Nurburgring 24 Hours, 15:00-18:00: #3 takes the lead: 'Good first stint'

Published on 16 May 2026 by Stefan Meens

In an exhilarating opening phase of the Nurburgring 24 Hours, the #3 Verstappen Racing team leads the race after three hours of intense racing which saw the drivers face wheel-to-wheel action, several crashes and rain.

“My stint went well. I did have some traffic at the start, which was difficult to get through. After that, it was slippery because of the rain and that’s where I was able to make the difference. The car felt good and I tried to stay out of trouble, whilst also trying to push and be on the limit. That’s always a difficult compromise to strike, but it went well.”

At 2pm local time, Verstappen Racing enters its biggest challenge yet as the 54th running of the Nurburgring 24 Hours race gets underway. Dani Juncadella starts in the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 from fourth place. At the start the Spaniard jumps the #16 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Scherer Sport PHX to move up into third. Pole sitter Mirko Bortolotti in the #84 Red Bull Team ABT (Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II) is forced to make a pitstop after brief contact with Juncadella has caused a puncture.

After the first lap, the #130 Red Bull Team ABT leads  #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, closely followed by the #911 Manthey Racing GmbH. On the second lap, Juncadella eyes up a move for the lead, but whilst navigating traffic, the Spaniard has to brake and concede two positions to the #7 Lamborghini and #911 Porsche.

Four laps in, the top three are entangled in a close fight for the lead. Estre (#911) overtakes Paul (#7) to go second. Due to a 32s second time penalty for the leading #130, the #911 inhertis the lead.

After seven laps, Juncadella’s first stint comes to an end, and hands over to Max. The Dutchman joins the race in tenth. After closing the gap to Adam Christodoulou on lap eight and nine, Max overtakes the #26 Mercedes-AMG GT3 (PROsport racing) at the end of lap nine.

Two laps later, after an exciting battle with Christian Engelhart in the #7 Lamborghini, Max moves into eighth, trailing the #911 Porsche by eight seconds. On lap twelve, Marcel Flugel (#75 Max Kruse Racing) crashes at Schwedenkreuz, parking is Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, in the barrier, thus causing a code 60.

Meanwhile, Max continues to move forward and after overtaking the #47 KCMG, the Dutchman is fifth. Soon after, Max’s compatriat and friend Thierry Vermeulen has entered the race in the #45 Ferrari 296 GT3. Unfortunately for Thierry, his race lasts less than a lap after a backmarker pushes him wide, resulting in a hefty crash for Vermeulen.

After fourteen laps, Max makes his first stop for tyres and fuel. After emerging from the pitlane, the #3 is still in fifth, chasing the #911. As the pair head into lap sixteen, Max overtakes Ayhancan Güven with a stunning move on the brakes into the first corner to move into fourth.

Meanwhile, the rain is coming down and making the Ring more treacherous than it already iss. Several cars slide off the circuit but Max continues to keep the pace in his Merc, moving up into third.

With the race nearing the three-hour mark, the #3 Mercedes seizes its opportunity; following a code 60, Max pounces by passing the #67 and #34 to take the lead.

Nürburgring 24 Hours - Classification after 1 hour, at 16:00
Nürburgring 24 Hours - Classification after 3 hours, at 18:00