Max Verstappen receives Le Mans blow with long-term ambition scuppered by father

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and father Jos Verstappen celebrate title success. Austin, October 2022.

Max Verstappen has spoken on multiple occasions about wanting to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in future and has said before about wanting to race with his father, Jos.

Former F1 driver Jos said back in 2020 he was back testing multiple cars, including an LMP3 car at the time, and kept open the door to teaming up with his son at Le Mans in future, but he has now said he will keep his racing focus purely on rallying instead.

Max Verstappen would have to race Le Mans without his father in future

Verstappen Jr has long enjoyed endurance racing, with his hobby of sim racing involving virtual 24-hour races on occasion and the three-time World Champion having spoken several times before about his hopes of taking part at the marquee 24 Hours of Le Mans when the opportunity presents itself.

He had said back in 2019 that he had hoped to do so alongside his father, with Jos’ subsequent testing programme leaving that possibility open at the time.

“I have to be close to him in terms of pure speed. No, I’m just kidding. I just like to drive and see what comes out of it. But we haven’t made any plans yet,” Jos Verstappen said to Motorsport-Total when asked in 2020 about the possibility of partnering Max at Le Mans in future.

“Maybe I’ll do it for his sake one day, but I wouldn’t want to just go along for the ride. If I take part, then I also want to win. Otherwise, I’ll leave it alone.”

Now the subject has been discussed once more, with the 52-year-old having been asked by Verstappen.com if he would consider returning to the endurance category, or even tackle Le Mans again in future.

“No, I enjoy rallying,” he said. “Let the young guys race at Le Mans; I find rallying much more exciting.”

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But although Max is contracted with Red Bull until at least 2028, he has made it clear before he has aims outside of Formula 1 in the future, not least in endurance racing, with Le Mans remaining firmly on his radar – but he called upon the World Endurance Championship to resolve issues relating to Balance of Performance to ensure the playing field is as equal as possible.

When asked if he still aims to race at Le Mans one day, Verstappen told media including PlanetF1.com back in May: “For sure. I mean, I remember when I was like 11, 12 years old, my dad was racing at Le Mans in LMP2 and then LMP1 the year after.

“It is something pretty incredible. Even at the time, you’re a young kid, but just the whole atmosphere is fantastic – and the team element of it, because it’s not only you, right?

“You have to work together with your team-mates to try and find the right compromise with the set-up. I’ve been following it a lot here and there you have a few chats as well.

“But at the moment, I think it’s too early for me to enter because the new regulations as well, I think they need to sort out the BOP [Balance of Performance] a little bit better between the cars. It’s a bit hit and miss here and there, I find.

“Plus, for me, also the driver weight. I feel like there needs to be a limit on that, because I might rock up, 80 kilos with kit, but there is also a driver that can be 55 or 60, and I find when you go to Le Mans, you have no chance.

“You know, that already is a couple of tenths a lap. It’s pretty incredible, the difference, so they need to sort that out. There needs to be an average or minimum weight that you need to comply to. But for sure in the future, I would like to race. It’s an incredible event.”

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