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Max Verstappen’s near-crash during the 24 Hours of Nurburgring is a prime example of why Kimi Antonelli has been barred from appearing at the event next year.
Despite Maro Engel trying to recruit Antonelli for next year, the young Italian driver is not going to get the chance to participate in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring.
Antonelli had expressed a desire to follow Max Verstappen and take part in the iconic endurance race next year, but Toto Wolff and Mercedes put a stop to it.
Do you want to see Max Verstappen attempt the 24 Hours of Nurburging again?
Team Verstappen finished 38th after a driveshaft issue cost them the lead!
And given the risks Verstappen was taking during the event, that should hardly come as a surprise. Verstappen almost crashed into Engel during the race, which nearly ended his stint at Nurburgring early.
Unsurprisingly, several F1 teams were keeping an eye on Verstappen during the event. And his incident with Engel gave them the perfect ammunition to shut down any of their drivers attempting to participate next year.
READ MORE: David Coulthard sees what sets Max Verstappen apart after Nurburgring 24 Hours debut
F1 teams consider 24 Hours of Nurburgring ‘too dangerous’ to allow drivers to compete
In a recent Q&A, BBC reporter Andrew Benson responded to a fan question about other F1 drivers participating in other racing leagues.
Benson pointed out that Verstappen’s near-crash with Engel underscored why teams don’t want to risk letting their drivers participate in such events, which pose a far greater danger than a standard Formula 1 race.
“His first stint in the car on Saturday afternoon took his team from 10th on the road to the lead. A lead they never lost until the driveshaft failure that cost them the win on Sunday morning.
“Most of that was Verstappen overtaking other cars, albeit a small number pitted out of his way on divergent strategies.
“But the race also underlined why F1 teams don’t let drivers do this sort of thing. Verstappen nearly crashed at high speed early in that stint when his car’s front wheels became airborne over a crest as he chased a rival.
“And there were a series of other near-misses, as there always are in this sort of race with a number of different categories of cars, and huge speed differentials. Generally, these sorts of races are more dangerous than F1.”
READ MORE: Tom Coronel explains why F1 should have ‘paid attention’ to Max Verstappen at Nurburgring 24 Hours
Do you want to see Max Verstappen attempt the 24 Hours of Nurburging again?
Team Verstappen finished 38th after a driveshaft issue cost them the lead!
Max Verstappen might be the only driver who has the power to participate in other races
With these concerns being present for F1 teams, one might wonder why Red Bull would allow Max Verstappen to participate in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, given the danger that he would face.
Verstappen holds a lot of influence within Red Bull, given what he has accomplished for and with the team since he joined.
Red Bull will allow Verstappen to be himself and pursue other racing ventures to keep him happy, as long as it does not interfere with his responsibilities as their main driver.
Verstappen eyeing a return to Nurburgring is proof that the team will accommodate his requests as and when they see fit.
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