Formula 1 is returning to the Nurburgring for the Pirelli tests on April 14 and 15, 2026, but for Max Verstappen, it’s a bitter disappointment: only Mercedes and McLaren will be on track.
The 2026 Formula 1 season will see cars back at the Nurburgring on April 14-15 for a Pirelli slick tire test, marking the first F1 presence at the German circuit since 2020. However, despite the circuit’s name inevitably bringing Max Verstappen to mind, the Dutch driver will not participate. And this is not due to a personal choice: Red Bull is not included among the teams taking part in the program, which will see only Mercedes and McLaren on track.
According to GPBlog, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are expected to represent McLaren, while George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will drive for Mercedes. The tests will take place on the Grand Prix layout, not the historic and more extreme Nordschleife, which has long fascinated Max Verstappen, and where he continues to pursue his parallel GT3 program.
The Pirelli test fills the gap left by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix, removed from the calendar due to the Middle East conflict. The official tire supplier redistributed testing across Europe: Ferrari went to Fiorano for wet tire evaluations, followed by Mercedes and McLaren at the Nurburgring for slick tires. Red Bull, meanwhile, had already conducted a session at Suzuka immediately after, without Max Verstappen, who returned to Europe to continue his preparation on the Nurburgring with his Mercedes-AMG GT3.
This is where the disappointment lies. The 28-year-old from Hasselt, who has returned to the Nurburgring multiple times in recent weeks for his extracurricular racing activities, will miss the only window in which an F1 car will run on the circuit. The timing makes the situation even more significant: after Suzuka, the four-time world champion questioned his future in the sport, explaining that he wants to reflect in the coming weeks and months, amid growing dissatisfaction with the new 2026 regulations.
Adding to Max Verstappen’s frustration is a precedent recounted by Helmut Marko: years ago, Verstappen wanted to do a demonstration lap on the Nordschleife with a Red Bull F1 car, but the plan was blocked for safety reasons. Today, he can race there with GT cars, but when Formula 1 finally returns to the Nurburgring, he will be forced to watch from the sidelines.
Max Verstappen will find some consolation just a few days later. The Dutch driver is confirmed for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring from May 14 to 17, 2026, and will also participate in the April 17-19 24h Qualifiers, the endurance race qualifying sessions. It is a small consolation for missing out on his dream for now: he will not return to drive an F1 car at the German track, but he will be able to get back behind the wheel of his beloved Mercedes-AMG GT3 on the Nordschleife, continuing his preparation for one of the most anticipated events outside Formula 1.
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