The opening phase of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring was pure spectacle. Crashes, collisions, packed stands. But according to Jeroen Bleekemolen, that is no news at all. “It’s actually always been like this,” he says in Formula 1 Paddock Talk. “Ten years ago or when I won it, we also started off this fast.”
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The difference this year? Max Verstappen. The presence of the four-time world champion attracted a new audience to the iconic circuit, and that was also felt among the fans. Bleekemolen was amazed. “I also found it quite special to see that the German fans were super enthusiastic that he participated. They are not all for a German driver like Hülkenberg or something. They just thought it was fantastic that Max took part.”
The Nürburgring has always had its own audience. Connoisseurs, enthusiasts, campers on the hills. But Verstappen brought something new: the F1 world was watching. “Now many more people watched such a race,” says Bleekemolen. “The attention was much more focused because Max was racing. That is fantastic for the sport.”
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