Team Verstappen’s chances of winning the 2026 Nurburgring 24 Hours suffered a terminal blow as Dani Juncadella suddenly slowed on track.
The Team Verstappen #3 car had looked on course for victory, leading a Winward Racing 1-2 with fewer than four hours on the clock.
But with Max Verstappen having handed the car to Dani Juncadella, a driveshaft problem struck on Juncadella’s third lap that caused him to slow.
The sister #80 car - with Maro Engel at the wheel - seized the lead as Juncadella limped back to the pits.
The #3 Mercedes was then wheeled into the garage, with inspection of its rear-right taking place. After 15 minutes, a visibly distraught Juncadella left the garage. A driveshaft issue was ultimately confirmed as the culprit.
Grounded in the garage, the Team Verstappen car has fallen to ninth in the classification.
The #80 Mercedes now has a chance to still ensure Mercedes ends a 10-year wait for a Nurburgring 24 Hours victory.