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Max Verstappen has confirmed he is exploring the possibility of making his debut at the Daytona 24 Hours, describing the legendary American endurance event as something he would "love" to do â though he stresses the idea remains far from concrete.
The four-time world champion recently made his 24-hour racing debut at the NĂŒrburgring 24 Hours, competing in a Mercedes-AMG GT3. Verstappen and his co-drivers looked well on course for a maiden victory before a lengthy mechanical failure ended their challenge, ultimately leaving the team to settle for a deflating 38th-place finish after spending the majority of the final hours stranded in the garage.
Despite the bitter outcome, Verstappen emerged from the Nordschleife experience having thoroughly enjoyed the challenge â and his appetite for endurance racing has clearly not been dimmed.
Asked by De Telegraaf whether any further GT events featured on his 2026 calendar, Verstappen was unambiguous: "Outside the Nordschleife I think not."
However, his gaze is already turning to 2027, and specifically to the iconic season-opener in Florida. The Daytona 24 Hours takes place in January, which avoids any conflict with the Formula 1 calendar â a crucial logistical factor for a reigning grand prix driver.
The main complication Verstappen acknowledges is the impact on his pre-season preparation. "If I wanted to do that, I will have to adjust my entire training programme to it," he admitted. "Normally I start preparing for the new season in January. I would then have to adjust that. And I will also have to discuss it with my family."
On the class of car he would target, Verstappen was clear he would opt for a GT3 machine rather than the top-tier GTP category: "It is an idea at the moment, but not concrete yet. I still have plenty of time to think about it. But I would love to do it. And then again in a GT3 car, I think, not in the fastest GTP class."
Beyond Daytona, Verstappen has also kept the door open for a return to the Nordschleife. Having already voiced his desire to race there again â as explored in our piece on Verstappen eyeing a NĂŒrburgring 24 Hours return and calling F1 calendar accommodation "logical" â the Dutchman reiterated his intent: "And if next year's 24 Hours of NĂŒrburgring falls on a non-Formula 1 weekend again, I would like to be back in action there as well."
With two of the world's most prestigious endurance races potentially on his horizon, Verstappen's passion for racing beyond Formula 1's boundaries continues to grow â even if the final decisions remain some way off.
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.