Verstappen “Very Excited” for N24, Open to Extra NLS Races

Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen has opened up on his motivations for contesting this year’s Nürburgring 24, adding he is open to the possibility of contesting extra NLS races should the grand prix calendar change amid the current Middle East conflict.

Earlier this week, the four-time F1 world champion was confirmed for his debut in the Eifel classic at the wheel of a Winward Racing-prepared Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo entered under the Verstappen Racing banner, and will also contest this month’s NLS2.

It follows Verstappen’s first flirtations with the Nordschleife last year, as he contested two NLS rounds in between his F1 commitments for Red Bull Racing.

Asked in the drivers’ press conference ahead of this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai about his motivation for contesting the N24, Verstappen: “Because it’s one of the best races in the world. It’s one of the best tracks.

“Honestly in a GT car, for me, that’s the perfect speed around there. I think if you drive anything faster it could be a bit dangerous in places.

“It’s just everything [about the race]. I’ve been watching it of course for a long time. I know a lot of my friends that have been racing in it already. They say it’s one of the best things ever. And I like racing other cars as well.

“This was basically the first time that I could do it properly. I’m very excited to see also how we are going to perform.

“It’s a very stacked lineup and field in general, so I’m looking forward to it.”

The possibility of Verstappen entering extra NLS races has increased amid the uncertainty surrounding the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia F1 Grands Prix, scheduled for April 12 and 19 respectively, due to the ongoing conflict U.S./Israel-Iran conflict, which already led the FIA World Endurance Championship to postpone its Qatar opener.

Should the races be called off, it would open up the chance for the Dutchman to contest both NLS3 and the N24 Qualifiers on top of his already-confirmed NLS2 outing.

“If something happens with the calendar, I will have a look what is possible,” he said when asked about the possibility of adding further NLS races to his schedule.

Verstappen’s N24 foray comes against the backdrop of radical change in the F1 regulations this year, particularly regarding the introduction of a new generation of power units that are much more reliant on electrical power generated by the MGU-K.

This has led to drivers being forced to lift-and-coast on qualifying laps during last weekend’s season opener at Melbourne, as well as yo-yo battles in the race as drivers ran out of electrical power and harvested energy at different times.

The changes have prompted many F1 drivers to criticize the new formula, with Verstappen himself likening it to “Formula E on steroids” during pre-season testing.

Verstappen admitted he “wished I had a bit more fun at the moment here [in F1]” but said he was grateful that F1 employer Red Bull “lets me do all these things.”

He also made it clear his driving enjoyment pleasure was not directly linked to the speed of the cars he races, but also the paddock environment.

“It’s a little bit more old-school, less political [away from F1], which probably I enjoy a bit more,” said the Dutchman. “I can probably be a bit more myself. That is what I enjoy, plus of course these races like all the big endurance ones I want to do.

“It is something that when I was a kid as well my Dad [Jos] was doing. I think I don’t need to be only a Formula 1 driver; I can also do other things.

“I have done this [F1] already for a while and I have achieved everything that I wanted to achieve, so that is why I want to explore also other things and I do not want to do them when I am 40 years old. So now I think it is the perfect age to do it.”