The news caused a wave of excitement: Max Verstappen is competing in the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring. The four-time Formula 1 world champion thus crowns a long preparatory phase that began with SimRacing, continued through NLS starts and the mandatory acquisition of a permit for the Nordschleife, and culminated in the prologue at the 24h Qualifiers. When the starting lights turn green on 16 May, the Dutchman will go down in the 24h statistics as the 35th Formula 1 driver. With his four F1 titles, he certainly stands out from the crowd. Yet some of the former 24 Hours drivers among the F1 veterans were – and still are – more than a match for his prominence – from Niki Lauda, who won the endurance classic at the Ring in 1973, to the German F1 heroes Christian Danner, Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock.
Verstappen also tops the statistics when it comes to GP appearances (236 F1 starts to date). Nelson Piquet (204 GPs) had a similarly extensive career in the premier class behind him before he competed at the Ring in 1994. Also unbeatable: Verstappen’s four world championship titles, which even Piquet (champion in 1981, ’83 and ’87) and the 24-hour race participants Lauda (1975, ’77 and ’84) and Jack Brabham (1959, ’60 and ’66) cannot match. The Australian, who was knighted as “Sir”, came to the Eifel in 1980 but stood no chance in the Karthauser team’s Audi 80.
“Striezel” Stuck also remains unrivalled
As a 24h rookie, there are naturally some areas where a number of Grand Prix drivers who have competed in the 24-hour race have the edge. For instance, it would take a great deal of stamina to match the 19 starts at the 24h that Hans-Joachim Stuck racked up between 1970 and 2011. ‘Striezel’ secured three overall victories during this period – foremost among them, of course, first place at the inaugural 24h in 1970. Markus Winkelhock has also recorded three victories in his 16 starts to date. However, the most successful former Formula 1 driver at the 24h hails from Portugal: Pedro Lamy racked up five overall victories and six class wins between 2001 and 2010.
It wasn’t just Formula 1 drivers who made an appearance
The world-class drivers who found their way to the Ring for the 24h weren’t limited to those from Formula 1: with Walter Röhrl (GER), Ari Vatanen (FIN) and Sébastien Loeb (FRA), three rally world champions were also on the starting grid. The Finn claimed one world title (1981), Röhrl two (1980 and 1982) and Loeb as many as nine (2004 to 2012). Not to be forgotten is Johnny Cecotto. Before his time in Formula 1 (1983 to 1984), the Venezuelan had secured two world championship titles (1975 and ’78) and 14 race wins in the World Motorcycle Championship. He also made his mark at the 24 Hours during his four starts between 1988 and 1992 – in 1992 he secured overall victory alongside former Formula 1 driver Christian Danner, as well as Jean-Michel Martin and Marc Duez.
F1 pilots at the 24h Nürburgring 1970 – 2025
| Driver | Formula 1 statistics | 24h statistics |
|---|---|---|
| Philippe Adams (BEL) | 2 Grands Prix in 1994 | 3 starts (1997 – 1998 and 2000) |
| Giovanna Amati (ITA) | 3 qualifying appearances in 1992 | 1 start (1985) |
| Michael Bartels (GER) | 4 qualifying appearances in 1991 | 7 starts (1991, 2000 – 2001 and 2003 – 2006), 2 wins (2000 and 2001) |
| Sir Jack Brabham (AUS) | 126 Grands Prix between 1955 and 1970, 3 World Championship titles (1959, 1960 and 1966) | 1 start (1980) |
| Johnny Cecotto (VEN) | 18 Grands Prix between 1983 and 1984 | 4 starts (1988 and 1990 – 1992), 1 win (1992) |
| Christian Danner (GER) | 36 Grands Prix between 1985 and 1989 | 7 starts (1978 – 1979, 1985, 1990 – 1992 and 2000), 1 win (1992) |
| Heinz-Harald Frentzen (GER) | 156 Grands Prix between 1994 and 2003 | 2 starts (1988 and 2008) |
| Timo Glock (GER) | 91 Grands Prix between 2004 and 2012 | 1 start (2024) |
| Hubert Hahne (GER) | 3 Grands Prix between 1966 and 1970 | 2 starts (1994 – 1995) |
| Nick Heidfeld (GER) | 183 Grands Prix between 2000 and 2011 | 2 starts (2012 and 2014) |
| Hans Heyer (GER) | 1 qualifying appearance in 1977 | 5 starts (1971 – 1973 and 1994 – 1995) |
| Ingo Hoffmann (BRA) | 3 Grands Prix between 1976 and 1977 | 3 starts (1994 – 1996) |
| Christian Klien (AUT) | 49 Grands Prix between 2004 and 2010 | 1 start (2025) |
| Jacques Laffite (FRA) | 176 Grands Prix between 1974 and 1986 | 1 start (2006) |
| Pedro Lamy (POR) | 32 Grands Prix between 1993 and 1996 | 12 starts (2001 – 2005 and 2010 – 2016), 5 wins (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2010) |
| Niki Lauda (AUT) | 171 Grands Prix between 1971 and 1985, 3 World Championship titles (1975, 1977 and 1984) | 1 start (1973), 1 win (1973) |
| Jochen Mass (GER) | 105 Grands Prix between 1973 and 1982 | 2 starts (1971 and 1999) |
| Arturo Merzario (ITA) | 57 Grands Prix between 1972 and 1979 | 4 starts (2005 and 2007 – 2009) |
| Stefano Modena (ITA) | 70 Grands Prix between 1987 and 1992 | 1 start (2000) |
| Tiago Monteiro (POR) | 37 Grands Prix between 2005 and 2006 | 4 starts (2019 – 2021 and 2024) |
| Nelson Piquet (BRA) | 204 Grands Prix between 1978 and 1991, 3 World Championship titles (1981, 1983 and 1987) | 1 start (1994) |
| Emanuele Pirro (ITA) | 37 Grands Prix between 1989 and 1991 | 3 starts (1987, 1993 and 2009), 1 win (1989) |
| Dieter Quester (AUT) | 1 Grand Prix between 1969 and 1974 | 10 starts (1982, 1984, 1987 – 1988, 1990 – 1991, 1993 and 2004 – 2006) |
| Keijo (Keke) Rosberg (FIN) | 114 Grands Prix between 1978 and 1986, 1 World Championship title (1982) | 1 start (1982) |
| Bernd Schneider (GER) | 9 Grands Prix between 1988 and 1990 | 9 starts (1987, 1990 – 1991, 2012 – 2013 and 2015 – 2018), 2 wins (2013 and 2016) |
| Rolf Stommelen (GER) | 54 Grands Prix between 1969 and 1978 | 2 starts (1981 – 1982) |
| Hans-Joachim Stuck (GER) | 74 Grands Prix between 1974 and 1979 | 19 starts (1970 – 1972, 1981 – 1982, 1984, 1992, 1998, 2000 and 2002 – 2011), 3 wins (1970, 1998 and 2004) |
| Eric van de Poele (BEL) | 5 Grands Prix between 1991 and 1992 | 4 starts (1987 – 1989 and 2006) |
| Volker Weidler (GER) | 10 Grands Prix in 1989 | 2 starts (1986 – 1987) |
| Joachim Winkelhock (GER) | 7 qualifying appearances in 1989 | 9 starts (1984, 1986 – 1988, 1990 – 1992 and 1994 – 1995), 2 wins (1990 and 1991) |
| Manfred Winkelhock (GER) | 47 Grands Prix between 1980 and 1985 | 1 start (1982) |
| Markus Winkelhock (GER) | 1 Grand Prix in 2007 | 16 starts (2010 – 2025), 3 wins (2012, 2014 and 2017) |
| Alexander Wurz (AUT) | 69 Grands Prix between 1997 and 2007 | 1 start (1992) |
| Alexander Yoong Loong (MAS) | 18 Grands Prix between 2001 and 2002 | 5 starts (2012 – 2017) |