Max Verstappen is set to make his maiden appearance in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, teaming up with three drivers under the Winward Racing banner at the iconic Nordschleife circuit. GPblog readers have also shared their verdict on whether the F1 world champion can win the legendary endurance event. After attracting huge attention with his outings at the Green Hell over the past year, Verstappen now takes centre stage once again, joining Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer for the 24-hour challenge. The quartet have already made a strong start to their campaign, delivering a promising qualifying performance.
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Verstappen Racing entry secured fourth on the grid in endurance qualifying, with Luca Engstler’s #84 Red Bull Team ABT Lamborghini taking pole position. Despite starting from the second row, Verstappen and his team have still been widely tipped as contenders for victory.
Verstappen backed to win the 24h of Nurburgring
In a GPblog poll, readers were overwhelmingly confident in the Dutchman’s chances, with 91% backing the four-time F1 champion to win on his Nürburgring debut. The remaining 9% expressed scepticism over whether victory is realistic.
Verstappen’s previous appearances at the Nordschleife have already delivered plenty of drama. Since obtaining his permit, he has taken part in competitive outings, experienced disqualification, been involved in unusual incidents, and raced in challenging wet conditions ahead of this weekend’s 24-hour showdown.
Some readers also shared their views in the comments section:
“Never in modern history has there been so much attention on the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Wondering why there are so many watching now. Tu tu tu tu Max Verstappen!”
“This is further confirmation of his greatness. He has only recently started driving sports cars and is already setting competitive, even benchmark times. Sportscars are very different from F1, but Max’s talent translates immediately.”