Motoring
The teams facing Max Verstappen at the Nürburgring 24 Hours
The four-time Formula One champion will face some formidable opponents in his Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race debut. But who are the strongest competitors?
When Max Verstappen buckles up for his debut at this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours, he'll be part of one of the strongest teams in the line-up – Verstappen Racing. Mercedes cars are often driven by great teams, but there are some other competitors that are in with a great chance of winning. As qualifying gets underway, now’s a great chance to look at the frontrunners and the drivers representing them.
01
What class is Verstappen competing in?
Team Verstappen is part of the SP9 class, driving GT3 cars. While there will be over 100 cars on the track, and therefore over 100 teams, it’s the teams in the same class that will be Verstappen’s focus in this ultimate endurance test.
The winner of the Nürburgring 24 Hours almost always comes from the SP9 class, too, so the Dutchman has a great chance of success this year. Verstappen is in one of the strongest teams in the whole field, but there are some high-profile opposition teams to keep an eye on.
Max Verstappen buckles up at the Nürburgring
© Gruppe C GmbH/Red Bull Content Pool
02
BMW teams and last year’s winners
Last year, Team Rowe Racing ended the race on top of the podium, coming away as the overall winner. Like most big manufacturers, BMW always has a few teams representing them, and Team Rowe’s two teams will be driving a BMW M4 GT3. The main team will be Team Verstappen’s major opposition.
The drivers for the main team this year are:
- Kelvin Van der Linde
- Rafaelle Marciello
- Augusto Farfus
- Jordan Pepper
That is one formidable line-up, improving further on last year’s winners. Three of the four drivers return as champions, stepping into the Team Rowe BMW once again. Van der Linde, Marciello and Farfus are Nürburgring and endurance race experts and considered to be among the best drivers in the world.
Jordan Pepper is the new driver for the team. He represented ABT Sportsline in the same race last year and has made his way to Team Rowe for 2026. The 29-year-old will be a strong addition to an already experienced line-up of drivers.
Max Verstappen's car for the Nürburgring 24 Hours 2026
© Mihai Stetcu/Red Bull Content Pool
03
Porsche and Manthey Racing teams
Team Verstappen’s other main competitors will be the Porsche works teams, particularly the main Manthey Racing team. Driving the Porsche 911 GT3 R, they’re probably the most complete package on the grid, the team complete with young stars, superstars of the discipline and Nürburgring veterans.
The Manthey Racing team’s drivers are:
- Kevin Estre
- Thomas Preining
- Ayhancan Guven
- Patrick Pilet
Kevin Estre is considered by many to be one of the best GT drivers in the world, having put in the fastest lap in qualifying in 2025. Not only is he fast around a single lap, but he’s also fast over longer periods. He’s a driver to be reckoned with.
Thomas Preining is a previous Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters champion, with his style being focused on consistency. He’s a reliable pair of hands when the team needs him.
Manthey is the record winner of the Nürburgring 24 Hours
© Manthey
Ayhancan Güven is the rising star of the endurance racing world, already winning big races. He’s put in strong performances with Manthey already, and is set for another strong year.
The final driver for the Manthey team is Patrick Pilet, the veteran Porsche factory driver. He’s hugely experienced in endurance races and possesses a tactical mind that is very useful for any team in 24-hour races.
04
Other teams to keep an eye on
While Team Verstappen, Team Rowe and Team Manthey are the three favourites for the 2026 race, there are some other teams to keep an eye on, especially if the race becomes more chaotic.
Audi, Ferrari and Lamborghini will all have a few teams representing them, but their main teams all have a chance of winning in the SP9 class. The cars the teams will be racing will be the Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II, Ferrari 296 GT3 and Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2, respectively.
The start of the 53rd ADAC RAVENOL 24h at the Nürburgring in 2025
© Sebastian Kraft/Red Bull Content Pool
While the teams aren’t filled with quite so many big names in endurance racing, there are some to keep an eye out for. Christopher Haase is an Audi factory driver with multiple 24-hour race wins, Mirko Bortolotti is a Lamborghini factory star and ex-F1 test driver, and David Perel is a well-known Ferrari regular who’s excellent in endurance racing.
Find out more about the Nürburgring 24 Hours
05
How to watch
Watch Max Verstappen fly around the Nürburgring in May
© Gruppe C GmbH/Red Bull Content Pool
While not every team that’ll be taking part in the final 24-hour race in May will be taking part in the qualifying event, you can watch Verstappen and a lot of his competition live. The April and May qualifiers, along with the final race on May 16-17, will all be broadcast live on Red Bull TV and the Red Bull Motorsports YouTube channel. Here's when to tune in:
Date
Session
Time
Saturday, April 18
Qualifiers Race 1
3pm UTC (5pm CEST)
Sunday, April 19
Top-Qualifying
8:30am UTC (10:30am CEST)
Qualifiers Race 2
10:30am UTC (12:30pm CEST)
Thursday, May 14
Qualifying 1
11:10am – 1:30pm UTC (1:10pm – 3:30pm CEST)
Qualifying 2
5:55pm – 9:45pm UTC (7:55pm – 11:45pm CEST)
Friday, May 15
Top-Qualifying 1
6:45am – 7:25am UTC (8:45am – 9:25am CEST)
Top-Qualifying 2
7:40am – 8:25am UTC (9:40am – 10:25am CEST)
Qualifying 3
8:30am – 10:05am UTC (10:30am – 12:05pm CEST)
Top Qualifying 3
11:30am – 12:45pm UTC (1:30pm – 2:45pm CEST)
Saturday, May 16
Warm-Up
8:00am – 9:30am UTC (10:00am – 11:30am CEST)
Race
12:30pm – 1:45pm +1 UTC (2:30pm – 3:45pm +1 CEST)
