Max Verstappen insists he will try and return to the Nurburgring next year after agonisingly missing out on a debut 24-hour endurance race victory over the weekend due to a mechanical problem.
Verstappen’s team, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3, were leading the race by about 30 seconds with three hours and 20 minutes remaining, when a driveshaft issue scuppered their chances.
The team, which also featured Jules Gounon, Dani Juncadella and Lucas Auer, could only complete one more lap, such was the time required to fix the issue. The Mercedes of Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and Maxime Martin ultimately claimed the victory.
A record-breaking total of 352,000 spectators attended the race, such was the interest in four-time F1 world champion Verstappen and despite his rotten late luck, the Dutchman admitted he enjoyed the “super challenging” conditions at the infamous “Green Hell” circuit in Germany.
“I like the competition and the endurance style racing where you share with team-mates,” said Verstappen.
“The 24-Hour race here… the track is super challenging, so the whole combination [I enjoy].
“My stint was good. Back in the daylight, I was trying to keep it safe while, of course, maintaining a decent pace. The car was working well and I just tried to stay out of trouble.”
Questioned on whether he would return for another crack in 2027, the 28-year-old replied: “I will for sure try. It always depends a bit on my schedule.”
The 24-hour sportscar race was one of Verstappen’s biggest ambitions in 2026. He gained the requisite A-licence last year in order to race at the devilish 20.832 km circuit, even undertaking a theoretical exam.
While contracted to Red Bull in Formula 1 until the end of the 2028 season, Verstappen has repeatedly voiced his dissatisfaction with the sport’s new set of regulations this year and has even mooted quitting the sport at the end of the season.
That being said, the last race in Miami saw an improvement in performance and he will next be in action this weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix.