Max Verstappen said he is not put off by the dangers of racing at the Nurburgring as he continues his preparations for next month’s 24-hour race at the legendary circuit this weekend.
The four-time champion will return to the German circuit on Saturday and Sunday to drive in the ADAC 24h Qualifiers -- the final two preparatory races for the full 24-hour race on May 16-17.
The 12.9-mile Nordschleife part of the circuit -- nicknamed the Green Hell -- is notoriously dangerous, consisting of sweeping corners and blind crests with minimal run-off areas.
Formula 1 stopped racing at the circuit for safety reasons after Niki Lauda suffered a fiery accident in 1976 that nearly claimed his life.
Although safety has significantly improved since the 1970s, the nature of the layout means the circuit remains among the most respected and revered in motorsport.
“I’m aware that I can have a bad crash there, but I’m not afraid -- I like it, actually,” Verstappen told ESPN in a recent interview. “I really enjoy driving there, it gives me a smile on my face.
“Every time I jump out of the car, I’m happy. That’s also what I’m after, to be honest, to have fun. I know it’s a dangerous track, but I’m happy to take that risk.”
Jackie Stewart, a three-time F1 champion and three-time grand prix winner at the Nurburgring in the 1960s and 1970s, once said of the Nordschleife, “anybody who says they liked the original circuit is either telling a fib or they didn’t go fast enough.”
But Verstappen says the changes made in recent years mean he is willing to push to the limit in the pursuit of victory.
“I agree from an F1 point of view, and especially in the 60s and 70s, but the track has changed a lot, I would say, compared to then. So, it’s a bit different.
“Now, I think it’s fine. Yeah, I mean, you can crash anywhere. It’s dangerous in a lot of different circuits... I mean, this track [Suzuka] is dangerous as well. It just depends how you look at it.”
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Prior to this weekend’s 24h Qualifiers, Verstappen has raced at the circuit once in the GT4 category and twice in the fastest GT3 category, known as SP9.
Although his team crossed the line as class winners on all three occasions, it was stripped of victory on his last outing, a four-hour NLS (Nuburgring Langstrecken Serie) race last month, for a tyre usage violation.
Verstappen said the objective of the upcoming 24h Qualifiers -- both of which are four-hour races -- is to build his experience for the 24 Hours, including the opportunity to drive into the night.
“I need a little bit more experience in general,” Verstappen said. “I would like to maybe drive towards the night or close to the night. Just to have an idea [of what to expect].
“I’m not worried about it. I just want to do it. The only opportunity for that, I think, is in one of the qualifier races.
“So, I need to have a look at that. The rest is all just procedures with the team, that we are all well aligned with that. And then just fine-tuning the setup even further.
“Also, at the Nordschleife the weather can be different in one part to the other part of the track. Stuff like that can happen there.”
