Verstappen's GT teammate Juncadella urges caution over Nürburgring 24h victory hopes

Max Verstappen's GT endurance teammate Daniel Juncadella prefers to keep expectations in check heading into this weekend's Nürburgring 24 Hours, even with a top-tier driver lineup and a proven Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Why it matters:

Verstappen, the four-time Formula 1 world champion, is making his 24-hour endurance debut at the Nordschleife—a vastly different challenge from his usual Grand Prix weekends. Juncadella's caution highlights the unpredictable nature of the race, where even the strongest combinations can fall victim to luck or the track's infamous hazards.

The details:

• Veteran perspective: Juncadella, an eight-time Nürburgring 24 Hours starter and winner of the Spa 24 Hours (2022) and Daytona 24 Hours (2023), knows the circuit intimately. His best Nürburgring result is third (2021).
• Lottery analogy: "We all want to win and Max is an extremely competitive character, but you have to be very open-minded. I always say Nürburgring chooses its winner because there’s so much luck involved in many scenarios," Juncadella told Sportscar365.
• Strong lineup: Verstappen shares the Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Lucas Auer—all factory-caliber drivers. The team raced together in NLS2 (a qualifying race) but was later disqualified.
• Winkelhock's counterpoint: Four-time Nürburgring 24 Hours winner Markus Winkelhock believes Verstappen has "good chances" if the Balance of Performance favors Mercedes, emphasizing Mercedes’ historic strength around the Nordschleife alongside Audi and Porsche.

What's next:

The race unfolds on the 25.378 km Nordschleife across 24 hours this weekend. While Juncadella tempers expectations, the combination of a competitive car and Verstappen's raw pace suggests a podium fight is realistic—but the "Green Hell" often writes its own script.