Max Verstappen revealed the difficulties faced during his first night experience at the Nordschleife. The Dutch driver participated in a night practice session before the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and described the conditions as extremely challenging.
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After securing fourth position on the grid for Saturday’s race, Verstappen explained that the activity carried out on Thursday was essential to gain experience on the German circuit at night. However, heavy rain turned the practice into a huge visibility challenge.
“The conditions were quite complicated,” Verstappen told Viaplay. “Especially when I tried to drive in the dark. There was a lot of rain, I could barely see because of the fog and the steam coming off the track.”
The four-time Formula 1 world champion explained that the combination of standing water and low visibility required total caution at the wheel. “You simply can’t see where there is a lot of water. So you have to drive slowly,” he emphasized. Even so, Verstappen considered it important to accumulate mileage under these circumstances to adapt his eyes and gain confidence during the night period.
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Another point raised by the driver was the difficulty in correctly identifying the signals around the circuit. According to Verstappen, the lights and movements of the spectators can easily be confused with flags or official warnings from the track marshals.
“You see a lot of green and yellow lights and you need to pay close attention. Sometimes it looks like there is a yellow or green flag,” he commented. “It’s something strange at first and you need to get used to it. It is also necessary to memorize where the signaling posts are, because in the dark it becomes even harder to see,” concluded the Red Bull driver.
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