Full schedule Nürburgring 24 Hours and Verstappen's debut
Max Verstappen is set to make his 24 Hours of Nürburgring debut this weekend, between May 14 and 17 — and all eyes will be on the iconic Nordschleife as one of Formula 1's biggest names takes on endurance racing's most demanding circuit.
The four-time world champion will contest the race alongside team-mates Jules Gounon, Dani Juncadella, and Lucas Auer, the four-strong crew sharing a Mercedes GT3 across the gruelling 24-hour distance. With the race having sold out weekend tickets for the first time in its history, the appetite for Verstappen's endurance debut has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Qualifying: A Multi-Stage Gauntlet
The action gets underway on Thursday, May 14, with the opening qualifying practice session starting at 13:15 local time. The two-hour session will lay down the first meaningful lap times of the weekend before the circuit comes alive again that evening.
At 20:00, a second qualifying practice session begins — and for Verstappen, this represents a valuable opportunity to build experience behind the wheel in the dark, with the Nordschleife's legendary Green Hell presenting an entirely different challenge once the sun goes down.
The fastest GT3 cars — including Verstappen's Mercedes entry — are, in principle, automatically qualified for Top Qualifying 1, which is scheduled for Friday, May 15, at 10:45. From there, the format intensifies rapidly.
The Road to Pole Position
The 20 fastest cars from Top Qualifying 1 progress to Top Qualifying 2 at 11:05, with a final qualifying practice session slotted in at 12:00 between TQ2 and TQ3. Then, from 13:35, the 12 fastest cars go head-to-head in Top Qualifying 3, competing for pole position in one of motorsport's most prestigious events.
It is a complex, multi-layered qualifying format — and as we explained in our full breakdown of how Verstappen will navigate the Nürburgring qualifying gauntlet, the Dutchman faces the full process without exemption.
Race Day: 24 Hours Begins
The main event fires into life on Saturday, May 17, at 15:00 local time. Twenty-four hours later, when the chequered flag falls, the winner of one of endurance motorsport's most coveted prizes will be known.
Don't miss a moment of it.
All times listed are in 24-hour clock format and local to the Nürburgring.
Full 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours Schedule
Thursday, May 14
- 13:15 — Qualifying Practice 1 (ends 15:15)
- 20:00 — Qualifying Practice 2
Friday, May 15
- 10:45 — Top Qualifying 1
- 11:05 — Top Qualifying 2
- 12:00 — Final Qualifying Practice
- 13:35 — Top Qualifying 3 (Pole Position shoot-out, top 12 cars)
Saturday, May 17
- 15:00 — 24 Hours of Nürburgring — Race Start
Sunday, May 18
- 15:00 — Race Finish
Simone Scanu
He’s 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.