Max Verstappen has opened up on the allure of taking part in high-profile endurance races away from Formula 1.<\/p>\n
The four-time F1 World Champion is set to take part in the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May, dovetailing alongside his usual F1 role.<\/p>\n
Max Verstappen explains Nurburgring 24 Hours plans alongside Formula 1<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Away from the Formula 1 paddock, Verstappen set about achieving his DMSB Permit (colloquially known as a Nurburgring Ring Licence), which will allow him to take part in top-level GT3 racing at the German venue.<\/p>\n Following months of speculation, Verstappen has been confirmed as taking part in the Nurburgring 24 Hours endurance race in May.<\/p>\n The event is scheduled for the weekend of May 14-17, taking place between the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix.<\/p>\n Verstappen will compete behind the wheel of a Mercedes-AMG GT3 car under the banner of the Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing outfit.<\/p>\n He will share driving duties with Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon, and Daniel Juncadella, with the car appearing in a Red Bull<\/a>-branded livery.<\/p>\n At present, the event is the only non-F1 race Verstappen is confirmed for, but there is the possibility the Dutch driver could appear in one of the qualifying events scheduled during April, should the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix be cancelled.<\/p>\n Asked whether it\u2019s important to him to get enjoyment in another racing series away from F1, at a time when the four-time F1 World Champion has made it clear he isn\u2019t enjoying the driving dynamics, he said, \u201cWell, I mean, this was, of course, already planned, regardless of what I\u2019m driving this year.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, I wish I had a bit more fun at the moment here [in F1], of course, but, at the same time, I\u2019m also very happy that, also with the team here, they let me do all these things.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just something that I\u2019m, of course, looking forward to. Besides that, if something happens with the calendar, I\u2019ll have a look at what\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/p>\n More on Max Verstappen<\/p>\n Max Verstappen jokes he swapped simulator for Mario Kart but insists he won\u2019t leave F1<\/a><\/p>\n Max Verstappen makes new announcement after Australian Grand Prix<\/a><\/p>\n With Verstappen being open and honest about his thoughts on the new F1 regulations, which demand the drivers to fight some of their natural instincts in order to maximise speed through diligent energy management, the Dutch driver was asked whether his enjoyment of racing is based purely on the speed of the cars he\u2019s driving.<\/p>\n \u201cNot really because, I mean, then the pleasure would be still very high here, right? Because it\u2019s the highest speed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s just a way of working with people. It\u2019s a bit of a different environment as well, that you\u2019re in the paddock.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say probably a little bit more old school, less political, which I probably enjoy a bit more. I can probably be a bit more myself. That\u2019s what I enjoy.<\/p>\n \u201cPlus, of course, these races, like all the big endurance ones I want to do, are something that when I was a kid, my dad [Jos] was doing as well.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I don\u2019t need to be only a Formula 1 driver. I can also do other things, especially since I\u2019ve done this already for a while, and I\u2019ve achieved everything that I wanted to achieve.<\/p>\n \u201cSo that\u2019s why I want to explore also other things, and I don\u2019t want to do that when I\u2019m 40 years old. So now I think it\u2019s the perfect age to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n