Red Bull 'banned' Max Verstappen from driving around terrifying ex-F1 circuit that breaks FIA regulations

Red Bull were forced to 'ban' Max Verstappen from competing in a test run around one of the world's most dangerous tracks.

In 2023, Red Bull test driver Daniel Ricciardo and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel confirmed their participation in a test event, with the pair driving two separate F1 cars from 2012 and 2011 respectively.

The event was called the Formula Nurburgring, which saw drivers take part in show runs across the legendary Nordschleife circuit, which is situated in Germany.

Drivers from various racing series, including those on two wheels rather than four, entered the event, which was organised by Red Bull and took place in September 2023.

Four-time F1 champion Verstappen wanted to take part, but his team decided to block him from doing so due to safety concerns.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko told AMuS: "We all know Max. First he would have checked what the [lap] record was. Of course, he wouldn't want to beat that just by a second.

"Those cars aren't suited for chasing records. It's too dangerous."

Verstappen told reporters at the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix: "I wanted to do it, but I was not allowed by Helmut. He knew that I would try and go to the limits. I would have loved to do it."

Why the circuit is so dangerous

The Nordschleife circuit was built in the 1920s and runs around the Eifel mountains, featuring many tight and high-speed corners as well as elevation changes.

It has several layouts, but the most commonly-used modern layout spans a staggering 12.944 miles. The lap record belongs to two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Timo Bernhard, who lapped the circuit in a time of 5:19.546 back in 2018.

The circuit - using a different layout - hosted F1 Grands Prix between 1951 and 1976.

Several F1 drivers had been killed in crashes at the circuit over the years, with Niki Lauda's horrific fiery crash in 1976 proving to be the tipping point in terms of ending the sport's participation at the circuit.

The week prior to the 1976 race, Lauda had called on his fellow drivers to boycott the race, citing safety concerns and track management failures.

But early in the Grand Prix, Lauda lost control of his Ferrari and struck the right-hand metal barrier, sending his car spiralling across the track.

The initial impact caused the car to ignite, and contact with a subsequent fast-moving car led to an even greater inferno.

Lauda suffered severe burns, lung damage and significant scarring on his head, as well as losing most of his right ear and most of his hair, with the after-effects of the crash then affecting him for the rest of his life before he died at the age of 70 in 2018.

Lauda returned just two races after suffering his life-threatening accident (Image: YouTube/AP)

While significant safety improvements have been made since the crash, F1 has never returned to the circuit largely due to safety reasons and it is now listed as an FIA Grade 3 track, meaning it cannot be re-added to the calendar. Only Grade 1 circuits can host official FIA-sanctioned Grands Prix.

Will F1 ever return to Germany?

Germany hasn't hosted an F1 Grand Prix since 2020, with the Nurburgring Grand Prix circuit - which is Grade 1-listed - stepping in as a late addition to the calendar due to COVID-19 cancellations.

But both that circuit and the Hockenheimring have faced financial issues and potential bankruptcy in recent years, with that being a principal reason why the German Grand Prix was last part of an official calendar in 2019.

Hope is not lost, however, with the Hockenheim circuit's new ownership determined to ensure the circuit hosts F1 cars again.

Managing director Tim Brauer told German outlet Welt in 2024: "We have been working in the background for more than four years to further develop the Hockenheimring as a leading racing circuit.

"Of course, we are also thinking about Formula 1 ... we are not going to do anything crazy financially, but we are trying to find ways to bring Formula 1 back to Germany."