Driveshaft Failure Shatters Max Verstappen’s Nurburgring 24 Hours Victory Hopes

Max Verstappen‘s ambitions of claiming an outright victory at the prestigious Nurburgring 24 Hours have been dealt a devastating blow following a severe mechanical failure. The #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3, which the four-time Formula 1 world champion shares with Jules Gounon, Dani Juncadella and Lucas Auer, was seemingly cruising towards a commanding win before disaster struck.

During Juncadella’s stint behind the wheel, onboard cameras captured an alarming noise emanating from the vehicle. The Spanish driver was forced to immediately abort his run and limp back to the pit lane, where the car was swiftly pushed into the garage for a thorough assessment.

A cascading mechanical issue

Mercedes-AMG manager Stefan Wendl detailed the frustrating sequence of events that derailed their race. He explained that trouble began brewing right after a routine driver change.

«Immediately after the pit stop, during the changeover from Max to Dani, we received an ABS alarm,» Wendl informed race organisers.

The team initially suspected a minor electrical fault and attempted a system reset. Juncadella even reported on his first lap that the car remained relatively manageable. Unfortunately, the situation rapidly deteriorated. Wendl noted that severe vibrations and worsening noises developed shortly after, forcing the driver to return to the pits after completing just two laps.

Extensive rear axle damage

Once the mechanics began their investigation, the true scale of the problem was revealed. The German manufacturer’s squad discovered a broken drivetrain that had triggered a catastrophic chain reaction beneath the car.

«It has emerged that we have damage to the drivetrain, which unfortunately has also caused considerable consequential damage to other surrounding components of the rear axle,» Wendl confirmed. «A lengthy repair is therefore required to get the car race-ready again.»

Returning for the fans

Despite the crushing setback, Mercedes-AMG remains determined to get the #3 machine back on the tarmac. Wendl admitted that Verstappen and his co-drivers were deeply disappointed, especially after engaging in a thrilling, prolonged battle for the overall lead against the #80 Ravenol entry.

the three horsemen (max, gounon, dani) pic.twitter.com/ktCpPwFdBw

— Verstappen News (@verstappenews) May 17, 2026

However, as a gesture of goodwill to the massive crowds gathered in the Eifel mountains, the team is committed to completing the complex repair work.

«We have decided that we will fix the car so that we can go out once more in the final phase of the race to show it to the fans,» Wendl concluded.

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