Nurburgring return ’definitely’ on for Verstappen

Max Verstappen may have lost victory at the Nurburgring 24 Hours to a driveshaft failure, but the Dutchman’s sensational outing has already transformed the event.

Verstappen and his Mercedes-AMG GT3 crew looked firmly on course for victory before mechanical failure struck late in the race.

But the four-time Formula 1 world champion made clear afterwards he intends to return.

"Of course, I’m definitely going to try," Verstappen said when asked about racing again next year.

"It always depends a bit on my schedule."

The weekend generated huge discussion throughout motorsport over Verstappen’s instantly aggressive GT3 style, with some observers wondering whether his relentless use of kerbs and overtaking intensity contributed to the failure.

Teammate Dani Juncadella rejected that suggestion.

"We were actually driving very carefully in the last few hours," he said.

And fellow teammate Lucas Auer, the nephew of F1 legend Gerhard Berger, insisted hard kerb usage is simply unavoidable at the Nordschleife.

"That’s how it’s done here," Auer said. "It’s about survival."

What is beyond dispute is the extraordinary Verstappen effect on the Nurburgring event itself. The race sold out completely for the first time ever, with 352,000 spectators attending across the weekend.

"Thanks to Max, there are now also many fans who normally only follow Formula 1," Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing boss Stefan Wendl told De Telegraaf.

"They see that this is a completely different form of motorsport, including exciting wheel-to-wheel battles.

"They may not be used to that," he added with a wink.

Wendl also revealed how quickly Verstappen adapted after switching from Ferrari GT machinery last year to Mercedes for 2026.

"It makes me, my team, and the whole brand proud that Max has chosen us for the coming years," he said.

"A lot of people are surprised that Max adapts so quickly in other cars. I’ve passed that surprise for a while," Wendl added. "I had never seen anything like this before, someone who adapts so quickly."

"It is already very special that a current Formula 1 driver goes through this program, just because he gets so much pleasure out of it and because racing is his passion."

Meanwhile, Mercedes appears determined not to let its other superstar prospect follow Verstappen’s Nurburgring path anytime soon.

When asked whether Kimi Antonelli could pursue a Nurburgring permit this year, Mercedes’ F1 deputy boss Bradley Lord gave a blunt answer.

"No," he told motorsport-total.com. "I spoke to him about it.

"I think he was joking. Perhaps he could give it a try once he’s won four championships. Max Verstappen has a bit more experience.

"Antonelli should focus entirely on Formula 1."