verstappen and his teammates begin their long journey through the 24 Hours of Nürburgring this Thursday, with qualifying sessions set to test their adaptability under changeable skies. The four-time F1 world champion is making his highly anticipated endurance debut at the Nordschleife, sharing the Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's presence elevates the Nürburgring 24 Hours beyond a typical GT3 event. His pursuit of an A Permit and experience in endurance racing signals a potential future shift in priorities, while his raw pace could threaten the established order in one of motorsport's most grueling events.

The details:

• Thursday opens with Qualifying 1 at 12:55 local time, followed by night qualifying. Forecasts call for cloudy skies, scattered showers (30% rain chance) and temperatures peaking at 8°C, dropping to 2°C overnight.
• Friday’s running will determine the Top Qualifying shootout line-up. Mixed conditions expected with heavy cloud cover, 25% rain chance and highs around 10°C.
• Saturday should stabilise slightly with cloudy skies, 20% rain chance and 11°C, though overnight rain probability rises to 25%.
• Sunday offers the most favourable outlook: partial sunshine, 12°C and only a 20% chance of rain as the race concludes.

What's next:

• Markus Winkelhock, a four-time Nürburgring 24 Hours winner, believes Verstappen has realistic chances for victory if the Balance of Performance suits the Mercedes package. He noted that Mercedes, Audi and Porsche have consistently been the strongest manufacturers around the Nordschleife.
• With a strong driver line-up and Mercedes' proven reliability, Verstappen could fight at the front — but the weather will be an early challenge as the team navigates a full day of mixed conditions before the main race begins.