Max Verstappen promoted to 36th after Nürburgring 24 Hours DSQ

Max Verstappen's debut at the Nürburgring 24 Hours has officially closed with a higher final position after a post-race disqualification reshuffled the results. The four-time F1 world champion's Mercedes-AMG GT3 climbs to 36th place following the exclusion of the second-place Lamborghini, though the gain offers little consolation after a late driveshaft failure cost the #3 car a shot at victory.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's entry generated significant attention for the endurance classic, yet the disqualification underscores how strictly officials enforce Balance of Performance regulations in sports car racing. Top finishers routinely face rigorous post-race inspections, and the #84 Lamborghini's failure proves that even podium positions carry no immunity from the rules. For Verstappen, the promotion is largely symbolic, as his car remained well down the order after a costly late-race stop.

The details:

• The #84 Lamborghini shared by Luca Engstler, Mirko Bortolotti and Patric Niederhauser was stripped of second place when dynamometer checks revealed excessive power output beyond BoP tolerances.
• Six SP9 class cars underwent routine post-race inspections, with the Lamborghini the only entry to fail.
• Red Bull Team Abt, which campaigned Verstappen's car, has declined to appeal the decision, cementing the final results.
• The exclusion shuffles the podium: the #34 Aston Martin moves up to second, while the #99 BMW inherits third behind the overall-winning #80 Mercedes.
• Verstappen, Jules Gounon, Lucas Auer and Daniel Juncadella had held a commanding lead with four laps remaining before a driveshaft issue forced the #3 machine into the pits.

What's next:

Verstappen has already signaled his desire to return for the 2027 Nürburgring 24 Hours, set for May 27-30. The event is currently expected to avoid clashing with the Formula 1 calendar, leaving the door open for another appearance alongside his Red Bull commitments.