From F1 dream to GT success: Why Verstappen's Nürburgring teammate changed course

For insiders in GT racing, Daniel Juncadella has been a familiar name for years. After joining Verstappen Racing and competing alongside Verstappen at the Nürburgring, however, the Spaniard (35) has suddenly become more widely-known to the public.

Many probably don’t know that Juncadella became Formula 3 champion early in his career and seemed to be on the road to Formula 1. The emphasis here is on ‘seemed’, because he stopped with single-seaters quite early. “In 2012, when I was Formula 3 champion, I got the chance to step up to GP2, now Formula 2,” Juncadella explains in an exclusive conversation with GPblog.

Looking back, that proved to be a tough learning curve for Juncadella. “I went through three, four, or five difficult years in DTM, where I really struggled to understand the political games behind some of the decisions within the brand and the championship. I always had to support the team leader, the one who had the best results at the start of the season.”

“We always tried to help him win the championship, and that put an end to my Formula 1 ambitions. From that moment on, I simply let go of Formula 1 and fully focused on a professional career in endurance racing. Because since I stepped into endurance racing, I’ve found something I truly enjoy,” Verstappen’s teammate explained.

Many drivers combine endurance racing with a career in Formula E, allowing them to remain active in single-seaters. “I did a few tests in Formula E, but I never really enjoyed it,” Juncadella added. “There was just something that didn’t quite sit right with me, and I never really felt a passion for it.”