Max Verstappen in action at Nürburgring Nordchleife 24 Hours Qualifiers this weekend

The event, often misunderstood by casual viewers, is not a qualifying round for the main race. Instead, it serves as a critical dress rehearsal, offering teams track time, data gathering, and operational testing in race conditions on one of motorsport’s most demanding circuits.

For Team Verstappen Racing, the weekend carries added weight following the disqualification that stripped Verstappen of victory in NLS2. It is an opportunity to reset and build momentum heading into the marquee endurance event in May.

The format differs slightly from standard Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie rounds. Two four-hour races will take place across the weekend, with Saturday’s race run into the evening to provide valuable night-driving experience around the Nordschleife.

Sunday’s race will be held in daylight, completing a varied programme designed to simulate conditions of the 24-hour race.

Importantly, results from the Qualifiers do not determine the starting grid for the 24-hour race. The focus remains firmly on preparation rather than outright results.

Track action begins on Friday with a non-televised practice session. From Saturday onwards, all sessions will be broadcast live, with the schedule operating on Central European Time.

Saturday features a 90-minute open qualifying session starting at 8:30, followed by the first four-hour race at 17:30.

Sunday introduces a more complex structure. Qualifying begins at 8:15, before the field is split for Top Qualifying at 10:40. This session adopts a three-stage knockout format similar to Formula 1, with cars released individually to avoid traffic and each driver given a single flying lap to set a time.

The final four-hour race of the weekend gets underway at 13:00.

Verstappen will contest both races, sharing driving duties with Lucas Auer. The Austrian, nephew of former Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger, has prior history with Verstappen, having raced against him in the 2014 European Formula 3 Championship.

The pair will compete in the number three Mercedes AMG GT3, with onboard footage from the car expected to be streamed live, as seen during previous Nürburgring outings.

Verstappen has already logged recent mileage at the circuit following the Japanese Grand Prix and was also present with his GT team at Paul Ricard last weekend, underlining the growing focus on his GT3 programme alongside his Formula 1 commitments.

With approximately 11 hours of track running scheduled across the weekend, the Qualifiers represent a vital opportunity to refine performance, strategy, and reliability ahead of one of endurance racing’s most iconic events.

All eyes will now be on the Nordschleife as Verstappen continues to build towards the Nürburgring 24 Hours.