Mercedes-AMG Details Drive Shaft Failure That Cost Verstappen Racing the Nürburgring 24 Hours

Verstappen Racing’s #3 Mercedes was in total control of the Nürburgring 24 Hours, having built a comfortable lead through the efforts of Max Verstappen and his co-drivers. But with just over three hours to go, a drive shaft failure turned a dream victory into a heartbreaking garage stop. Mercedes-AMG’s head of customer racing Stefan Wendel now reveals the full story: an ABS warning that escalated into terminal damage.

Why it matters:

The lost win is a major blow for Verstappen Racing, a relatively young team co-owned by the four-time F1 champion. It also underscores how a single mechanical issue can erase hours of perfect execution, even for a factory-supported entry at one of endurance racing's most prestigious events.

The details:

• Driver Daniel Juncadella reported an ABS warning but believed he could manage it without losing performance.
• Two laps later, noise and vibration forced him to pit. The team discovered drive shaft damage that had caused further harm to the car’s suspension and transmission.
• Juncadella initially remained in the car hoping for a quick fix, but the extent of the damage required a garage repair, dropping the #3 well out of the top 10.
• The sister #80 Mercedes, which had been running closely behind, inherited the lead and went on to secure the top spot.
• Wendel confirmed the team is repairing the car and aims to return to the track, though a competitive result is now out of reach.

What's next:

The focus for Verstappen Racing will shift to analyzing the root cause of the failure and improving reliability for future endurance campaigns. The experience will inform their approach to long-distance racing as they continue to build on their GT program.