Max qualifies for the battle for pole at the Ring: 'Goal achieved'
Published on 15 May 2026 by Stefan Meens
Max Verstappen ensured Verstappen Racing booked its place in the Nurburgring 24 Hours Top Qualifying 3, allowing the team to contest for pole. In Top Qualifying 1, Lucas Auer ensured Verstappen Racing progressed to Top Qualifying 2, in which Max finished sixth.
“I felt good in the car. Of course, our goal was to get into the Top Qualifying 3. That isn’t an easy task with this level of competition. There are a lot of fast cars, but we managed to do it. The last lap was just fast enough. Luckily it was dry and the car felt good.”
Max also reflected on his first Nordschleife laps in the night. “Yesterday, there were a lot of changing conditions and for me it was the first time in probably the worst circumstances with the rain and fog. But at least it gave me a good idea of what could be coming our way in the race.”
In the Top Qualifying sessions, the fastest teams battle for the best starting position for the 24 hours race on Saturday. The SP9 category, in which Verstappen Racing field their Mercedes AMG GT3, also contests these sessions. In Top Qualifying 1, the twenty fastest cars progress to Top Qualifying 2. The seven fastest cars will then fight for pole position in Top Qualifying 3.
In Top Qualifying 1, Lucas Auer drives the Verstappen Racing Mercedes. The Austrian slowly but gradually finds the pace in his Mercedes. His first timed effort is only 14th fastest before lappig quicker each subsequent lap. In the end, Mattia Drudi is quickest, with Auer finishing in fifth, enough to progress.
Max Verstappen’s first time in Top Qualifying 2, 8:14.459, is quickest at that point. Soon after, one of the favourites for pole position, Marco Engel in the #80 Mercedes-AMG GT3, crashes and causes a Code 60. It is not until the closing stages of the session, with only a few minutes left, that the track is cleared and the drivers head out on one more timed lap.
Max’s 8:11.614 is initially the second quickest lap behind Nicholas Yelloly, but in the closing stages Christian Engelhart, Christian Krognes, Ayhancan Güven, Arjun Maini and Dennis Olsen lap the ring quicker, meaning Verstappen.com has to settle for sixth, which is enough to make it into Top Qualifying 3.
The 54th edition of the 24h Nürburgring starts at 15.00 CEST on Saturday 16 May and finishes 24 hours later on Sunday 17 May. You can watch it live on Viaplay.com or via Red Bull TV and the Red Bull Motorsports YouTube channel.
