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.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
