The three-time Formula 1 world champion has expressed his desire to race in the prestigious endurance race on several occasions in the past and has participated in the virtual version several times.
But ahead of this year’s race at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Verstappen has recognized some approaches from various teams who want to count on him for the future.
“Of course, certain people have contacted me, but it has to come at the right time and in the right way,” he said when asked about it by Motorsport.com.
“I don’t want to rush into making a decision either. With these new cars, I think it will take at least one or two more years to understand everything better because, in the end, it is still a story of the Balance of Performance (BoP) and that makes it complicated” , said.
The last driver to try to compete in F1 and Le Mans at the same time was Nico Hulkenberg in 2015, and he actually won the legendary 24-hour race with the Porsche team.
Max Verstappen had said on several occasions that if he raced in Le Mans it would be after finishing his racing career in F1, although it seems that he no longer thinks the same: “That It totally depends on the preparation.whether it can be done in a good way or not.”
“It’s a bit of the same as I usually do in the simulator. But obviously I wouldn’t have driven in that race in the simulator during the Imola weekend if I hadn’t been able to prepare properly for it, but this time I could and so it was possible,” he added.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, celebrates on the podium.
Photo: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
“Of course, you can’t race Le Mans and Formula 1 in the same weekend, but if it can be combined in a good way then I think it can be done during the F1 season“.
The Hypercar rules are still in their infancy, as they were established in 2021, with a subsequent convergence with LMDh that is now bearing fruit with a registration list bursting at the seams. But Verstappen prefers to wait for certain defects in the rules to be solved.
“It’s too early to sign up because of the new regulations, I think they have to improve the BOP between the cars a little bit.”
“It seems to me that it is a bit unpredictable. Also, for me, also the weight of the pilot, I think there has to be a limit, because I can weigh 80 kilos with the kit, but there is another who can weigh 55 or 60.”
“When you go to Le Mans, you have no chance, that alone is a couple of tenths per lap. The difference is incredible. So they have to solve it. There has to be an average or minimum weight to meet. But surely in the I would like to race there in the future. Yes, it is an incredible event.
Any chance of Verstappen turning up next year has already been ruled out by a calendar clash, as the 2025 race falls on the same weekend as the Canadian Grand Prix.
