Max Verstappen, four-time Formula 1 World Champion, is set to compete in a round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) behind the wheel of a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo fielded by Winward Racing under the Verstappen Racing banner. This race is an important preparatory step ahead of his debut in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in May. The lineup for the iconic Eifel endurance race has recently been announced: Verstappen will share the Mercedes-AMG with Jules Gounon, Lucas Auer, and Dani Juncadella, a crew considered capable of fighting for the overall victory.
Winward Racing’s evaluation and appeal for Verstappen
Winward Racing is regarded as one of the top Mercedes-AMG customer teams in Europe, boasting multiple titles in the GT World Challenge Europe and participation in the DTM. Team owner Russell Ward commented:
“It’s pretty amazing. Max Verstappen is widely considered the top driver in the world, and it’s really cool that he’s coming into our playground to see what endurance racing is like. It’s a strong group of passionate people who want to deliver the best product possible. I think he can see that, and that’s what attracted him to us.”
Availability for the Rolex 24 and future ambitions
While Verstappen Racing’s GT World Challenge Europe program this year is managed by 2 Seas Motorsport, the Dutch driver has publicly expressed interest in participating in other iconic endurance races in the future, including the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Ward, whose Houston-based team is a two-time IMSA GTD champion and the current title holder, having claimed three class wins at Daytona in the last five years, said he would seize the opportunity to run a Mercedes-AMG for Verstappen at the Florida classic. Verstappen has signed a multi-year deal with Mercedes-AMG for his sports car racing activities, without being tied to a specific team, which is why his efforts this year are split between Winward and 2 Seas.
Ward added: “It’s our job to put together the best program possible for Nürburgring and maybe make it so that someone like him wants to drive with us. We definitely have the capability and the desire to do it.”
Asked about possible discussions already underway for a Daytona program starting next year, Ward clarified: “Right now, we’re focused on the NLS. It’s our first chance to give him a really good car.”
Winward’s IMSA expansion plans
Winward, which operates as a multi-car team in Europe, fielded a second Mercedes-AMG at the Rolex 24 in January for the first time, finishing third in GTD Pro with Maxime Martin, Luca Stolz, Jason Hart, and Scott Noble. Ward confirmed that this program will conclude after this weekend’s 12 Hours of Sebring but is optimistic about a larger deal next year.
He explained: “For now, that’s all for the year. That was the agreement discussed: to run those two races. I’m definitely interested in doing more, but that’s really all we prepared for this year. My goal is to have at least the second car in the Michelin Endurance Cup as a minimum, or possibly a full season if the opportunity arises. Definitely, we have the capacity to run two of these GT3s in IMSA, and that’s where we want to be.”
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