Who are the main contenders for the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours?
- Owen Bradley
- May 13
- 7 min read
Updated: May 14
A four-time world champion, reigning champions back to defend their title, previous winners looking to take back their crown and newcomers galore. The 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours has an absolutely stacked grid. DIVEBOMB's Owen Bradley takes you through the main contenders ahead of the race weekend.
No.3 Winward Racing Mercedes - Verstappen, Juncadella, Gounon, Auer
Max Verstappen will be competing this weekend at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, driving the No.3 Winward Racing Mercedes. The Dutchman will be joined by Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer as the four men look to split the 24 hour endurance race between themselves, with each driver's stint likely to last around six hours.
Verstappen has competed at the Nürburgring since September 2025, with the four-time F1 champion racing in various NLS races at the circuit, in both GT4 and GT3 machinery. The Dutchman received his DMSB Nordschleife Permit A (Grade A) after competing in a Porsche Cayman GT4 around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. With the licence, it enabled Verstappen to compete in GT3 machinery around the challenging German circuit.
The Dutchman's first SP9 race around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, was in a Ferrari 296 GT3 car - with Verstappen racing for Emil Frey Racing. Verstappen's GT3 debut at the Nürburgring went perfectly, with the Dutchman claiming victory in NLS9 with Chris Lulham.
The pair shared the No.31 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari in the four-hour event, where Verstappen was able to hone his skills and race-craft around the circuit, eventually bringing home the overall race victory.
In March 2026, Verstappen returned to the Nürburgring for NLS2, this time driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 car with Winward Racing. The Dutchman faced firm competition, particularly in Christopher Haase, who was racing for the No.16 Scherer Sport Audi squad. The duo battled several times down the back straight and into the final sequence of corners at the Nürburgring, with Verstappen coming out on top, at least on the circuit.
Post-race, Verstappen and the No.3 Winward Racing Mercedes team were disqualified from the race after the team used one set of tyres too many during the weekend. Despite the disappointment, Verstappen still took on a GT racing legend in Haase and came out on top, crossing the line in first place.
Shortly after NLS2, the Dutchman announced his participation in the Intercontinental GT Challenge's ADAC Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Verstappen returned to the Nürburgring to compete in the N24 Qualifiers in April, which would be the Dutchman's final race around the Nordschelife before the iconic 24-hour event. Unfortunately, Verstappen was forced to endure another difficult race alongside Lucas Auer.
Despite an electrifying start to race 2, which saw Verstappen and the No.3 Winward Mercedes overtake several cars after starting from fifth on the grid, the Dutchman would be locked into battle with Christopher Haase once again.
The pair exchanged several overtakes, particularly down the back straight and final sequence of corners once again, with this part of the circuit seemingly being the easiest to draw alongside a rival and attempt to out-brake them.
Towards the end of the first half of the race, Verstappen had opened a mammoth 30-second lead on Haase and the No.16 Scherer Sport Audi team, but this would suddenly dissipate after Verstappen's No.3 Winward Mercedes hit debris, causing the front air intake grill to be severely damaged. Unfortunately for Verstappen and Auer, they would be stuck inside the garage for around half an hour, before eventually resurfacing.
With fierce competitors who have competed in this race and around the circuit several times, this will not be as clear-cut as one might first think, with an F1 champion taking on GT drivers in a 24-hour event.
Verstappen's race-craft and pace will surely enable the No.3 Winward Racing Mercedes team to be able to compete at the very front of the field, however they will be up against GT legends like Kevin Estre and Christopher Haase. The latter of which, has raced directly against Verstappen in the last two events.
The Dutchman himself will relish the race distance and stint time, as Verstappen has only been able to enjoy roughly 2-hour stints around the Nordschleife so far. With the four-time F1 champion set to drive for around six hours in total it will be very different to what he is used to in the single seater field.
Max Verstappen certainly can win the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2026, however, with Winward Racing getting disqualified from NLS2 and the Dutchman picking up damage in the ADAC 24h Qualifiers Race 2, a victory around the Nordschleife is going to require relentless pace, minimal mistakes, a strong qualifying position and luck with slow traffic and incidents on circuit. Whilst Verstappen remains a fan favourite ahead of the event, there are several other teams and drivers that could still take victory.
No.16 Scherer Sport Audi - Haase, Sims, Green
With Haase duelling with Verstappen for two races, and the No.16 Scherer Sport Audi squad coming out on top in April, the team consisting of Haase, Alexander Sims and Ben Green are one of the favourites to secure the win.
Haase himself boasts two wins at this event, among other impressive victories including the Spa 24 Hours. The German will be racing on home soil, has a strong track record around the circuit and seemingly may have both the car and the team to back him up.
Sims is a driver with a series of accolades. Sims has won the Nürburgring 24 Hours before in 2020 with Rowe Racing, driving a BMW M6 GT3 machine. Interestingly, Sims also finished runner-up behind Haase in 2017.
The Brit is also an IMSA champion in both the GTP and GTD Pro classes, making him a phenomenal addition to this squad, as he can adapt to a variety of different machinery, and has the pace to hold his own. Sims has also won in Formula E, among three podiums in that championship.
Ben Green, whilst the least experienced out of the trio, has won the Nürburgring 24 Hours in the SP10 class back in 2022, and subsequently does know what it takes to win around such a challenging circuit.
No.1 Rowe Racing BMW - Farfus, Marciello, Pepper, K. van der Linde
Rowe Racing's No.1 entry is perhaps one of the most experienced and competitive line-ups on the grid, with modern Sportscar champions and winners all competing together as a Sportscar super-team.
Augusto Farfus took victory at this event just last season with Rowe Racing, along with Raffaele Marciello and Kelvin van der Linde.
Van der Linde is a two-time winner of this event, previously winning in 2022 with Audi Sport Phoenix. Jordan Pepper is also a heavily experienced driver who has won many GT races in the European championship, and has finished runner-up twice in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint and Endurance cups.
With such fierce competition out on track, this team represents a more pure sportscar squad, drivers who have forged their careers predominantly in GT3 machinery. Therefore, this naturally makes them one of the favourites to win this weekend.
No.99 Rowe Racing BMW - Harper, D. Vanthoor and S. van der Linde
The sister Rowe Racing BMW will also be one to look out for, with another strong line-up of drivers that have forged their careers in GT3 cars.
Dries Vanthoor has won this event twice, both in the top class, back in 2019 and 2022 with Audi. Vanthoor is a thoroughly experienced Sportscar driver who has been competing at the Nürburgring since 2016, and currently races for BMW in the Hypercar class in the World Endurance Championship.
Dan Harper is a British GT Champion who currently competes in several GT racing championships, including the WEC LMGT3 class. Harper is an emerging talent in the Sportscar racing scene, and won on his debut in the WEC at Imola. The Briton is also partnered with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi for the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.
Sheldon van der Linde is also an experienced Sportscar driver who has won the DTM championship back in 2022. Van der Linde has finished runner-up at the Nürburgring twice with Rowe Racing, back in 2021 and 2023. The South African also currently competes in the WEC Hypercar class, and recently took a maiden victory in the championship at Spa-Francorchamps with BMW.
No.911 Manthey Racing Porsche - Estre, Güven and Preining
Kevin Estre, Ayhancan Güven and Thomas Preining have proven to be extraordinary drivers in their own right, but together they are near unstoppable. They will be hoping to end their runner-up streak with a victory this weekend.
Kevin Estre stands out in particular, as the Frenchman took victory at the circuit back in 2021 with Manthey and Porsche, carving his way through the field to take an extraordinary victory. Estre has also won the World Endurance Championship in the Hypercar class, as well as wins at the 24 Hours of Spa and 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTE Pro class.
The German is a particularly fast and aggressive driver who has proven himself as perhaps one of, if not the greatest modern Sportscar driver.
Thomas Preining has also been at the wheel of the No.911 Manthey Porsche for some time now, especially alongside Estre. Preining is yet to take a victory at the prestigious 24-hour race, and has finished as runner-up twice in a row. Preining is a champion in the DTM, taking the crown back in 2023.
Finally, Ayhancan Güven completes the strong line-up, as a DTM champion in 2025 and part of the Manthey squad that finished runner-up for the last two seasons. Güven has proved his speed and race-craft, and has enough experience to know exactly what he's doing around the Nordschleife.
The No.911 Porsche is certainly one of, if not the outright favourite to take victory at the Nürburgring.
The 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours gets underway on Thursday, with qualifying in the afternoon. The race starts on Saturday at 15:00 local time.
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