Mechanical issues knock Verstappen team out of 24h Nürburgring lead

All was looking good for a debut win for the Verstappen team at the RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring until mechanical issues intervened with less than three hours to go. Shortly after 11:00am local time Max Verstappen handed the leading No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 over to teammate Daniel Juncadella, only for the car to return to the pits two laps later with driveshaft damage, which did not appear to be contact-related.

“My stint went well. Now in daylight, I mainly tried to play it safe while of course still keeping a decent pace," related the four-time F1 world champion, who 77% of RACER readers voted RACER readers voted "Yes" when asked in yesterday's online poll if he would win the race. "It felt like the car was working well. So I just tried to stay out of trouble, which got very close on the last lap when two cars collided in front of me.

"What I like about GT3 racing is the competition and the fact that in an endurance race you alternate with your teammates. At the 24h Nürburgring, the track is also super demanding, so it is simply a good combination. Will I come back next year? Sure – I will definitely try. It always depends a bit on my schedule. But for now, let’s enjoy this race first.”

That enjoyment took a hit just minutes later when Juncadella brought the team's Mercedes-AMG GT3 back to the pits and climbed out as the team began lengthy repairs. The reshuffled fight at the front put the RAVENOL Mercedes-AMG GT3 in front of a chasing pack featuring the No. 34 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO in second place, followed by the No. 99 Rowe BMW, the No. 84 Abt Lamborghini and No. 81 BMW Touring. These five cars look set to decide the battle for the podium in the closing hours.

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