Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen narrowly missed out on the fastest time during the opening qualifying session for the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours after a dramatic and incident-filled Thursday at the legendary Nordschleife circuit.
The first qualifying session was interrupted early following a frightening accident involving two Porsche entries at the Schumacher S section of the track. The No. 900 Black Falcon Team Zimmermann Porsche driven by Alexander Hardt caught fire after stopping on circuit. Hardt had exited the vehicle safely, but moments later Janina Schall, driving the No. 146 Giti Tires by WS Racing Porsche, crashed into the stationary car. Thankfully, both drivers escaped without injury despite the heavy impact and flames.
Once the session resumed, Verstappen quickly became one of the standout performers. After beginning with two cautious installation laps, the Dutch superstar pushed harder with just over an hour remaining and immediately moved toward the front of the timesheets. His first serious flying lap produced an 8:47.982 before he dramatically improved to an impressive 8:18.539, temporarily placing the Verstappen Racing entry at the top of the standings.
At that stage, Verstappen’s pace was significantly quicker than the chasing ROWE Racing BMW machines, which were several seconds adrift. However, the constantly changing conditions around the huge Nürburgring circuit made it difficult for drivers to piece together clean laps. Multiple incidents around the track triggered slow zones and Code 60 restrictions, preventing many competitors from maximizing their performance.
Later in the session, Mercedes-AMG drivers Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon attempted to challenge Verstappen’s benchmark but were unable to better the Dutchman’s time. The balance of power shifted again with around 30 minutes remaining when Fabian Schiller produced a stunning lap for the Ravenol Mercedes-AMG No. 80 shared with Maro Engel, Maxime Martin, and Luca Stolz.
Schiller’s rapid 8:14.957 lap moved the Mercedes squad into first place, while BMW ace Raffaele Marciello slotted into second for ROWE Racing, finishing just over three seconds behind the leading time. Verstappen’s earlier effort eventually left him third overall by the end of the session.
Weather conditions added another layer of unpredictability as rain and even light hail swept across sections of the Nordschleife during the closing stages. The slippery surface prevented further improvements, with most teams instead focusing on gathering valuable wet-weather data.
As the chequered flag fell, Schiller remained fastest ahead of Marciello and Verstappen. Dan Harper secured fourth position in the ROWE BMW No. 99, while Thomas Preining completed the top five for Manthey Porsche in the famous No. 911 entry.