Daniel Juncadella, one of Max Verstappen’s teammates during the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring, reveals that the Dutchman has discovered a clever trick in the setup of their GT3 car. In March, both already participated in NLS2. Together with Jules Gounon, they finished first, although the victory was later declared invalid because the team had used too many sets of tires. Nevertheless, Verstappen made an impression, Juncadella said.
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Many GT3 experts were particularly surprised by Max Verstappen’s opening stint in NLS2. The four-time world champion, who initially started from pole position, was overtaken in the first lap by Nürburgring veteran Christopher Haase. A blistering duel of nearly an hour followed, with Verstappen constantly on Haase’s bumper. His ability to follow the German, even in the fast corners on the Nordschleife, made a great impression.
Clever trick
“It was special to see that he could follow Christopher so well,” Juncadella explained to the German branch of Motorsport.com. “It was the first time he had to race in a GT3 car on this circuit in this way.” In 2025, Verstappen made his debut during NLS9, although at the time he drove in clean air with his Ferrari 296 GT3. In the Mercedes, he drove continuously in Haase’s wake, without losing much time or grip. What was Verstappen’s secret? “He did something very special that we talked about after the race,” Juncadella revealed. “Something I would never have thought of myself, and I’ve been driving GT cars for a long time,” he grinned.
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“I’m not going to reveal what it is, because I’d rather keep that to myself,” the Spaniard responded when asked. “It’s a nice trick he discovered. Maybe I’ll tell it one day.” Regarding Verstappen’s qualities, he said: “It’s not even so much his driving style, but the pure confidence he radiates in a car he hardly knows, on a circuit where you need absolute confidence. In addition, he was lightning fast from the first practice session, and therefore also in the race.”
Verstappen may owe that to his hours of preparation in the simulator. “His experience with sim racing gives him an advantage,” Juncadella admitted. “Through all those online GT races, he understands exactly how to race against others and how to assess situations before they occur. It shows how much passion he has for racing.” Later this month, Verstappen returns to the Nürburgring for the qualifying sessions. The 24-hour race will be held on the weekend of 16 and 17 May.
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