The release of the 2027 Formula 1 calendar has opened the door for Max Verstappen to compete in endurance racing at Mount Panorama. The Bathurst 12 Hour is scheduled for February 12-14, while pre-season F1 testing takes place about a week and a half later. This gives Verstappen a viable window to fly to Australia without disrupting his new season preparations.
Not just Bathurst, the 2027 calendar also avoids clashes with other major endurance events. The Nurburgring 24 Hours (May 27-30), 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 9-13), and Spa 24 (June 24-27) are all free from F1 commitments. This is good news for F1 drivers looking to hone their skills outside the regular championship.
The Bathurst 12 Hour itself is reported to have received record expressions of interest. According to Speedcafe, several new teams are keen to participate. Entries for next year's race will open in the coming weeks. Organisers are clearly hoping a big name like Verstappen can add prestige and international appeal.
Verstappen has links to Ford via Red Bull, but his ties to Mercedes-AMG are arguably stronger. He has a deal with the German manufacturer through Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing. That's not to say he couldn't switch, as Verstappen Racing has previously run with Aston Martin and Ferrari. This flexibility makes speculation about his endurance future increasingly intriguing.
Beyond Bathurst, Le Mans and the Nurburgring stand out for Verstappen and Lando Norris. Verstappen is linked with Ford, while Norris has close ties to McLaren. Verstappen has expressed interest in Le Mans. Meanwhile, Norris recently tested the McLaren MCL-HY, prompting McLaren boss Zak Brown to write, "Wouldn't be surprised to see Lando at Le Mans in the future..."
However, there is a hurdle to overcome. Le Mans is sandwiched between the Monaco and Portuguese GPs, but the pre-event test falls on the same weekend as the Monaco Grand Prix. Participation in the test is mandatory for rookies, who must complete 10 laps of Le Sarthe of which five are timed. Platinum-rated drivers can apply to the ACO (Automobile Club de l'Ouest) for a dispensation to complete the minimum lap threshold on the Wednesday prior to the 24-hour race. This could be a way out, but it still requires negotiation and approval.
The last active F1 driver to compete at Le Mans was Fernando Alonso in 2018 with Toyota. Alonso pulled off a triple-header in 2018, racing at Montreal before heading to Le Mans and then onto Paul Ricard. Alonso's success shows that F1 drivers can be competitive at Le Mans with proper preparation.
McLaren will have at least two cars at Le Mans, while Ford, the engine supplier for Red Bull and Racing Bulls, will also enter two cars. Currently, McLaren and Ford are only committed to the FIA World Endurance Championship, meaning there are no additional cars they could call upon from the IMSA SportsCar Championship like Cadillac has done in the past. Both programs are in their infancy, and a third entry could be considered too tall a task to take on in what will be the first time Ford and McLaren have entered Le Mans in the Hypercar era.
The alternative is that drivers slot into one of those two cars. McLaren looks set to enter WEC with a two-driver line-up, meaning adding a Norris or Oscar Piastri would be easy enough. Only Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor have been confirmed by McLaren. The other cars look likely to be driven by Alex Lynn and Malthe Jakobsen. In any case, McLaren will need a third driver for each car at Le Mans. Norris himself tested the McLaren MCL-HY at Portimao recently, completing 38 laps of the grand prix circuit. This is a strong signal that he is seriously considering a future in endurance racing.
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