Max Verstappen's first attempt at 24-hour endurance racing ended prematurely on Sunday at the Nürburgring due to a mechanical fault. The four-time Formula One world champion was leading the race by more than half a minute when his Mercedes AMG GT3 suffered a problem affecting the rear-right of the car.
Verstappen shared the driving duties with experienced sportscar racers Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon and Dani Juncadella. Juncadella had just taken over from Verstappen when the issue forced him to slow down and lose the lead before pulling into the pit lane. The car had not returned from the garage after an hour.
The Nürburgring race was a bucket list project for Verstappen, who is a keen racing fan. It came a week before F1 returns at the Canadian Grand Prix. Verstappen has questioned his future in F1 this year due to unhappiness with the 2026 cars' reliance on electrical power, though F1 has agreed to make engine changes for 2027 after widespread criticism.
Verstappen made an immediate impact in his first stint on Saturday evening, going from 10th to the lead with a series of overtakes. He narrowly missed the barrier after losing grip over a bump and ran wide onto the grass. He was later in a close battle for the overnight lead.
Verstappen had prepared for the race with shorter events at the Nürburgring in recent months, adding to years of virtual experience from online simulators. The challenge was unlike anything in F1, with 161 cars on a 15.8-mile circuit, requiring him to weave past slower cars and deal with constantly changing weather conditions. It was also his first real test of night-time endurance racing without floodlights.
