Red Bull explains quick approval for Verstappen's Nurburgring 24 entry

Red Bull Racing has granted Max Verstappen permission to compete in the legendary Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race later this year, with Team Principal Laurent Mekies stating the decision required "no convincing." The reigning World Champion will drive a Red Bull-sponsored Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, viewing the event as a perfect opportunity to explore other racing disciplines while still at the peak of his career.

Why it matters:

Allowing a star driver to participate in a grueling, high-risk event outside of Formula 1 is a significant departure from the protective norms typically seen in top-tier motorsport. Red Bull's enthusiastic support highlights a unique trust in Verstappen's professionalism and a belief that his passion for racing in any form is a net positive for his performance, rather than a distraction or physical drain. It also reflects Verstappen's personal philosophy of not postponing his racing ambitions.

The details:

• Team Principal Laurent Mekies emphasized that Verstappen's passion was justification enough, noting, "He doesn’t need to convince us... You see his face lighten, his eyes lighten when he talks about racing cars."
• Mekies dismissed concerns about energy depletion, observing that Verstappen often returns from racing in other series with more energy for his F1 duties.
• Verstappen has long expressed a desire to compete in major endurance races, inspired by his father's past participation and recommendations from friends who call the Nürburgring 24 "one of the best things ever."
• The Dutchman is clear about his motivations: "I don’t need to be only an F1 driver... I’ve achieved everything I want to achieve so that’s why I want to explore other things and I don’t want to do them when I’m 40 years old. Now is the perfect age to do it."
• He considers the GT car speed ideal for the challenging Nordschleife circuit, stating, "I think if you go anything faster it can be a bit dangerous in places."

What's next:

Verstappen's entry adds star power to an already stacked field for the 2024 Nürburgring 24 Hours. His participation sets a precedent and could encourage other F1 drivers to seek similar opportunities with their teams. More broadly, it keeps the door open for Verstappen to fulfill his goal of competing in "all the big endurance races" in the future, potentially including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, while he continues his dominant F1 campaign with Red Bull.