Maro Engel Sets Record Straight on Max Verstappen Clash: 'We Laughed About It'

Maro Engel insists there is no tension with Max Verstappen following their intense wheel-to-wheel duel at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, despite a past public disagreement over Verstappen's controversial lap record.

Why it matters:

The clash between two Mercedes-AMG GT3 teammates could have sparked further friction, especially given Engel's earlier claims that Verstappen's incognito 'Franz Hermann' lap didn't count under proper regulations. Instead, both drivers have shown professionalism, reinforcing that on-track battles don't have to escalate into personal feuds.

The details:

• Verstappen in the #3 car hunted down Engel's #80 early Sunday morning, running nose-to-tail for several laps before seizing an opportunity down the Döttinger Straight.
• Engel fought back, pulling alongside on the approach to Tiergarten, but with slower cars ahead, he ended up on the grass as Verstappen held firm.
• Verstappen built a lead, only for a late-race drift shaft problem to cost him the win. Engel's #80 crew (Engel, Stolz, Schiller, Martin) took victory by 46 seconds.
• Past friction: In May 2025, Engel said Verstappen's reported 7:48 lap in a DTM-spec GT3 didn't count due to different BoP. Verstappen fired back: "False. Don't spread things when you don't know how the car was set up."
• Now: Engel told motorsport-magazin: "It was a misunderstanding with lapped traffic. No damage. We laughed about it. It was incredibly fun. I was grinning in my helmet."

What's next:

Engel hopes to meet Verstappen in Monaco soon. "To go to the playground with the children and talk about our duel at night," he said. The mutual respect suggests this rivalry will remain healthy—and the Nordschleife could see more fireworks in future editions.