(Motorsport-Total.com) – A Formula 1 star is stepping out: Max Verstappen is competing this weekend in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. The start of the four-time world champion is causing a surge of visitors at the event on the legendary Nordschleife and is also bringing the race into the focus of Formula 1 fans.
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Anyone who wants to follow all of Verstappen’s steps at the Nürburgring up close is well served in the long-distance channel of Motorsport-Total.com. Several editors are on site in the Eifel this weekend and provide first-hand information.
Every day there is a live ticker that informs about the entire event – of course also during the entire race on Saturday and Sunday. Background reports, interviews, and photo galleries round off the offer.
In addition, there is a free live stream on all days, so fans don’t miss a second of the action. On TV, the race will be shown live around the clock on the Nitro channel on Saturday and Sunday.
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How will Verstappen start?
Verstappen is driving at the Nürburgring with a car from a manufacturer that counts among his big rivals in Formula 1: Mercedes-AMG. He shares the GT3 car with over 500 hp with Austrian Lucas Auer (nephew of Gerhard Berger), Spaniard Daniel Juncadella, and Frenchman Jules Gounon, son of former Formula 1 driver Jean-Marc Gounon.
The car is entered by the Winward team, which has been racing with Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars for many years but is competing on the Nürburgring Nordschleife for the first time this year.
Who are Verstappen’s biggest rivals?
With over 40 GT3 cars from manufacturers such as BMW, Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and others, the top class at the 24h race is stronger than ever. However, some cars are also driven by less experienced drivers.
Therefore, the closer circle of favorites includes 22 cars staffed exclusively with professional drivers. Our favorites check shows who counts among Verstappen’s toughest rivals in the fight for victory.
How do the practice sessions work?
There are no practice sessions called as such at the 24h race. Rather, it starts directly on Thursday (May 14) with two qualifying sessions. From 13:15-15:15 and 20:00-23:30, Verstappen and the other GT3 drivers are not yet competing for starting positions.
For them, it is more like free practice. Important: Every driver must complete two laps in the practice sessions to be allowed to start the race.
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It gets serious for the GT3 teams on Friday (May 15), when the top qualifying takes place from 10:15. This is a time trial divided into three sections, similar to Formula 1. Since Verstappen’s team is not among the five participants who secured a place in Q3 through results in the preparatory races, it gets serious immediately for the Dutchman and his teammates.
In Q1 of the top qualifying, the fastest 20 vehicles advance. In Q2, another 13 are eliminated, seven advance. In Q3, starting at 13:35, twelve vehicles compete for pole position and the front starting rows. Important: Each driver may only drive in one of the three sections of the top qualifying; a change must be made in between.
How does the race proceed?
Basically, it is simple: The team that crosses the finish line first after 24 hours wins. During the race, the drivers alternate, usually following a fixed rhythm. The professionals in the GT3 cars often do double stints, usually driving eight laps twice before handing the car over to the next teammate after about two hours.
A major challenge in the 24-hour race is the so-called multi-class racing. Because besides the GT3 cars, numerous other vehicles start. Some are near-production cars with only about 200 hp, which are correspondingly slower.
Therefore, overtaking maneuvers take place practically throughout the entire race, with sometimes large speed differences between the cars. The drivers of the fast GT3 cars have to lose as little time as possible on the one hand, but also avoid risking collisions on the other.
A special feature of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is the absence of a safety car or full-course yellow. Instead, local Code-60 zones are established in case of incidents, where overtaking is prohibited and vehicles may not exceed 60 km/h. Those who do not comply risk a time penalty or even disqualification for serious violations.
Unlike in Formula 1, pit stops are handled very differently. While every fraction of a second counts there, the 24-hour race is much more relaxed. This is partly because the cars are refueled from a standard fuel pump.
On the other hand, the regulations specify minimum stationary times. These depend during most of the race on how many laps the respective car has completed in the last stint before the pit stop. The more laps, the longer the stationary time. Only in the last hours of the race is the remaining driving time decisive.
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