Max Verstappen will return to the cockpit this weekend for the Japanese Grand Prix, the third round of the 2026 F1 season.
Just a handful of days ago, Verstappen took part in a four-hour endurance race around the Nordschleife, driving a Mercedes GT3 car and winning the event alongside team-mates Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon.
Verstappen got another opportunity with fresh machinery in the build-up to the Japanese GP weekend in Fuji.
Taking to the former F1 venue, Verstappen carried out promotional activities around the rain-soaked track.
The Dutchman got behind the wheel of a Nissan Z NISMO GT500 which had been painted to include the Red Bull logos, with various cameras also mounted to the car.
The Nissan Z NISMO GT500 competes in the Japanese Super GT championship, similar to DTM before that class adopted the GT3 regulations.
The cars in the top class are considerably faster than the GT3 car that Verstappen drove on the Nordschleife. On a track like Fuji, the Nissan is up to 12 seconds faster on a dry track than a GT3 car.
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