Max Verstappen fans could see the Red Bull star competing in a racing championship other than F1 this season. There has been a consistent push for the Dutchman to compete in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, and recent reports suggest Red Bull’s leading man could be one step closer to an endurance race this season.
What changed?
Nurburgring 24 Hours Update Could See Max Verstappen in Endurance Racing This Season
Schedule clashes have been the major obstacle preventing Verstappen from participating in the famous Nurburgring 24 Hours this season. Organisers have been hard at work, trying to schedule an NLS race for him to compete in to be eligible for the 24 Hours, set for May 16-17.
The major hurdle has been that every NLS event before the Nurburgring 24 Hours falls on an F1 Grand Prix weekend.
The endurance race’s governing body first tried moving NLS1, which would clash with the Chinese Grand Prix on March 14. But it turned out the alteration wouldn’t work.
Another solution, however, was to move NLS2 to March 21, meaning it wouldn’t fall on the weekend of the Japanese Grand Prix (March 28). The rescheduling of the Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring event opened the door for NLS2 to be moved.
“The start of the 2026 season of the Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring (RCN) will be slightly delayed,” the organisers said. “The first RCN event will now take place on Saturday, 28 March 2026, following a change of date. The RCN responded to the wishes of the ADAC Ravenol Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) and the ADAC, which had revised their season schedule at short notice.”
The developments are a step in the right direction for Verstappen to make it to the Nurburgring 24 Hours.
As for his participation in the NLS2 event, he’ll be partnering with Winward Racing’s No. 4 driver, Lucas Auer, in the Mercedes-AMG, as Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon will be in Qatar for the WEC Prologue.
Although the recent developments don’t guarantee Verstappen driving in endurance racing this season, it’s certainly trending in that direction. Governing bodies are evidently doing everything possible to get the biggest drawing card in motorsport to compete in their series, and understandably so.
The Dutchman is a four-time F1 World Champion, renowned as one of the most talented drivers of his generation.
On the other hand, he might be new to endurance racing, but he had already fired a warning shot to the competition in 2025. Driving a Ferrari 296 GT3 for Emil Frey Racing in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Verstappen won the four-hour GT3 race.
Fans will be eagerly anticipating the F1 star’s endurance exploits this season.
