Key Max Verstappen rivals out after Nürburgring 24 Hours crashes

Two of Max Verstappen's main rivals for victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours are out of the race after separate incidents.

Why it matters:

Verstappen, contesting his first Nürburgring 24 Hours, saw his path to victory clear as the #16 Audi and #911 Porsche both retired. The four-time F1 champion took the lead early but now faces a 14-second deficit to the #67 Ford.

The details:

• #16 Audi: Driven by Christopher Haase, Alexander Sims, and Ben Green. Sims hit trouble in a slow zone, making contact with another car and damaging the front-right corner. The bonnet flew up, forcing a slow return to pits. The car is too heavily damaged to rejoin.
• #911 Porsche: Kevin Estre lost control and hit the barrier, damaging the rear. He initially continued but then stopped trackside. The #64 Ford of Arjun Maini crashed at the same spot moments later.
• Verstappen's stint: He took over after the first hour, moved from third to first within corners, and completed a double stint. He briefly went airborne and grazed the armco barrier but kept the car intact. After handing over to Jules Gounon, the team lost the lead when Gounon took an ultra-cautious approach in tricky conditions, being passed by Dennis Olsen in the #67 Ford.
• Quote: Verstappen said: “It was good. Initially, I was a bit stuck in traffic… Then the weather kicked in with a few laps of slippery conditions, I think that’s where we made a difference. … You just have to keep yourself together, stay calm and just focus again.”

What's next:

Verstappen will return for a night stint, facing challenging conditions and uncertain weather. With his strongest rivals out, he remains a key contender if he can regain the lead.