Max Verstappen admitted qualifying for the final pole shootout at the Nürburgring 24 Hours was far from straightforward after battling through a tense session on the legendary Nordschleife circuit on Friday morning.
The Dutch star and his Verstappen Racing crew secured a place in the decisive Top Qualifying 3 session by the narrowest of margins, keeping their hopes alive of claiming pole position for one of the world’s toughest endurance races. Despite the difficult conditions and fierce competition throughout the field, Verstappen said the team achieved exactly what they had targeted heading into qualifying.
Driving for the Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG entry, Verstappen faced intense pressure during TQ2 as several highly competitive GT3 machines fought for the remaining spots in the final shootout. His lap time ultimately placed him sixth in the session, which proved enough to progress into the final stage of qualifying.
Team-mate Lucas Auer had already delivered a strong performance earlier in TQ1 by finishing fifth, helping place the team in a strong position ahead of the decisive pole battle later in the day.
Speaking after the session, Verstappen described the challenge of navigating the Nordschleife at qualifying pace as “extremely tough,” especially with the level of competition throughout the field. The four-time Formula 1 world champion explained that while he felt comfortable inside the car, there was little margin for error around the daunting German circuit.
According to Verstappen, the final lap proved decisive in securing progression into Top Qualifying 3, with the team only just managing to stay inside the cutoff positions. He admitted there was a sense of relief after crossing the line knowing the job had been completed.
The Dutchman also highlighted how important the dry track conditions were for the team’s performance, suggesting the car responded well once the circuit began to improve. With several manufacturers showing impressive pace throughout qualifying, Verstappen acknowledged that even a small mistake could have ended their hopes of advancing.
Attention will now turn to Verstappen’s team-mate Dani Juncadella, who is set to represent the team in the final pole shootout. Twelve cars remain in contention for the prestigious Glickenhaus Trophy, awarded to the fastest team in Top Qualifying 3.
After surviving a tense qualifying battle, Verstappen Racing will now aim to convert its hard-fought progress into a front-row start for the iconic endurance classic at the Nürburgring.