Verstappen Escapes Huge Early Nurburgring 24H Crash Scare

Max Verstappen narrowly avoided a major accident only moments after taking over the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 during the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours.

The Dutch driver climbed into the Verstappen Racing machine at the beginning of the second hour after team-mate Dani Juncadella completed a dramatic opening stint.

Juncadella had already been involved in several incidents earlier in the race, including contact with the race leader during the chaotic opening laps. Despite the drama, the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 remained in third position when Verstappen took over.

Baca JugaLivery Schumacher Kembali Hidup di Nurburgring 24 Jam

However, the situation immediately turned tense when Verstappen lost control of the car after hitting a bump through one of the Nordschleife’s high-speed sections. The GT3 machine suddenly snapped sideways and ran onto the grass.

From a technical perspective, the Nordschleife remains extremely dangerous due to its severe elevation changes and uneven surface, which can easily destabilise a car at high speed, especially when the tyres and suspension are under heavy lateral load.

Verstappen was forced onto the grass to avoid a larger spin before somehow managing to avoid crashing into the barriers by an incredibly small margin.

The moment instantly became one of the most dramatic incidents of the opening stages of the Nürburgring 24 Hours, with Verstappen coming extremely close to losing the car entirely during the most demanding endurance debut of his career.

Rapidly changing track conditions are also believed to have contributed significantly to the scare. The combination of cold temperatures, low grip, and dense multi-class traffic has already made stability difficult for several drivers around the Nordschleife.

Although Verstappen successfully avoided a major crash, the incident highlighted just how narrow the margin for error is at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Even the smallest loss of grip or slight mistake can instantly end a race.

With rain and fog expected to worsen overnight, Verstappen is now likely to face an even greater challenge as the endurance classic enters its long nighttime phase around the Nordschleife.