The 2026 ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring arrives with rare global attention. Max Verstappen brings Formula 1 star power to the Nordschleife, while the Intercontinental GT Challenge adds championship weight to an already fierce GT3 contest. As a result, the race promises one of the most anticipated editions in recent memory.
Verstappen turns the spotlight towards the Green Hell
Verstappen’s entry has transformed the build-up. The four-time Formula 1 world champion will make his 24-hour Nürburgring debut in the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo alongside Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella. As a result, the event has reached a historic commercial milestone: weekend tickets have sold out for the first time, with only limited single-day tickets remaining.
Moreover, the circuit has told ticket-holding spectators to arrive early and confirmed that fans will not be able to buy tickets on site. That surge underlines Verstappen’s pull, although the 2026 race already had major sporting depth through its record SP9 entry and wider 161-car field.
Verstappen has also prepared carefully for the Nordschleife. He gained his DMSB Permit Nordschleife in 2025, then won NLS9 with Chris Lulham in an Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3. He later continued preparations at NLS2 in his own Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, taking victory from pole before the team lost the result because of a tyre allocation infringement.
Even so, the challenge remains huge. Verstappen must now manage night running, changing conditions, slower-class traffic and the relentless rhythm of the Green Hell across 24 hours.
The Nordschleife creates a race like no other
The Nürburgring 24 Hours tests drivers in a way few events can match. The 25.378km circuit combines the modern Grand Prix layout with the Nordschleife, while 300,000 spectators create one of motorsport’s most intense atmospheres.
Crucially, the event does not use Safety Cars in the same way as many major endurance races. Consequently, teams must react quickly to local slow zones, traffic patterns and weather changes. Strategy, patience and timing matter as much as outright pace.
That unique format explains why the Intercontinental GT Challenge values the race so highly. The Nürburgring rewards complete GT3 programmes, not just fast cars.
Mercedes-AMG starts with momentum
Mercedes-AMG arrives as the early IGTC leader after its Bathurst 12 Hour victory. The brand also brings a powerful Nürburgring line-up, with Verstappen sharing a Winward-run car alongside Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella.
Even so, the sister Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol car could pose an equal threat. Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and Maxime Martin bring deep Nürburgring experience, and Engel knows how to win the race after his 2016 success.
Meanwhile, PROsport and KCMG strengthen the Mercedes-AMG challenge. Mikaël Grenier shares the PROsport entry with Adam Christodoulou, while KCMG fields Jesse Krohn and David Pittard, both former Nürburgring 24 Hours winners.
Porsche attacks with strength in numbers
Porsche brings the largest IGTC manufacturer presence, with 13 eligible 911 GT3 R Evo entries. That depth makes the brand a serious favourite, especially as six of those entries carry Pro driver combinations.
Manthey Racing remains the key reference point. The team’s famous “Grello” Porsche returns with Kevin Estre, Ayhancan Güven and Thomas Preining after taking pole and narrowly missing victory last year.
However, Porsche does not rely on Manthey alone. Dinamic GT, Falken Motorsports, Dunlop Motorsport, Lionspeed GP and High Class Racing all add strength. In particular, the Lionspeed GP entry combines Laurens Vanthoor, Laurin Heinrich and Ricardo Feller, giving Porsche another front-running option.
BMW chases another landmark Nürburgring win
BMW enters with three M4 GT3 Evo cars and a clear target: extend its Nürburgring 24 Hours record. The marque already leads the race’s all-time victory count, and it returns with the defending winning structure at ROWE Racing.
Raffaele Marciello, Augusto Farfus and Kelvin van der Linde remain central to BMW’s push, while Jordan Pepper adds proven GT3 quality. The second ROWE car also looks formidable, with Dan Harper, Max Hesse, Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor.
Schubert Motorsport completes BMW’s factory-strength challenge with Marco Wittmann, Philipp Eng, Charles Weerts and Robin Frijns. Together, the three BMW entries give the brand both pace and tactical flexibility.
Ferrari brings one sharp weapon
Ferrari has only one IGTC points-scoring entry, but that does not remove it from contention. Realize Kondo Racing with Rinaldi will run the 296 GT3 Evo, and the car has already shown enough pace to earn a Top Qualifying 3 place.
David Perel and Thomas Neubauer continue in the programme, while Dennis Marschall and Thierry Vermeulen add fresh speed. Ferrari’s previous-generation car won the race in 2023, so the Italian brand knows it can conquer the Nordschleife.
Therefore, Ferrari may lack numbers, but it has enough quality to disrupt the bigger manufacturer squads.
Ford looks for a clean Nürburgring breakthrough
Ford brings three works-prepared Mustang GT3 Evos to the race. After a frustrating Bathurst, the brand now has a major chance to score IGTC points and show the Mustang’s development on a circuit that has shaped the programme.
Chris Mies, Dennis Olsen, Fred Vervisch and Arjun Maini lead Ford’s attack. Meanwhile, David Schumacher adds recent Nürburgring form after finishing fifth overall in 2025.
The Mustang still needs a defining endurance result. A strong Nürburgring performance would move the project forward and give Ford valuable championship momentum.
Top Qualifying adds another layer of tension
The organisers have changed the Top Qualifying format for 2026. Top Qualifying 1 will include 49 cars from SP9, SP-X, SP-Pro and AT1. From there, the fastest 20 eligible cars move towards the next stage, while several already-qualified cars wait for the final shootout.
Five cars have already secured Top Qualifying 3 places: the #45 Kondo/Rinaldi Ferrari, #16 Scherer Sport PHX Audi, #47 KCMG Mercedes-AMG, #1 ROWE BMW and #84 Red Bull Team ABT Lamborghini.
The final 12 cars will then run at 60-second intervals, with their best time across two laps setting the first six rows. This format should reward precision, nerve and a clear track.
A race built for chaos and opportunity
The 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours has every ingredient for a classic. Verstappen brings global attention, Mercedes-AMG leads the IGTC fight, Porsche brings depth, BMW brings proven winners, Ferrari brings a focused threat and Ford brings ambition.
Yet the Nordschleife rarely follows expectations. Traffic, darkness, weather and mechanical strain can reshape the race within minutes. Consequently, the winner will need more than headline speed. They will need discipline, adaptability and the nerve to survive 24 hours in the Green Hell.
