Verstappen reveals close-call chaos after Porsche clash scare at Nürburgring 24H

The Dutch driver completed an impressive double stint, during which he reclaimed the lead for his team and stretched the advantage to 33 seconds. Reflecting on his performance, Verstappen said he was pleased with the run, while also noting he was fortunate to avoid a potential incident involving two Porsche cars ahead of him.

“Yeah, it was good. Back in the daylight, trying to keep it safe while still maintaining a decent pace. It felt good. The car was working well, so just trying to stay out of trouble, which on the final lap was very close. In front of me, two cars touched, but luckily it was safe,” Verstappen said to the media following his stint.

Verstappen also explained his growing appreciation for GT3 machinery following his outing. The four-time Formula 1 world champion highlighted the appeal of endurance racing, the shared-team dynamic, and the challenge of the circuit itself.

Before the technical issue struck his team, Verstappen also addressed the possibility of returning to the Nürburgring 24 Hours in the future. The Red Bull Racing driver suggested he would be open to it, though his schedule would ultimately be the deciding factor.

“Of course, I mean, I will for sure try. It always depends a bit on my schedule. Let's first enjoy now," the Red Bull Racing driver concluded.

After the right rear shaft problem, which the #3 Mercedes car suffered with Dani Juncadella at the wheel, Stefan Wendl, Head of Customer Racing at Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, diagnosed the issue which the team encountered with the #3 car.

Explaining the incident, Wendl outlined when the team first detected the problem and how their attempts to manage it quickly escalated into a more serious failure. The Mercedes chief went on to detail the extent of the damage discovered once the car was brought back to the garage, confirming issues around the drivetrain that would require significant repair work. Despite the setback, he stressed the team’s determination to get the car back out on track in the closing hours of the race.

Earlier, Lucas Auer shared his thoughts after completing a double morning stint for Verstappen Racing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

The Austrian driver, who took over from Jules Gounon shortly after sunrise, delivered two clean stints to keep the team firmly in control at the front. Auer maintained a lead of around five seconds before handing the car over to Verstappen. The 31-year-old reflected positively on his time behind the wheel at the demanding Nordschleife.

Speaking to the media after stepping out of the car, Auer praised the consistency of his run, while stressing his focus on staying out of trouble in tricky conditions, with the weather still a key factor.

“So the second double stint for me was actually quite clean, quite good. I tried to keep it safe, but overall it was all good, and the track is also in good condition. So let's see what the weather does now,” he said.