Max Verstappen has put the #3 Mercedes into the lead of the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours, following an exceptional night stint.
The Dutchman took over from Dani Juncadella at around 01:30 local time early Sunday morning, with Verstappen immediately in a battle with the #80 Mercedes.
Verstappen overtook Maro Engel for the lead, although it was far from a smooth overtake. Contact was made between the duo which saw Engel end up on the grass.
Luckily, Verstappen escaped enscathed and with the lead, before handing the car over to Jules Gounon following a strong double stint.
Gounon maintained the lead before Lucas Auer was back behind the wheel, with a 15-second advantage over the #80 Mercedes.
View the touché between Verstappen and Engel below!
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