Max Verstappen's Nurburgring Debut Ends In Heartbreak
Four-time Formula One World Champion Max Verstappen's long-awaited Nurburgring 24 Hours debut ended in heartbreak after a mechanical failure denied the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing crew victory with less than four hours remaining.
Four-time Formula One World Champion Max Verstappen's long-awaited Nurburgring 24 Hours debut ended in heartbreak after a mechanical failure denied the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing crew victory with less than four hours remaining.
Held at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany - famously nicknamed 'The Green Hell' - the Nurburgring 24 Hours is regarded as one of the biggest endurance races in world motorsport. Known for its unpredictable weather, night racing and constant traffic across multiple classes of cars, the race featured 161 teams and more than 450 drivers this year.
Taking time out between Formula One commitments, Verstappen stepped into a completely new challenge in his first-ever 24-hour endurance race. Sharing the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with teammates Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer, Verstappen competed in the top-tier SP9 category featuring highly-modified GT3 machinery.
Verstappen Helps Put #3 Crew in Control
The #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing car qualified fourth and remained firmly in contention through the opening stages of the race.
Verstappen took over the car after the first hour and quickly established himself at the front, making decisive overtakes as the lead changed hands through pit stop cycles and changing weather conditions.
The overnight stages proved crucial in shaping the race. Around 1:30am local time, Verstappen overtook Maro Engel for the lead, helping the #3 crew begin building an advantage over the rest of the field during a demanding double stint.
Through the night and into the morning, Verstappen, Juncadella, Gounon and Auer continued to extend their lead. With just over three hours remaining, the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing car appeared firmly on course for victory.
Mechanical Failure Ends Victory Hopes
However, the race took a dramatic turn when Juncadella began reporting severe vibrations in the car during the final hours of the race.
What initially appeared to be an ABS-related issue was later diagnosed as a driveshaft failure, forcing the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing car into lengthy repairs and ending its hopes of victory.
"We had a good start, great stints, the decision for rain tyres at the right moment. We had a two-minute lead over everyone else," said Juncadella.
"The competition, endurance-style racing with team-mates... a 24-hour race, especially here, is super challenging."
Despite the setback, the repaired #3 car returned to the track near the end of the race, with Juncadella completing the final lap to acknowledge fans who had packed the Nurburgring across a sold-out weekend driven by Verstappen's much-anticipated participation.
The Mercedes-AMG crew of Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and Maxime Martin eventually claimed overall victory.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)
Max Verstappen