REVEALED: THE 2026 MERCEDES-AMG GT3 SQUAD MAX VERSTAPPEN IS BUILDING FOR HIMSELF
Max Verstappen targets the 2026 Nürburgring 24h with a new Mercedes-AMG deal. Discover if the NLS will move for the F1 superstar.
Max Verstappen has never made a secret of his drive to win beyond Formula 1. Sure, he’s all in for the world championship, but there’s a lot more on his mind than just F1 trophies.
Last season, while he was still hunting down Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the F1 standings, Max also kicked off his GT3 adventure. He had to get his racing license for GT3 cars first, but once that was sorted, he jumped straight into a four-hour race at the legendary Nordschleife. And, true to form, he won on debut with Chris Lulham—even though qualifying didn’t exactly go their way. That’s classic Verstappen.
Unlike Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso, Max isn’t planning on sticking around F1 into his 40s. He’s got his eye on other challenges—other racing dreams he wants to chase.
In a recent interview, Verstappen finally revealed which races outside F1 matter most to him.
So, which ones top Max’s wish list? He’s aiming high: the Nordschleife 24 Hours and Le Mans.
On the Team Redline YouTube channel, someone asked Max which race he’d rather win: Le Mans in a hypercar or the Spa 24 in a GT car. His answer was pretty much “Why not both?” He said, “I want to win both of them! It’s difficult to choose, but winning in a hypercar is really cool as well, but at the same time, like, winning in a full GT3 field is also really cool. But probably if you have to pick between the two, probably the Le Mans hypercar.”
When pressed to pick just one GT race he’d really want, he didn’t hesitate: “The Nords [Nordschleife] 24.”
Talking about his Nordschleife race in 2025, Max just lit up. “I mean, I had a lot of fun. First of all, the track is great. Like, everything was just really nice. And also the conditions as well. You know, you had a bit of rain in qualifying, where I think I scared you a little bit, right? I knew as soon as I went over the grass, I was like, “I know the onboard is on, and people are watching it,” and I was like, “I’m sure that they are like shitting themselves right now.”
So what’s next for him outside F1, especially looking at 2026? He hasn’t nailed down his exact plans yet. But right before Christmas, Verstappen’s GT squad announced a big switch—they’ll be running Mercedes cars from now on, signing a multi-year deal with the German brand.
Verstappen Racing will compete in the GT World Challenge Europe and its Sprint Cup, though it’s Chris Lulham who’ll be driving in those events.
According to Autosport, Max is looking to jump into the Nürburgring Nordschleife 24 Hours this year. Red Bull has apparently given him the green light to enter, but he still needs to do a prep race first. The problem? That race clashes with the F1 calendar, landing on the same weekend as the Chinese Grand Prix. Unless organisers push things back by a week, Max’s chance to qualify for the big event (which runs May 16-17) is up in the air.
If Verstappen shows up, the hype around the race will go through the roof. But whether the organisers will reshuffle the schedule just so Max can take his shot? That’s still anyone’s guess.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
