Mercedes pour cold water on Antonelli Nurburgring hopes: 'I've spoken to him'

With the Nordschleife weekend having only just come to an end, endurance racing has become one of the hottest topics in motorsport. Max Verstappen was among the standout stars throughout the Nürburgring 24 Hours before a technical issue cruelly ended his hopes of victory late in the race. Interest in endurance racing is now at an all-time high, with several drivers already expressing their desire to compete outside of Formula 1 as well.

Among them is also the current Formula 1 championship leader, who closely followed Verstappen’s adventures at the Green Hell and revealed that he too wants to follow in the Dutchman’s footsteps by obtaining the permit required to race at the Nordschleife before the end of the year. The A Permit is the top-level licence needed to race on the Nordschleife and is required for drivers aiming to compete in the fastest categories, including GT3 cars in SP9. Without it, drivers are not allowed to take part in major endurance events such as the Nürburgring 24 Hours or races forming part of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie calendar.

“I’m going to get it… I’ll try by the end of the year,” Antonelli revealed while speaking with Jules Gounon, one of Verstappen Racing’s drivers and another key protagonist during last weekend’s Nürburgring 24 Hours.

When asked by Nitro whether Mercedes would give Antonelli the green light to pursue a DMSB Nordschleife Permit this year, Bradley Lord immediately played down the possibility, revealing that he had already discussed the topic directly with the young Italian and suggesting the comments were not entirely serious: “I’ve spoken to him about it. I think he meant it more as a joke.”

He then joked that Antonelli could perhaps think about tackling the Nordschleife after winning four world titles, while also pointing out that Verstappen enjoys far greater freedom thanks to the experience he has built up over the years: “Perhaps has a bit more range thanks to his experience.”

George Russell may have entered the 2026 season as one of the leading title favourites after a superb 2025 campaign, but Bernie Ecclestone is backing two different names in the fight for the world championship. The former Formula 1 boss believes the battle for the crown will come down to Antonelli and Max Verstappen, overlooking Russell despite the Mercedes driver achieving the best points tally of his career last year without having the fastest car on the grid.

“Antonelli or Verstappen will be world champion. Red Bull has apparently overcome the slump. Max has caught fire again – and then he’s dangerous,” he told Swiss publication Blick.

Ecclestone also pointed to the progress made by Red Bull in recent races, particularly after the major upgrade package introduced in Miami. Although Verstappen’s race in Florida was compromised by an early spin, the Dutchman still showed strong pace throughout the weekend, suggesting the reigning champions may finally have found their way back into contention. With Red Bull seemingly recovering from its difficult start to the season, Ecclestone sees Verstappen as a serious championship contender once again alongside the rapidly rising Antonelli.