It was set up to be a dream debut victory for the Verstappen-backed entry at the RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring, but mechanical trouble with less than three hours remaining brought the charge to a sudden halt.

After a strong and steady daylight stint, Max Verstappen handed over the leading No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 to teammate Daniel Juncadella in prime position. But just two laps later, the car was forced back into the pits with suspected driveshaft damage that did not appear to come from contact.

Verstappen said his run had been controlled but competitive as he worked through traffic and avoided trouble on a demanding circuit. “My stint went well,” he said. “I mainly tried to play it safe while still keeping a decent pace. The car felt good. I just tried to stay out of trouble, which got very close on the last lap when two cars collided in front of me.”

The four-time world champion also praised the challenge of endurance racing and hinted he would like to return in the future, depending on his schedule.

That optimism did not last long. Shortly after the driver change, Juncadella returned to the pits with the car suffering damage, and the team began extended repairs that effectively ended its fight for the win.

With the leading entry delayed, the battle at the front tightened as the race moved into its final hours. The No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 dropped out of contention while a new group of challengers moved into position to fight for victory.

The reshuffled lead fight now features the No. 34 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO in second, the No. 99 ROWE BMW in third, the No. 84 ABT Lamborghini in fourth, and the No. 81 BMW rounding out the top five. With just hours remaining, the podium fight is now wide open as Nürburgring’s brutal conditions continue to punish even the smallest issue.