Max Verstappen keen on Nurburgring 24 Hours return after late-race heartbreak

Max Verstappen has stated his desire to return to the Nurbugring 24 Hours after watching victory slip from his grasp on Sunday morning. 

The #3 Winward Racing-run Mercedes-AMG GT3 led for much of the night and into the morning hours at the Nordschleife, before an ABS issue eventually caused Daniel Juncadella to pull into the pits, with the resulting vibrations causing damage to the driveshaft.

Speaking after stepping out of a two-hour double stint and moments before the problenms became evident, Verstappen was asked if he had been convinced to return in 2027. 

“Of course," he said. "I will for sure try. It depends a bit on my schedule, but let’s first enjoy now.” 

Assessing his final stint in the car, he added: “It was good. 

"Back in the daylight, just trying to keep it safe while, of course, still maintaining a decent pace, and it felt good. 

"The car was working well. On the final lap, it was very close with two cars in front of me, but we luckily were safe there.”

The incident in question saw Verstappen narrowly avoid collecting a pair of battling Porsches, with one of the cars sent spearing into the barriers. 

Asked what he liked most about the Nurburgring 24 Hours compared to other cars he drives, the four-time F1 champion said: "I think it’s just the competition, and the endurance style of racing where you share with team-mates. 

"The 24-hour race here, the track is super-challenging, so it’s just the whole combo.”

Verstappen's car remains in the garage, but the Winward Racing team is determined to get the car back onto the track, despite the chances of a strong finishing position having disappeared.