Verstappen impresses on GT500 debut at Fuji: stunning lap after just 2 wet laps
Red Bull has finally revealed what really happened at Fuji Speedway, where Max Verstappen was spotted over a month ago driving a Super GT car. The video, published on the Red Bull Motorsports YouTube channel, shows exactly why the four-time Formula 1 world champion is increasingly expanding his racing portfolio beyond F1, with a growing focus on GT and endurance competition.
The Dutch driver travelled to Japan for what appeared to be a simple challenge on paper: driving a Nissan Z NISMO GT500 for the first time on a circuit he had never raced before, in wet conditions, and trying to match the reference time set by Atsushi Miyake, a Super GT driver and Fuji 3 Hours winner. The test also formed part of Verstappen’s broader preparation for the Nürburgring 24 Hours, scheduled from May 14 to 17, another major step in his growing non-F1 racing programme.
Verstappen at Fuji in Super GT: what the Red Bull video shows
The GT500 car used by Verstappen is very different from a Formula 1 machine: around 650 horsepower, heavy aerodynamic reliance, and a driving style that demands immediate adaptation, especially in the wet. Miyake went out first and set the benchmark at 1:44.075, establishing the time to beat.
Verstappen needed just one installation lap to get familiar with the car, the track, and the rain. On his first flying lap he recorded a 1:44.142, just a tenth off the Japanese driver’s benchmark. Then, on his second attempt, came the lap that changed everything: 1:42.290 — nearly 1.8 seconds faster than Miyake in a car he had never driven before, on a rain-soaked circuit.
Presenter Jeremiah Burton, reacting to the timing screens, could not hide his shock:
“It’s madness! He’s within a tenth of the best time on his second ever lap in this car. That’s insane.”
Verstappen’s incredible wet-weather lap
The most impressive aspect is not just the final lap time, but how quickly Verstappen adapted to the car. The installation lap allowed him to understand braking, throttle response, steering behaviour, and tyre grip. By the first flying lap, he was already near the benchmark. By the second, he had completely destroyed it.
Verstappen himself downplayed the performance, but acknowledged how quickly he adapted:
“It was getting a bit tricky to push. On my first lap I thought: ‘I can do a bit better than this’, and then I did a 42.”
He added:
“It was about getting used to the car, how you accelerate and brake. The steering is very different and you need to feel the tyre grip. It was a really great experience. Hopefully next time it won’t rain.”
Miyake was also impressed by the Dutchman’s rapid adaptation:
“He is a world champion, but I was curious to see how different his driving style would be in the same car. Even in the rain, I could still see how good he is, so I really enjoyed it.”
Verstappen’s preparation for the Nürburgring 24 Hours
The Fuji test is part of a much broader plan. In recent months, the four-time world champion has increased his involvement outside Formula 1: he obtained an endurance racing license through the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, won on his GT3 debut in a Ferrari 296 GT3, and has already driven the Nordschleife in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 he will use for the Nürburgring 24 Hours before the Canadian Grand Prix.
Fuji, therefore, was not just an exhibition run. It was another step in shaping a driver who, while still fully focused on Formula 1, continues to seek challenges in other disciplines. And Red Bull’s video adds a striking detail: to beat a genuine reference time, in wet conditions, in an unfamiliar car, Verstappen needed just two flying laps.
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