The Max Verstappen team qualified fourth on Friday for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. The Dutchman – who is making his debut in the German classic this weekend – had to yield to two ABT Lamborghinis and Christopher Haase’s Audi. Two-time winner Nicky Catsburg, whose GT3 Lamborghini is in second place on the grid, told Formule1.nl that Verstappen Racing secretly has a perfect starting position from P4.
Read more Iconic F1 livery makes a comeback during 24 Hours of Nürburgring
Daniel Juncadella, hypercar driver in the WEC, recorded the fourth fastest time in the decisive top qualifying on Friday. This means the now famous Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Verstappen Racing will start from the second row on Saturday. On the front row are the Lamborghinis of Red Bull ABT, including the green car driven by Nicky Catsburg among others. The Dutchman, who won the 24-hour race in 2020 and 2023, explains that the Verstappen garage will be far from dissatisfied with that qualifying.
Balance of Performance
“Of course, you have to deal with the BoP (Balance of Performance),” explained the Amersfoort native. “In GT3, so many different types of cars compete that the organization has to intervene to create a level playing field. Such a Lamborghini, for example, is not comparable to a BMW M4.” For Catsburg, the BoP meant that the minimum weight of his car was increased by five kilograms. “But I ate little yesterday, so that helps,” he joked.
Read more Nürburgring title defender praises Verstappen’s participation: ‘Highlights GT3 racing’
The 38-year-old driver explained that Verstappen’s team deliberately held back some time to avoid ending up on the front row; in that case, the organization might have intervened more strictly with additional BoP measures. Thanks to the fourth starting position, the requirements have remained unchanged compared to earlier sessions. “Verstappen actually did it perfectly,” Catsburg admitted. “From P4 or P5 you might have the best starting position.” Yet that tactic is delicate. “Of course, you don’t want to fall back too far either,” he concluded. “Then you could lose half a minute at the start and immediately fall behind.”
Read more Former FIA chief Somerville joins Alpine: ‘Back in Enstone again’
Read everything about the GP Canada here
