Fernando Alonso believes that Max Verstappen’s participation in competitions outside of Formula 1 can bring benefits to all motorsport. The Spaniard praised the Red Bull Racing driver’s debut at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring and highlighted the potential of the initiative to attract new fans to other categories.
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Verstappen competed this month in his first participation in the traditional German endurance race. Alongside Jules Gounon, Lucas Auer, and Daniel Juncadella, the Dutchman was in contention for victory until the final phase of the race, when a problem with the transmission shaft of his Mercedes AMG GT3 ended the quartet’s chances.
Even without winning, the participation was considered successful. The live broadcast of the race reached about 250,000 simultaneous viewers following the performance of the four-time F1 world champion.
For Alonso, this interest shows how the presence of prominent Formula 1 drivers in other disciplines can increase the visibility of different categories: “It’s good that they discover different sports, different categories, and different ways to enjoy motorsport,” he said. The Aston Martin driver also said that ‘Formula 1 represents only one percent of the entire motorsport environment’ and highlighted that the audience also appreciates other categories.
The two-time F1 champion used his own experience to reinforce his argument. Alonso recalled his debut at the Indy 500 and highlighted the impact the event had among fans: “I remember that when I did my first test for the Indianapolis 500, there were about two million people on YouTube watching me do laps alone on the oval. Then, they continued following the category that season,” he said.
According to the Spaniard, this movement can have lasting effects. He cited the growth of European drivers’ presence in IndyCar and believes that similar initiatives can encourage more people to follow races like Nurburgring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Although he emphasized that Formula 1 remains the pinnacle of motorsport, Alonso considers that other categories also have great appeal: “If the main Formula 1 drivers participate in these races, they will be opening fans’ eyes to new categories. F1 is the top and it’s fantastic, but the other categories also have their own magic,” concluded the experienced Spanish driver.
Verstappen’s interest in endurance racing, in fact, is not expected to stop there. The Red Bull driver has already indicated that he intends to return to compete at Nurburgring in the future and also mentioned the possibility of participating in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2027.
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