Verstappen teammate Juncadella reacts after crucial Nürburgring qualifying result

Max Verstappen’s teammate Dani Juncadella secured fourth place in qualifying for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, calling it a positive result that sets up a strong starting position for the endurance classic. The Spaniard posted a fastest lap of 8:12.005 in Top Qualifying 3, finishing just over eight-tenths off pole position.

Why it matters:

While not an F1 round, the Nürburgring 24h draws top drivers like Verstappen, and Juncadella’s performance highlights the growing crossover between Formula 1 and GT endurance racing. A strong starting spot is critical for the team’s overall race strategy and adds to Verstappen’s weekend involvement beyond his primary Red Bull duties.

The details:

• Juncadella took the wheel of the Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the final qualifying shootout after Lucas Auer and Verstappen guided the team through earlier sessions.
• The session started slippery from rain but dried for the final lap, allowing Juncadella to improve from ninth to provisional second, before dropping to fourth as others completed their runs.
• Pole position went to Luca Engstler in the #84 Red Bull Team ABT Lamborghini. The #130 Red Bull Lamborghini of Marco Mapelli was initially fastest in TQ1.
• Verstappen earlier secured sixth in Top Qualifying 2, comfortably advancing the car into the final round. He said he felt comfortable in wet conditions on Thursday night.

What's next:

The 24h Nürburgring race will now unfold over a full day of racing. Starting fourth gives the Winward team a front-row position to fight for the overall win. Juncadella expressed confidence in the car’s competitiveness, noting the entire team executed well through each qualifying segment. The changing weather will remain a key variable, but the Mercedes-AMG GT3 has shown strong pace.