'He wants to' - Max Verstappen in talks over Le Mans 24 Hours entry on one condition

Max Verstappen has held talks with Ford about a possible entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

The Dutch driver is contracted to race for Red Bull until 2028, but he has already cast doubt over his long-term future in Formula 1 and shown increased interest in sports car racing.

Verstappen will make his debut in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring next weekend, having previously expressed an interest in racing at Le Mans. He has also spoken about the possible future formation of his own racing team.

The talks with Ford came after they returned to F1 in collaboration with Red Bull earlier this year. They will also return to the highest level of sports car racing next year, with two cars set to compete in the World Endurance Championship, which includes Le Mans.

Although there have been preliminary talks about a future entry at Le Mans, Mark Rushbrook, the global director of Ford Racing, insisted the proposal was not for 2027. Speaking to reporters ahead of Saturday’s 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps WEC race, he admitted he 'would love to see' Verstappen race for them in that capacity, though he reiterated 'a lot of things need to align for that to happen,'

While next year might come too soon for the 28-year-old to partake in the event, Rushbrook didn't rule out the possibility of Verstappen racing at Le Mans while he still held his F1 commitments. Fernando Alonso was the last active F1 driver to race in the famous event when he won it in 2018 for Toyota. He followed in the place of Nico Hulkenberg, who also won Le Mans in 2015 with Porsche.

When pressed further on the talks, Rushbrook revealed that discussions had been ongoing for over three years, ever since Ford’s partnership with Red Bull was first announced. It is understood that the key sticking point is the scheduling of the event, with Verstappen eager to participate if his calendar will accommodate it.

"He wants to go race Le Mans and race for the overall win, but most years the schedule doesn’t allow it, right?” Rushbrook said. “I think we’re just talking about what the opportunity is and if and when it makes sense, and everybody wants to do it, then great.”

This year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place between 10 and 14 June, which is the same weekend as the Catalunya Grand Prix.