Red Bull warn grid: This will only make Verstappen stronger

Verstappen didn’t have to persuade anyone within the team to let him take part in the endurance race on the Nordschleife. "He doesn’t really need to convince us of that," Mekies told, among others, GPblog when asked about Verstappen’s plans to compete in the famous endurance race.

According to the Frenchman, Verstappen’s enthusiasm is immediately evident as soon as the conversation turns to racing. "You only need to talk to Max for a few minutes and you see his face light up when he talks about racing. He doesn’t care what kind of car it is," Mekies continues. "It’s great to see."

The Red Bull team boss emphasizes that Verstappen has already shown in recent years that he also enjoys being behind the wheel outside of Formula 1.

"We saw it last year as well. He did it several times between races. You’d think it would cost energy, but he actually comes back to the circuit with more energy," Mekies adds. "

Later this year, Verstappen will take part in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, one of the toughest endurance races in the world on the Nordschleife. The Dutchman will drive a Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the event’s top GT3 class. The race takes place in May, between the F1 races in Miami and Canada.

Verstappen will also compete in NLS2 as preparation for the 24 Hours. That race has been rescheduled especially for the four-time world champion so he can fly back between the races in China and Japan to take part.

Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.