Max Verstappen participated last weekend in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. His team was in contention for the victory for a long time but ultimately retired due to a technical issue. Until that moment, everything went smoothly, and Verstappen impressed with several beautiful overtaking maneuvers. However, he consciously chose to let teammate Daniel Juncadella start – the Spaniard explains why.
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In an interview with the Spanish SoyMotor, Juncadella explains why he drove the first hour on Saturday before Verstappen began the first double stint. The Dutchman reportedly personally asked him to open the race after qualifying. “I remember an important conversation with Max (Verstappen, ed.),” he said. “He had basically done all the preparation races, and the whole weekend was focused on his participation.”
‘Max wants to fight with everyone’
Juncadella therefore felt extra pressure at the start. “Imagine if something happens in the first lap and Max can’t get in the car,” said the Spaniard. Still, Verstappen insisted that Juncadella should start. “After qualifying, he came up to me and said: ‘It’s better if you start. I know myself: if I’m in fourth place, I want to fight with everyone immediately. But it’s a 24-hour race, so you have to start.’”
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According to Juncadella, that worked well for his confidence. “That did me good,” he beamed. “I felt more confident because he gave me that trust.” The choice paid off: after a flawless start, Juncadella handed the wheel over to Verstappen after an hour. He immediately launched a strong charge. At night, he brought his team into the lead, but the victory ultimately eluded them. With three hours remaining, the #3 Mercedes retired with a broken driveshaft.
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