Valentino Rossi has set his sights on participating in the legendary 24 Hours of Nürburgring. The nine-time MotoGP world champion is currently working on obtaining his Nordschleife license, which he wants to qualify him to take part in the iconic endurance classic in 2027. Earlier this year, Max Verstappen put the race in the global spotlight by making a bid for victory with his own racing team.
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Rossi and his management are looking for an opportunity to compete in one of the remaining NLS races this year to meet the admission requirements. Once Rossi has obtained his license, he can take the step to the 24 Hours of Nürburgring with a GT3 car, provided he also meets the other conditions.
The rules around the license were relaxed last winter, giving Rossi new opportunities to add the notorious race on the Nordschleife to his palmares. During the 24 Hours of Spa, he already expressed his ambition. “It seems that you can now obtain the license in one weekend,” he said in an interview with Motorsport.com. “We are in talks with BMW to arrange everything. The 24 Hours of Nürburgring is definitely on my bucket list. I hope we can make it happen together with BMW.”
Busy calendars
A practical challenge remains Rossi’s busy calendar. The driver has committed to a full season in the GT World Challenge Europe in 2026, so he needs to find a suitable moment to complete the required NLS rounds. The double NLS race in September seems an attractive option, although it coincides with the Suzuka 1000 km, an event Rossi also wants to participate in. The NLS season finale on October 10 therefore remains an alternative.
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Rossi is thus the second big name from motorsport to have the race on his wish list. Max Verstappen already took part in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in May, after having competed in several NLS races earlier. During the endurance race, his team led for a long time but a broken wheel suspension eventually spoiled their chances. ‘Team Verstappen Racing’ lost a lot of time in the pit lane and then decided to finish the race with a symbolic last lap. Verstappen and his teammates – Jules Gounon, Lucas Auer, and Daniel Juncadella – ultimately finished in 38th place. Verstappen has stated that he would like to make a comeback in the future. A new participation, however, remains dependent on the F1 calendar.
Endurance experience
Last year, Rossi already took part in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Spa. In France, his team retired at night due to an electrical problem, and in Belgium, he and teammates Rene Rast and Kevin Magnussen, former F1 driver, finished no higher than eleventh place. The Italian spoke afterwards of a lack of pace.
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