Motoring
Can Max Verstappen win the 24h Nürburgring? Qualifying weekend proves yes
Despite some technical setbacks, Verstappen and his team showed they have the speed to challenge for victory at one of motorsport’s toughest races – but one key factor could decide everything.
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Max Verstappen is continuing the showcase of his expanded racing skills by taking part in the Nürburgring 24-hour race in May. Ahead of that race, he competed in the qualifying weekend, and there was a lot to learn for him and the team. Here are the key takeaways:
01
Verstappen has a legitimate chance of victory
The main thing that was obvious across the entire weekend was that Verstappen and his team have the speed and quality to be in with a chance of winning the main race. While it was hard to see how well the team was performing on Saturday, due to limited racing time, Sunday was a strong showing.
In the weekend’s second qualifying session, their Mercedes was the first car to break the nine-minute mark for a lap of the track. That lap came as the track began to dry out following a damp start to the session.
With times starting to improve, Team Verstappen were on for a quick lap before an issue forced them into the pits, costing them valuable time. By the end of the racing period, the team had fallen out of the top 25.
Max Verstappen is still learning about his Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
After that session, Verstappen said: "The car is working really well. At the same time, I’m still learning more myself when it comes to the setup – we're still trying small things to find even more pace. The other teams are also working on fine-tuning and balance, and that’s exactly what we’re doing too. Hopefully, everything will come together for the main race."
Later on Sunday, Team Verstappen’s form continued as Lucas Auer took the car to fifth place in the timed laps, showing his speed over two laps, which was the maximum the session allowed. That determined their starting position for the second race of the weekend, which closed out the qualifying weekend.
The second race, which was four hours long, started well for Team Verstappen. With the Dutchman at the wheel, the team led the entire field for the first 90 minutes of the session.
Find out more about the Nürburgring 24 Hours
Verstappen battled his way through the other contenders for the lead. However, the splitter issues from earlier in the weekend returned, and the team began to fall back down the pack. Auer was able to climb back up from the back of the field, eventually finishing in the middle of the pack.
The team’s ability to put in fastest laps and lead from the front for an extended period of time shows that they have a real chance of winning the 24-hour event when it comes around in May.
02
Reliability will be vital for any team hoping to win
Team Verstappen’s chances of success will come down to whether they’re able to curtail their reliability issues.
In endurance racing, staying out on track and putting in as many laps as possible is arguably the most important factor when trying to win. If you’re the fastest team but only spend half of your time on track, you won’t win. While the issues Team Verstappen had in qualifying weren’t serious, they’re going to want to avoid any problems in future sessions.
Team Verstappen led the field for an extended period during qualifying
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
After the race, Verstappen said: “During the second lap of my second stint, I realised something was wrong. The splitter had broken off. That’s strange, because I didn’t hit anyone, so I don’t know how it happened. We’ll have to investigate and sort it out.”
Verstappen will hope these technical issues can be resolved quickly, as he wants as much time as possible behind the wheel of the Mercedes. This is due to GT endurance racing being very different from Formula One, so the more time he has to practice, the more comfortable he’ll be in the 24-hour race.
03
A more open field than expected
The other key takeaway ahead of the 24-hour race weekend is that the field may be more open than anticipated. The likes of Manthley, the Porsche team, were always going to be strong, but the varied leaders in qualifying show that many teams have a chance of winning at the Nurburgring.
Verstappen and Lucas Auer proved they can be competitive at the Nürburgring
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
There were four different winners or fastest teams across the weekend. BMW, Audi, Aston Martin and Ferrari all had winning cars, which shows just how competitive the field is.
The identity of some of the fastest teams is a surprise, too. While BMW and Audi were always going to be competitive, Aston Martin and Ferrari weren’t among the few frontrunners ahead of the event. The teams showed a level of speed and consistency that matches many of the other leaders.
That competitiveness expanded beyond the winning positions, too, with the first five places in each event always featuring a variety of names and teams. Team Verstappen will have a lot of competition in the full event in May.
However, there were plenty of positives for Team Verstappen in the Nurburgring qualifying weekend. While reliability issues were a problem, the team showed their pace amongst a highly competitive field.
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