May 12 (GMM) Max Verstappen is now attracting such enormous crowds away from Formula 1 that organisers of this weekend’s Nurburgring 24 Hours are warning fans not to travel without tickets.
With Formula 1 currently in another calendar pause following the cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix – and amid continuing controversy over the 2026 regulations – much of the spotlight is shifting to Verstappen’s highly anticipated Nordschleife outing aboard a Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Demand has exploded – for the first time in the event’s history, all weekend tickets have sold out completely.
Saturday day tickets are also now gone, while organisers say even remaining allocations for other days are disappearing rapidly.
There were already major traffic jams around the Nurburgring on Monday morning as fans rushed to secure camping spots days before the event officially begins.
“One would think that a racetrack 25.378 kilometers long would offer enough space for all the fans,” Auto Motor und Sport marvelled.
“However, the hype surrounding Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen is causing the Nordschleife to burst at the seams.”
The organisers have now taken unprecedented measures.
“The ticket office will not open on Saturday,” the German publication continued.
“Anyone who arrives at the N rburgring without a ticket will be turned away at the entrances.”
Officials are urging fans to arrive early and travel in carpools to reduce pressure on the narrow access roads around the Eifel circuit.
“The reasons for the necessary limit are primarily due to the limited capacity of parking spaces and camping areas,” the report explained.
Race director Walter Hornung admitted organisers have never seen anything like it.
“We are naturally delighted by the huge response from both long-time and new fans, who have practically overwhelmed us this year,” he said.
“At the same time, we are of course working closely with the Nurburgring and the authorities to ensure an orderly and safe experience for all visitors.”
“Therefore, for the first time in the more than 50-year history of the 24h Nurburgring, we have had to limit the number of tickets.”
Verstappen will share the Red Bull-branded Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer.