Verstappen’s 2027 plans start to take shape
Max Verstappen has shut one door. The four-time world champion has ruled out any idea of racing the Le Mans 24 Hours next year. “Le Mans? No. It’s not in my plans right now,” the Red Bull driver said on Wednesday, on the eve of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. The date does not clash with anything, either: the race runs on 12 and 13 June 2027, a Formula 1-free weekend wedged between Monaco and Portugal.
That does not mean he has closed the door on endurance racing altogether. Verstappen still has two options in mind: the Nurburgring and Spa-Francorchamps, both of which are also clear on the 2027 F1 calendar. “Nurburgring and Spa, probably. And Spa is an exciting option,” he said.
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A score to settle at the Nurburgring
The choice is no accident. Verstappen pulled out of this year’s Nurburgring 24 Hours after a transmission failure while he was leading the race. That early exit has clearly fuelled his desire to go back there rather than throw himself at a circuit he has never raced on, like Le Mans, where he would be starting from scratch. The Dutchman has spent recent seasons taking plenty of detours away from F1, from GT3 to endurance racing, without ever going anywhere near the Sarthe.
Alonso and Norris are still tempted
Other drivers on the grid are still keeping an eye on the event. Fernando Alonso, a two-time winner of the classic race, and Lando Norris have both recently spoken about their interest in endurance racing. “If the chance comes up, maybe, but I don’t know whether that will be next year, in two years, three or four years,” the McLaren driver said. That keeps the door open to a future clash between world champions on the roads of Le Mans, even if Verstappen is not on the bill for now.
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