Max Verstappen rules out 2027 Le Mans 24 Hours bid

Max Verstappen has ruled out competing at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2027, but the four-time Formula 1 world champion is eyeing the 24-hour races at the Nurburgring and Spa-Francorchamps.

The recently revealed 2027 F1 calendar left the door ajar for F1 drivers to compete in several of the biggest endurance races on the calendar, with the 24-hour races at the Nurburgring Le Mans and Spa all held on off-weekends for F1.

It is understood that the likes of Spa, which is organised by SRO, had even built in some date flexibility to avoid a direct clash with F1 in the hopes of attracting drivers like Verstappen or Lando Norris to take part in the end-of-June event.

The biggest endurance race, the Le Mans 24 Hours, takes place on 12-13 June next year and is sandwiched between the Monaco and Portugal rounds. But given the extensive preparation needed for the French endurance classic, which includes a test day which clashes with Monaco and is supposed to be mandatory for rookies, Verstappen has now punted the idea of a 2027 Le Mans debut into the long grass.

"Nurburgring and Spa, probably. Le Mans, not. That's not on my list for now," Verstappen said on Wednesday in Baku.

Fernando Alonso , a two-time winner of the event with Toyota, had flirted with the idea of joining forces with Verstappen at Le Mans: " I don't think next year that will happen, but maybe in the future. That would be nice. Max [needs to be] a little bit more free on the calendar. There are a lot of races."

Lando Norris completed a test of McLaren's brand-new Hypercar at Portimao.

Reigning world champion Norris is interested in Le Mans outing in the future but insisted it was "not something I've been thinking about". Last week, the Briton completed a test of McLaren's brand-new Hypercar at Portimao.

"The test was nice to go and do something," Norris said. "All my focus is still on F1 and will always be. I'll never sacrifice something in F1 for something else.

"If there's a chance that things can work out, maybe, but I don't know if this is next year, the year after, three years, four years, I have no idea. It's not something I've been thinking about at all, but it's something I would like to do in the future."

Verstappen was more optimistic about his chances to make his Spa 24 Hours debut, with SRO moving the event's official two-day test to 15-16 June which does not clash with an F1 event.

After his car dropped out of the lead of the Nurburgring 24 Hours with mechanical issues, the four-time F1 world champion is also keen to have another go at the Nordschleife.

"I said already after the race on the Nordschleife that I wanted to go back," the Dutchman confirmed. "So, if it allows me to prepare well and it all works out well, [I will do it].

"I know there is no clash, but it still needs to work out in my schedule, and then I'll do it. And Spa is an exciting option to do it."

Additional reporting by Ronald Vording and Ben Vinel

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