Antonelli Eyes Future Endurance Partnership With Verstappen

Mercedes F1 driver Kimi Antonelli has expressed a strong desire to team up with Max Verstappen in a future endurance racing event, calling a potential partnership "pretty awesome." The young Italian, who has a background in GT racing through his father's team, revealed he has already requested a test on the legendary Nordschleife circuit as he watches Verstappen prepare for this year's 24 Hours of Nurburgring.

Why it matters:

The crossover between Formula 1 stars and major endurance events like the Nurburgring 24 Hours is growing, highlighting a shared passion for pure racing beyond the F1 calendar. A potential future team-up between a reigning world champion and one of the sport's most promising young talents would be a major draw for fans and underscore the deep connection top drivers have with grassroots motorsport.

The details:

• Kimi Antonelli, fresh from his first F1 win, confirmed his interest in partnering with Max Verstappen for an endurance race, stating, "I think we would be a really cool pair."
• Antonelli's interest stems from his family background; his father, Marco Antonelli, is a sportscar racer and team owner, giving the Mercedes driver early exposure to GT competition.
• Verstappen's Nurburgring Focus: The Red Bull driver is deep in preparation for the 24-hour race in May, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 in a recent event. Although his car was disqualified post-race for a technical infringement (exceeding the tyre set limit), the outing provided valuable seat time on the daunting circuit.
• Antonelli is not just a spectator; he is actively seeking his own experience on the Nordschleife, having already asked Mercedes for a test there, calling it "a track that I love."

What's next:

All eyes will be on Max Verstappen's performance at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring from May 14-17, where he will team with experienced GT aces Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Lucas Auer. While an immediate partnership with Antonelli isn't on the cards, the Italian's public admiration and shared passion for GT racing lay the groundwork for a highly anticipated collaboration in the coming years, potentially once his F1 career is more established.