RED Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen poses for a portrait ahead of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne. PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of Martin KEE /Agence France-Presse
BLAST

MAX REBOOTS: Verstappen enjoys F1 weekend off with Nuerburgring victory

Agence France-Presse

Paris, France (AFP) — Max Verstappen took a break from a frustrating Formula One season by winning a four-hour endurance race at the Nuerburgring in Germany on Saturday.

ON track, Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen competes during the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit.

The Dutch four-time Formula One champion has said he plans to race in the 24 Hours of Nuerburgring in May. On Saturday, he split time at the wheel of a Mercedes sporting Red Bull livery with co-drivers Frenchman Jules Gounon and Spaniard Daniel Juncadella.

Verstappen was sixth in the F1 season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 8 March before failing to finish in Shanghai last Sunday. He returns to Asia for the Japan Grand Prix next Sunday.

Competing in the GT3 class, Verstappen grabbed pole position on the full 24.358-kilometer configuration of the Nuerburgring by nearly two seconds and then helped his team win the race by almost exactly a minute.