Watch: Max Verstappen in action in Sunday’s qualifying for Race 2 at the Nurburgring

Less than 24 hours after the opening qualifying race was cancelled following the death of competitor Juha Miettinen, Max Verstappen and his fellow 24 Hours of Nurburgring qualifiers were back in action.

Tragedy struck the ‘green hell’ on Saturday when Miettinen was involved in a seven-car pile-up.

Watch Max Verstappen in action as he returns to the Nurburgring

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Medics were quickly on the scene but despite their best efforts to save the 66-year-old, the BMW driver was decleared dead at the track’s medical centre.

“During the first race of the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers (18 April 2026), a serious accident involving seven competitors occurred in the early stages of the race,” read the statement from the Nürburgring race control.

“Following the collision involving several vehicles, race control immediately halted the race to allow for extensive recovery and rescue operations.

“Despite the immediate arrival of emergency services, the paramedics were unable to save the driver involved, Juha Miettinen (BMW 125i, #121); the driver died in the Medical Centre after all attempts at resuscitation proved unsuccessful.

“The other six drivers involved were taken to the Medical Centre and nearby hospitals for precautionary checks. None of the injured are in a life-threatening condition.”

The race was cancelled, but the drivers were back on the track on Sunday morning for qualifying for Sunday afternoon’s Race 2.

Watch how Verstappen gets on in the livestream below…

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