F1 Today | Verstappen takes on 24h Nurburgring as Antonelli follows footsteps

The 24h Nurburgring weekend will officially get underway on Thursday, 14 May, with the opening qualifying sessions taking place at the legendary Nordschleife. Qualifying 1 is scheduled from 13:15 to 15:15 local time, before teams and drivers return to the track later in the evening for Qualifying 2 between 20:00 and 23:30. Friday’s programme will then feature an even busier schedule, beginning with Top Qualifying 1 from 08:50 to 09:25 and Top Qualifying 2 from 09:45 to 10:20. Qualifying 3 is set for 10:35 to 11:50, while the final Top Qualifying session will run from 13:35 to 14:35 local time.

Saturday’s action will start with the traditional warm-up session from 10:00 to 11:00 local time, giving teams one final opportunity to fine-tune their cars ahead of the race. The starting grid procedures are then scheduled between 12:45 and 14:10, before the formation lap begins at 14:40.

The 2026 edition of the 24h Nurburgring will officially get underway at 15:00 local time on Saturday afternoon, with drivers facing one of the toughest endurance challenges in world motorsport around the iconic Green Hell. The race will then conclude exactly 24 hours later, with the chequered flag set to fall at 15:00 local time on Sunday, 17 May.

Kimi Antonelli’s ambitions extend far beyond Formula 1, with the Mercedes youngster also targeting the prestigious A Permit. The youngster has a connection to GT racing through his father, who was also a driver and a team owner.

The Italian has rapidly established himself as one of the standout names of the 2026 season after a sensational opening phase of the championship. Antonelli has claimed three consecutive pole positions and victories, results that propelled him to the top of the standings and made him the youngest championship leader in Formula 1 history. His latest success in Miami also allowed him to further increase the gap to his team-mate, strengthening his position at the head of the title race.

Antonelli has already shown interest in exploring other forms of motorsport in the future, particularly endurance and GT racing. Answering a question from Verstappen's 24h Nurburgring teammate, Jules Gounon, the Italian admitted he hopes to begin that process before the end of the year.