Multiple Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship winner Max Verstappen will take on a new challenge the year when he takes on the Nurburgring 24 Hours.
The Red Bull pilot has dabbled in GT racing as a team owner, but will get the opportunity to compete under his own Verstappen Racing banner in a Mercedes-AMG on May 16-17.
Verstappen has already sampled ‘The Green Hell’ last year when he tested one his team’s Ferrari 296 GT3s entries under the pseudonym Franz Hermann and impressed with his immediate speed at the venue.
The next step was for Verstappen to gain a GT3 licence and he raced a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS R to gain the permit before going on to win the ninth round of the NLS (Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie).
Mercedes factory drivers Dani Juncadella, Lucas Auer and multiple Bathurst 12 Hour winner Jules Gounon will make up a star line-up.
“The Nürburgring is a special place,” Verstappen said.
“There’s no other track like it. The 24h Nürburgring is a race that’s been on my bucket list for a long time, so I’m really thrilled we can make it happen now.
“Last year, I was able to get my DMSB Permit Nordschleife and participate in NLS9, that we won. That preparation is very valuable, as we have learned a lot that we can take into our program this year with NLS2 and the 24-hour race.
“We’ve got a strong line-up with Dani, Jules and Lucas and great support from Red Bull and Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. Now it’s about putting in the right preparations before the events, so we can maximize everything in the races.”