Max Verstappen Rules Out 2027 Le Mans Bid
A Max Verstappen Le Mans entry in 2027 will not be happening. The Red Bull driver has ruled himself out of next year’s race, even though the wider 2027 Formula 1 calendar leaves room for drivers to fit in extra endurance events.
Verstappen made his position clear when asked about it in Baku, as reported by Motorsport.com. “Nurburgring and Spa, probably. Le Mans, not. That’s not on my list for now,” he said, pointing instead towards two other 24-hour races he wants to fit into his year.
It comes during a season that has already drawn plenty of debate around Red Bull’s driver, including our predictions regarding his form during 2026. Endurance racing clearly still appeals to him, just not at Le Mans next year.
Verstappen and Drivers Confirm Endurance Intentions
Verstappen has not given up on endurance racing altogether. He wants to return to the Nürburgring 24 Hours, where he has raced before. “I said already after the race on the Nordschleife that I wanted to go back,” he said, adding a condition: “So, if it allows me to prepare well and it all works out well, [I will do it].”
Spa-Francorchamps is the other race on his list. “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,” Verstappen said.
Lando Norris has already had a taste of sportscar machinery, testing McLaren’s Hypercar at Portimao. “The test was nice to go and do something,” he said, before making his priorities clear. “All my focus is still on F1 and will always be. I’ll never sacrifice something in F1 for something else.”
He did not rule out a Le Mans start further down the line. “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,” Norris said.
Fernando Alonso, a two-time Le Mans winner, was asked about a possible pairing with Verstappen. “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,” Alonso said.
Calendar Clashes and F1 Driver Availability
The 2027 F1 calendar leaves several weekends free, which in theory gives drivers a real chance to add major 24-hour races to their programme. Le Mans is the exception. Its test day falls on the same weekend as the Monaco Grand Prix, ruling out a serious Le Mans campaign for anyone still racing full time in F1.
That clash is the direct reason behind Verstappen’s call, rather than any loss of interest in endurance racing. Red Bull’s commitments already fill most of his calendar, a point that echoes our recent look at set-up discussions within Red Bull. The Max Verstappen Le Mans story may return in a future year, though for 2027 the calendar has made the decision for him.
Upcoming Schedule and 24-Hour Race Options
SRO has moved the Spa 24 Hours official test to 15 and 16 June, which avoids a clash with the F1 calendar. That keeps the race firmly open for Verstappen, who has already called it an exciting option to explore.
Norris’s Portimao test showed how F1 drivers can dip into sportscar machinery without touching their grand prix commitments. With the championship still the priority for every driver on the grid, the Nürburgring and Spa look like the more realistic 24-hour targets for 2027, while Le Mans waits for a year when the calendar actually allows it.
