Max Verstappen has never made a secret of his ambitions beyond Formula 1. But in the short term, a very concrete obstacle hinders his desire to compete in the major endurance classics: the calendar.
Verstappen: An endurance dream hampered by the F1 schedule
The four-time world champion has acknowledged that a major problem jeopardizes any participation in this season's 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance races, whether at Le Mans or the Nürburgring. Not due to a lack of desire or preparation, but because of a scheduling conflict. F1 which has become incompatible with a serious approach to this type of test.
Verstappen has harbored a well-known fascination for GT racing for several years. Alongside his F1 career, the Dutchman has structured his own program with Verstappen.com Racing, multiplying GT3 tests and targeted commitments.
During the off-season, he once again took the wheel of GT cars, a return to his roots which he openly claims.
"It was great to be back on track with the GT3s, cars that I love." “, he confided to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
More Verstappen He refuses to rush things. His message is clear: endurance racing will not be a mere symbolic detour, but a project carried out with the same rigor as F1.
« If I do something in motorsport, it's not just to be present. I want to be competitive. Always. »
In 2025, Verstappen He took advantage of the rare breaks in the F1 calendar to achieve key milestones. He competed in rounds of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) in GT4, in order to obtain the necessary license to race on the Nordschleife in GT3.
Objective achieved and even surpassed, as he then won his very first GT3 race in the NLS. A clear signal: Verstappen He doesn't come to learn, but to perform.
These experiences are part of a deliberate trajectory towards major endurance races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
However, in 2026, as in this year, the reality is undeniable. Le Mans directly clashes with the Spanish Grand Prix. The verdict is clear: impossible.
As for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, scheduled for a week before the Canadian Grand Prix, the situation remains unclear. The problem isn't the race itself, but everything leading up to it.
"The preparatory races coincide with the Formula 1 calendar" ", Explain Verstappen.
"I would like to compete in this event in the best possible conditions. If that's not the case, it doesn't make sense." »
Without these essential preparation races on the Nordschleife, Verstappen believes that participation would be incomplete — and contrary to his standards.
The message is clear: Verstappen will go into endurance, but not at any price. As long as the F1 will dictate such a rigid schedule, his debut in the major classics will remain conditional.
Le Mans will have to wait. So will the Nürburgring.
But there is no indication that this postponement is a renunciation, only a matter of timing.
