Ludo van Denderen is a motorsport journalist at GPblog, specializing in Formula 1 and international racing series.
A Red Bull livery on a Mercedes car? It sounds far-fetched, but a collaboration could be in the works — with Max Verstappen at the wheel.
If Verstappen decides to take part in the 2026 24 Hours of the Nürburgring, he could race for Winward Racing, according to The Race. The team confirmed last week that it will contest the iconic Nordschleife endurance classic this season, initially with a single Mercedes-AMG GT3.
However, should Verstappen choose to enter the race — something he would only consider under a key condition — a second Mercedes would be added to the line-up. That car would run in Red Bull colours, making it the first Mercedes to sport the livery of the Austrian F1 outfit’s long-time rival.
Max Verstappen - Photo: RacePictures
Star-studded line-up around Verstappen
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If the plan goes ahead, Verstappen would be joined by a trio of top-level drivers: Jules Gounon, Dani Juncadella, and Lucas Auer, the runner-up in the 2025 DTM championship. His protégé Chris Lulham would not be part of the crew.
It also emerged last week that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and the CEO of Mercedes-Benz personally submitted a request to the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) organisers to reschedule at least one preparatory race for the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring.
Such a move would allow Verstappen to take part and properly prepare for the gruelling endurance race in Germany’s Eifel region.
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