Verstappen reveals desire to race 24 Hours of Spa, as ex-designer backs his 2026 regs criticism

Max Verstappen has admitted he was eager to compete in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps this year, but a scheduling conflict with the Austrian Grand Prix made it impossible. The four-time world champion, who recently raced in the Nürburgring Qualifiers during the April break, wants to expand his racing activities beyond Formula 1, yet the packed F1 calendar often prevents it.

Meanwhile, former F1 designer Gary Anderson has backed Verstappen's ongoing criticism of the 2026 regulations, arguing that recent tweaks have not resolved the underlying issues that drivers have been complaining about since the start of the season.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's openness to endurance racing shows his hunger for competition beyond F1, while Anderson's expert backing adds weight to growing concerns that the 2026 technical rules could still compromise racing quality and fan engagement. These two storylines converge around the same driver, highlighting both his versatility and his influence on key sport debates.

The details:

• Spa ambition: Verstappen told GPblog in Miami that he would have raced the 24 Hours of Spa this year if there was a free weekend. The event clashes with the Austrian GP at the end of June, round 10 of the F1 season.
• Nürburgring experience: During the April break, he drove a Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the Nürburgring Qualifiers, a precursor to the 24h Nürburgring. The weekend was marred by the death of 66-year-old Juha Miettinen, and Verstappen lost a potential win due to technical issues.
• Anderson's assessment: The ex-F1 designer questioned whether the latest rule changes truly fixed the problems. He noted that drivers still have to use lift-and-coast techniques on straights to recharge batteries for qualifying laps, and the risk of dangerous closing speeds has only been temporarily reduced, not eliminated.
• Fan experience concern: Anderson argued that the growing complexity of energy management makes F1 harder for fans to follow, with races potentially becoming more about background strategy than driver skill.

What's next:

While the Spa clash remains, Verstappen may still appear in other endurance events later in the season if gaps appear in the calendar. As for the 2026 regulations, the FIA may face renewed pressure to make further adjustments, especially if more drivers and engineers echo Anderson's views. The debate over the sport's direction is far from over.