Porsche legend takes hat off to 'amazing' Max Verstappen: 'He proved that'

Kevin Estre has paid tribute to Max Verstappen's performance at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, describing the four-time F1 drivers' champion as an "amazing driver" who proved his ability to adapt quickly to the toughest conditions despite being denied victory by mechanical failure.

Estre, a Porsche works driver and 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar winner, was forced to retire from the twice-round-the-clock endurance classic after crashing his Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R during the opening phase of the race.

The Frenchman had been chasing down the race leaders when he crashed at Brünnchen in the fourth hour, losing the rear of the car after being forced marginally offline by traffic and an oil spill. The backwards impact into the barriers caused too much damage for Manthey to continue, ending Estre's participation early.

Verstappen had been the standout performer during the race, particularly during a devastating double night stint that saw him overtake Maro Engel's sister Mercedes for the overall lead and pull clear by nearly half a minute.

Running with Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer in the #3 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, the team had built a commanding position before disaster struck with around three hours and 20 minutes remaining.

A driveshaft failure caused severe vibrations and damage, forcing the car into the garage for lengthy repairs that eliminated any chance of victory. The team eventually rejoined only to complete a token final lap.

The race was won by the #80 Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL Winward Racing entry of Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and Maxime Martin, who recovered from their earlier battle with Verstappen to take overall honours.

Reflecting on the race from home, Estre singled out Verstappen and his Team Verstappen Racing squad for particular praise despite their heartbreak.

"So, back home a bit earlier than planned. Congrats to the winners, they did a great recovery," Estre said on his Instagram story.

"Big respect as well for car #3, sorry for them. They had a great race, and Max proved for sure that he's an amazing driver and can adapt quickly to very tough conditions, but Nürburgring also picks its winners, and it's a tough one, as we know."