Kimi Antonelli would ‘love to try’ racing with Max Verstappen in the Nurburgring 24 Hours

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Kimi Antonelli has voiced his aspirations to team up with Max Verstappen at the Nurburgring 24 Hours in the future, as well as naming three other endurance races that he’d love to race in alongside the four-time world champion.

Since exploring the world of GT3 racing last year by acquiring the necessary permit to race at the iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife, Max Verstappen has seemingly set a trend on the F1 grid for drivers to look into racing in other categories.

Lance Stroll is the latest F1 driver to replicate Verstappen’s extra-curricular activities, with the Aston Martin star taking part in the 2026 GT World Challenge season-opener at Paul Ricard.

Unfortunately, the Canadian accrued a total of 175 seconds in penalties as his team retired from the race in P48. Despite the poor result, Stroll’s pace in GT3 machinery was impressive, and he is looking forward to any further opportunities in the category.

• READ MORE: How Max Verstappen’s Nurburgring pole time compares to the GT3 lap record

Kimi Antonelli has named the four endurance races he wants to race in alongside Max Verstappen

In an interview with Sky Sport Italia before his feat at the Japanese Grand Prix in March, Kimi Antonelli was asked for his thoughts on endurance racing in the midst of Verstappen’s efforts in the NLS.

The young Italian shared a post on Instagram that showed him watching along to the Dutchman’s race at the Nurburgring last month, which led journalists to ask him which race he would love to team up with Verstappen at in the future.

Antonelli replied, “Definitely the Nürburgring 24 Hours, because the Nordschleife is one of my favourite tracks. I’ve only done one lap in a road car, but I’d love to try it in a racing car.

With Verstappen and Vettel open to the idea of joining forces at Le Mans, which driver completes your trio?

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“Then the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is an incredible race: I’ve gone to watch it three times, and it’s always been brilliant. And then I’d also do the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta or the 12 Hours of Sebring.”

Since Verstappen began his GT3 racing ventures, many of his rivals on the F1 grid have expressed their desire to race alongside him on the iconic tarmac at the Green Hell.

Former Red Bull teammate Pierre Gasly is among them, with the Frenchman previously stating that he ‘wouldn’t mind’ teaming up with Verstappen in order to open their accounts in the touring car category.

• READ MORE: Max Verstappen has already shown Red Bull exactly why it was a risk to let him race GT3 cars

Max Verstappen is hoping to replicate Niki Lauda’s feat at the 2026 Nurburgring 24 Hours

If Verstappen is successful in taking the chequered flag first during the endurance race in May, he will join Niki Lauda as the only F1 world champions to have succeeded in the prestigious race.

Two years before claiming his first title in the pinnacle of single-seater racing, the Austrian took victory at the Nordschleife in 1973, driving a BMW.

However, there is another F1 paddock figure who has tasted victory in the 24-hour race: Bernd Maylander.

The safety car driver was able to claim a win at the famous circuit in 2000 at the wheel of a Porsche 996 and benefited from a crash ahead to see the chequered flag in front of the competition.