Max Verstappen secured a spot in the battle for pole position at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring after advancing in Top Qualifying 2 with a consistent lap. The driver recorded 8min14s4 and led the session until the final minutes, when Nick Yelloly took first place as soon as the Code 60 ended. Verstappen finished sixth and safely advanced to the pole position decider.
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The qualifying was marked by an incident involving the Winward Racing Mercedes. Maro Engel went off at a corner and hit the safety barrier, causing damage to the car’s suspension. The accident required repairs to the safety barrier.
Before the accident happened, Verstappen had already passed through the affected section of the circuit, which allowed the driver to complete his attempt without setbacks. With the neutralization, no faster laps were recorded in the first attempts of the session.
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The Dutchman entered Top Qualifying 2 with the mission to finish among the top 12 to continue fighting for pole position, a goal achieved without major difficulties.
Verstappen’s team also showed strength from the start of qualifying. In Top Qualifying 1, Lucas Auer, teammate of the four-time Formula 1 world champion with Red Bull, had placed the car among the highlights by setting the fifth-best time of the session.
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