Red Bull star Max Verstappen continues to dominate motorsport headlines even during the F1 season break. The Dutch driver competed in the iconic Nurburgring 24 Hours endurance race at the weekend, marking his first appearance at the event. Racing under the Verstappen Racing banner, he was expected to perform well alongside teammates Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon, and Daniel Juncadella.
The 28-year-old helped steer the team's Mercedes-AMG GT3 into the lead with just a few hours remaining. However, Verstappen was left heartbroken after mechanical issues ended their hopes of securing a famous victory. Daniel Juncadella was forced into the pit lane just two laps after taking over from Verstappen. The team were comfortably in the lead when a puncture was detected, combined with an ABS issue. It subsequently emerged that the car had suffered a driveshaft failure, which left the team out of action for a lengthy period. Verstappen Racing returned to the track for the final lap, but Verstappen was cruelly denied a win on his Nurburgring 24h debut.
Verstappen's Reaction and Future Plans
"Very unfortunate and frustrating ending, but these things can happen," Verstappen said. "I still really enjoyed the experience together with Jules, Luggi and Dani. Thanks to the team and everyone around the track for your support." Verstappen will now return to his F1 duties as Red Bull prepare for the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend. However, he refused to rule out returning to Nurburgring in the future. When asked if he planned to compete again next year, Verstappen replied: "I will of course try, it always depends a bit on my schedule, but let's first enjoy now."
Former F1 Driver Timo Glock Stripped of Licence
Former F1 star Timo Glock was another recognisable name competing at Nurburgring, but his race was cut short after being stripped of his licence. The 44-year-old, who previously competed for Jordan, Toyota, Virgin, and Marussia on the F1 grid, was driving Dorr Motorsport's McLaren 720S. He was penalised for racing at 12kph through a 60kph slow zone. These areas signal an accident or blockage, meaning recovery vehicles could also be on the track. Glock was given two penalty points but had already received the same punishment at a previous event for failing to spend the minimum time in the pit lane, resulting in the removal of his Nordschleife license. His team was handed an 82-second penalty but were able to continue without Glock, whose sanction was confirmed by stewards: "Immediate disqualification of the driver T. Glock for this event and a general withdrawal of the DPN license." The stewards' report added: "The Stewards examined all evidence and heard from the competitors representative. After they determined that the driver T. Glock received two penalty points during this event – previously he did receive two penalty points at the 24h qualifiers – the stewards imposed the above penalty."
Meanwhile, Verstappen was not the only F1 icon to suffer disappointment at Nurburgring. Here, Mirror Sport looks at some of the biggest stories in motorsport.
