F1
Max Verstappen for the first time at the wheel of an LMDh
Max Verstappen driving the Acura ARX-06 - Photo: Honda Racing USA
The desire to Max Verstappen to participate one day in 24 Hours of Le Mans is known since the Dutchman has already mentioned the possibility of riding in Sarthe one day.
« I would really like to do them, he assured during the Honda Thanks Day at the Motegi circuit in Japan late last year. I've been there before, when my father raced at Le Mans (two participations for Jos Verstappen in 2008 and 2009). The atmosphere is incredible for endurance. There are so many people, we ride at night, at sunrise… I think it’s really cool"
The three-time world champion Formula 1 may have moved closer to an appearance at the biggest endurance race this Tuesday, November 19, 2024 by driving a prototype that meets LMDh regulations for the very first time. The driver Red Bull was in fact invited to an event organized by Honda where the four current drivers of the Austrian group in F1 (Verstappen, Sergio Pérez, Yuki tsunoda, Liam Lawon) had the opportunity to test different cars from the Japanese brand.
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Yuki Tsunoda thus had the opportunity to try a IndyCar during this event organized on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway road circuit, where the next Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place this weekend, while Verstappen took his place at the wheel of the Acura ARX-06 n°93. The Dutchman was able to count on the advice of Colin Braun, winner of the 24 2023 Hours of Daytona with this same car for the Meyer Shank Racing team.
If the Dutchman and the Japanese manufacturer want to take the adventure a little further, there is still a place to be filled at Acura for the next edition of the Florida classic. In the #93, precisely. So far, the three drivers confirmed in this car are Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly and Álex Palou.
See the Batavian participate in the opening round of theIMSA January 25 and 26 is obviously a fantasy at the moment, especially since he did not do the pre-season tests unlike Kakunoshin Ohta who has a chance of being the lucky one. Red Bull's approval would also be needed for such participation.
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Valentin GLO
Journalist. Endurance reporter (WEC, IMSA, ELMS, ALMS) and sometimes F1 or IndyCar.
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
20/11/2024 at 05:57 a.m.
A taste of post-F1? Well, Max, no criticizing the BOP in WEC, otherwise you could end up driving traffic in the United Arab Emirates at your great friend MBS's, you know the president of the FIA!