24 Hours of Nürburgring full schedule: when and how to follow Max Verstappen’s weekend
It is the headline event of the entire racing weekend—at least when it comes to four-wheel motorsport—and perhaps even one of the most intriguing side projects of Max Verstappen’s entire racing season. Engines are warming up at the legendary Green Hell for the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours, staged as always on the iconic Nordschleife, a fearsome circuit stretching for more than 20 kilometres through dramatic elevation changes, high-speed blind corners, steep banking, and some of the most technically demanding sections in world motorsport.
It is also a particularly long and intense race weekend, with on-track action beginning as early as Thursday, when the first qualifying sessions get underway to establish the starting order for cars from 50th place down to the final grid positions, with as many as 161 entries expected.
Qualifying sessions: how the format works
The action begins with the opening two-hour Q1 session, scheduled from 13:15 to 15:15 on Thursday. For the leading GT3 crews—officially competing in the SP9 class under NLS and ADAC regulations, including Max Verstappen’s team—this session effectively serves as an extended free practice run rather than a decisive qualifying effort.
The pre-race action then continues into the night with Q2, running from 20:00 to 23:30 on Thursday. For the top crews, this also functions largely as another practice opportunity, although participation is mandatory, with non-attendance resulting in exclusion from the race.
The serious qualifying battle begins on Friday for the leading 49 crews. From 10:15 to 10:45, Top Qualifying 1 (TQ1) gets underway, with Max Verstappen required to participate because his crew did not secure automatic promotion to the final phase based on previous race results.
Next comes TQ2, running from 11:05 to 11:35, where further eliminations will determine who advances toward the final pole position showdown. Meanwhile, Q3 takes place from 12:00 to 13:05, finalising the starting grid for the lower-category entries from 50th place downward.
The ultimate battle for pole position arrives with TQ3, scheduled from 13:35 to 14:35 on Friday, where the fastest teams will fight for the front of the grid.
24 hours in the Green Hell
Even though qualifying may not seem decisive in a 24-hour endurance race, starting position can still be extremely important at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. On a circuit where traffic management is critical and speed differentials between classes can be enormous, beginning the race near the front offers a significant advantage compared to fighting through heavy traffic among slower cars.
Saturday is, of course, the main event. A one-hour warm-up session is scheduled from 10:00 to 11:00, giving teams one final opportunity to fine-tune their cars before the start procedure begins.
The official starting procedure gets underway at 14:40 with a full formation lap around the Nordschleife. Then, at exactly 15:00 on Saturday, the green flag will wave to launch the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours.
The race will conclude exactly 24 hours later, at 15:00 on Sunday.
Full Nürburgring 24 Hours 2026 schedule
Q1: Thursday, 14 May 2026 – 13:15 to 15:15
Q2: Thursday, 14 May 2026 – 20:00 to 23:30
TQ1: Friday, 15 May 2026 – 10:15 to 10:45
TQ2: Friday, 15 May 2026 – 11:05 to 11:35
Q3: Friday, 15 May 2026 – 12:00 to 13:05
TQ3 (Pole position): Friday, 15 May 2026 – 13:35 to 14:35
Warm-up: Saturday, 16 May 2026 – 10:00 to 11:00
24 Hours of Nürburgring: Saturday, 16 May 2026 at 15:00 to Sunday, 17 May 2026 at 15:00
How to watch Max Verstappen live
All sessions throughout the weekend will be streamed free of charge on YouTube via the official Nürburgring 24 Hours channel. Fans will be able to follow the full television broadcast feed, as well as dedicated onboard cameras from some of the most important entries, including the number 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 driven by Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon, Lucas Auer, and, of course, Max Verstappen.
For fans wanting daily updates, race developments, and dedicated live coverage, motorsport outlets will also be following the event closely throughout the weekend as Max Verstappen takes on one of endurance racing’s most legendary challenges.
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