A concrete possibility The possibility of seeing Max Verstappen at the start of the 2026 Nurburgring 24 Hours is growing, which will be scheduled for the weekend of 16 and 17 May (on a weekend without any F1 GP). The Dutch superstar has not yet officially confirmed his intentions but in the meantime the organizers of the legendary race which takes place on the Nordschleife are trying to do everything possible to encourage the presence of Verstappen and possibly other international-level drivers at the start. ‘Adjusted’ calendar To be eligible to start the 24-hour race, it is mandatory for the drivers to participate in at least one of the events of the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie, a sort of ‘preparatory’ championship for the race. The organisers, under the pressure of Mercedes which would provide Verstappen with the car for the 24 hours, have decided to adjust the calendar of these races in order to avoid too many coincidences with the F1 World Championship. An initial attempt was made to move the opening round of the NLS, scheduled for March 14 and to conflict with the F1 Chinese Grand Prix, but this plan was unsuccessful. Attention then shifted to the second round, initially set for March 28 and conflicting with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. That race has now been brought forward by a week, to March 21st, fitting it perfectly into the break week between the two Asian events of the Circus. Verstappen would therefore have the opportunity to take part in the race without missing any GP and thus making himself ‘eligible’ for the 24 hours. If Verstappen actually races at the Nurburgring on March 21, his teammate could be Lucas Auer. “This adjustment takes advantage of a gap in the F1 calendar between the Grands Prix in China and Japan,” the NLS said. “By aligning with the international racing calendar we enable top-level drivers to compete in the NLS. This move increases our global reach for the benefit of all teams, participants and the entire Nurburgring region.” And Verstappen thanks.
