Max Verstappen forced out of Mercedes in concerning incident at Nurburgring

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen was forced out of his Mercedes ahead of this weekend's appearance at the Nurburgring Nordschleife.

Verstappen, 28, has endured a tough start to the 2026 F1 season after finishing sixth in Melbourne before being forced to retire during last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.

As a result, the Dutchman currently sits eighth in the standings with just eight points to his name.

With no F1 action this weekend, Verstappen is set to make a much-anticipated Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie appearance in a Red Bull-backed Mercedes.

On Friday, Verstappen was due to take part in free practice and is expected to share the car with teammates Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella.

However, as reported by Motorsport Week, Verstappen was hit with technical issues, believed to be suspension problems.

The Dutchman was seen in conversation with engineers before being switched to a newly-prepared, blank Mercedes GT3 car.

As a result, the team's afternoon was heavily impacted, with Juncadella only managing 'a handful of laps'.

The session was red-flagged around 4pm and was not restarted.

This will be a concern for Verstappen and co as they are now faced with the challenges of having minimal data, undergoing intensive overnight set-up work, which could impact Verstappen's starting grid position and preparation.

Ahead of race day, the main concerns will be whether the car is reliable and if the drivers have managed to prepare fully for the event.

Back in September 2025, Verstappen won a GT3 race at the Nurburgring on debut alongside Chris Lulham.

Speaking after the event, the four-time F1 champion said: "It was great! During my first two stints, the car was amazing.

"After Qualifying, I knew the car would be good on a dry track. Everything went well in terms of traffic, and we didn’t make any big mistakes. To win my debut race here is amazing."

Meanwhile, the 2026 F1 season will continue next weekend with the Japanese Grand Prix, which will take place around the iconic Suzuka Circuit.