Overview
- The 24‑hour race starts Saturday at 3 p.m. local time with Max Verstappen’s #3 Red Bull‑branded Mercedes‑AMG GT3 lining up fourth alongside Lucas Auer, Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon.
- Organisers updated Balance of Performance after qualifying, a rules tool that equalises cars, adding weight and tighter air restrictors for Lamborghini, BMW, Porsche and Ford while leaving the Mercedes‑AMG package unchanged.
- Reports say Verstappen’s car was prepared and measured at HWA and runs Multimatic dampers instead of the usual Bilstein units, with team sources saying the choice brings no performance gain and Mercedes‑AMG ordering HWA to dyno‑test engines.
- Rain, low cloud and fog are forecast across the Nordschleife, raising visibility risks and making Code 60 slow zones more likely on a race that neutralises incidents by section rather than using a safety car.
- Fan interest has surged with weekend tickets sold out for the first time, and a 161‑car field across 23 classes heightens the traffic, timing and strategy challenges over the full day and night.