Ayhancan Güven dreams of beating Max Verstappen at the Nürburgring 24 Hours: "Winning ahead of Max would be fantastic"

These are two men who both tasted victory this year, but who didn't seem destined to cross paths on the circuits. Ayhancan Güven, at 27, won his first title in DTM at the end of a thrilling final weekend at the Hockenheimring, where eight drivers were in contention for the title. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen He failed to retain his title, but not without a fight. With eight victories, the Dutchman was the most successful driver of the season. Formula 1, ultimately falling short by two points Lando Norris.

Alongside his season in Formula 1, the Dutchman also indulged his other passion, GT racing, where he competed in his first race on the legendary Nürburgring… which he won. Following this initial success in the ninth round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS), Max Verstappen is now aiming for a participation in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. There, he could cross paths with a familiar face at the circuit, Ayhancan Güven, who came very close to winning the race this year at the wheel of the Porsche The Manthey team's 911 GT3 R "Grello." Along with Kevin Estre and Thomas Preining, the Turkish driver ultimately finished second after a late penalty. For his next race, he hopes to battle Max Verstappen and finally win the event by beating the Dutchman.

Verstappen expected to start the 2026 edition

“Max has greatly enriched the simulation, and obtaining his license for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring last year also brought considerable added value to this race,” Güven assures in an interview for Red Bull Turkey. “For us, his presence is really important, very valuable; it would be an unforgettable moment. I finished second in this race two years in a row, so winning ahead of Max in 2026 would be a fantastic goal. I don't know if Max will participate, but since I've finished second the last two years, I absolutely want to win this race in 2026. I hope Max will participate, because it would be a truly unforgettable race for motorsport. It's also a major event; it's incredible that a Formula 1 driver, a four-time world champion, can participate in such a race while continuing his career. Even as a simple motorsport enthusiast, I'm very excited. I hope something like this will happen next year.”

Now it's in the hands of Max Verstappen, who can count on the help of the calendar: the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours falls on the weekend of May 16 and 17, between the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix. "From our side, [his participation] is confirmed," Helmut Marko, former Red Bull advisor, asserted this last September. “And I think he feels the same way. But we’ll see what else happens. That’s how it is with him… He’s already done thousands of laps on the simulator. He prepares meticulously, but also with enjoyment. And I think that, for endurance racing, it’s an incredible boost when a four-time world champion arrives on the grid. In my day, we would have been thrilled.”

There's no doubt this would help Max Verstappen maintain his motivation for Formula 1, especially since he's hinted that if the 2026 regulations aren't enjoyable, he might not see out his contract, which runs until 2028, and leave the top tier of motorsport. Perhaps to focus on GT racing?

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