Max Verstappen once again drew attention outside of Formula 1 and even impressed Mercedes with his dedication to GT car racing. The four-time F1 champion is competing this weekend in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring and received strong praise from the German brand after his quick adaptation to the Mercedes-AMG GT3.
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The participation of the Red Bull Racing driver in the traditional German race also increased public interest in the event. According to Stefan Wendl, head of Mercedes’ customer racing division, many fans who usually follow only F1 have started paying more attention to the world of GT racing thanks to the Dutchman’s presence.
Verstappen arrives for his first participation in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring after several tests conducted in recent months at the Nordschleife-Nurburgring circuit, which is over 20 km long. Driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3, the Dutchman starts from fourth position on the grid and is already one of the most watched names at the event.
Wendl highlighted the impact caused by the Red Bull driver’s presence in the championship: “Thanks to Max, many fans who normally follow only Formula 1 are now also watching. They realize this is a completely different aspect of motorsport, with exciting wheel-to-wheel battles. Maybe they are no longer used to that,” he told the newspaper De Telegraaf.
The executive also emphasized the unique atmosphere of the race and the importance of Verstappen’s presence to enhance the event: “It’s great to see what Max is providing. Even more people can feel how special this event is, with the atmosphere around the track. And there are still amateur drivers chasing their dreams and racing in the same event as Verstappen,” he said.
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The relationship between Mercedes and Verstappen in the GT project began at the end of 2025, during a test in Portugal. According to Wendl, that first contact was enough to realize the level of commitment the Dutchman has with the program.
“I met Max in December last year on our first day of testing in Portugal. I learned more about his approach and how he prepares. I immediately thought: ‘Ok, this is a special case,’ in a positive sense,” he added.
The head of Mercedes in the endurance category also revealed he had never seen a driver adapt so quickly: “I had never seen anything like this before, someone who adapts so fast. It’s also very special to see a current Formula 1 driver go through this entire program simply because he enjoys it so much and because racing is his passion,” Wendl concluded.
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