Max Verstappen offers first reaction to wet Nürburgring nighttime challenge

Max Verstappen admitted that he could “barely see” as he got a taste of nighttime driving at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, as wet weather further complicated the challenge.

Verstappen is taking part in his very first Nürburgring 24 Hours, co-driving the #3 Mercedes. Competing in the dark is one of the event’s challenges which Verstappen was largely unfamiliar with going in. He got a feel for what that is like ahead of the event proper.

Max Verstappen reacts to wet Nürburgring 24 night drive

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Verstappen is partnering Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella in the #3 Verstappen Racing Mercedes.

The 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours has proven especially challenging due to the weather, with rain and hail having hit the circuit on and off throughout the week.

Ahead of the competitive race weekend getting underway, Verstappen faced the double whammy of driving at night, and in the rain at the wheel of the #3 Mercedes.

While Verstappen has competed in shorter Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie [NLS] races ahead of the Nürburgring 24 Hours, nighttime competition is a new challenge for the four-time world champion.

Verstappen admitted that he could “barely see” out on track, such was the difficulty of the conditions.

Footage from Verstappen’s #3 Mercedes onboard camera demonstrated what he was facing.

Verstappen + night driving + rain = 👌@24hNBR #24hNBR pic.twitter.com/j42yXickM2

— The Race (@wearetherace) May 14, 2026

“The conditions were quite tricky,” Verstappen is quoted by RacingNews365 as having told Viaplay.

“Especially when I did try to drive in the dark, of course. A lot of rain, so I could barely see with a little bit of fog and vapour coming off the track.

“Then you just can’t see where there is a lot of water. So you just have to drive slowly.

“But for me it was important to drive in the dark for a while anyway and get used to it a little bit, with your eyes as well.”

Verstappen has also had to “get used to” the fans at trackside, who can create some confusion, as they sometimes look like a “yellow or green flag.”

“It’s even harder to see in the dark, so that’s why it was good to do a lap,” he concluded.

More on Max Verstappen from PlanetF1.com

‘Can happen to anyone’ – Big Max Verstappen hazard spotted ahead of Nürburgring 24

Jenson Button explains why even Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have insecurities

While Verstappen had a rough introduction to nighttime endurance driving, his teammate Gounon does not expect that will phase the F1 star.

“I don’t think many things have an effect on Max, to be honest!” Gounon laughed, speaking exclusively with PlanetF1.com.

“The more I see him drive, the more I see how incredible he is. And yesterday [Thursday] he didn’t have the best experience yet. You go out, it’s raining like crazy.

“There was a bit of fog, there was a steam from the tarmac from the rain, so he didn’t have the best experience yet, but I think he will get to it in the race.

“He’s young, he has good vision! I’m pretty sure he’s going to be okay. So it’s just for him, it’s going to be something new, which is quite funny for a four-time F1 World Champion to go somewhere and say I’m a rookie, and also for us to give advice to him is something pretty special.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Continue reading: Max Verstappen’s team targets Nürburgring win as ‘Green Hell’ verdict delivered