Verstappen to miss six races in GT3 in 2026: reason revealed.

Max Verstappen to miss six GT3 races next season

According to The Sun: Dutch Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen announced that he will miss six GT3 races in 2026 as his main focus remains on Formula 1.

Verstappen enjoyed victories at the Italian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix, reinforcing his title fight alongside McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

After an impressive victory in his debut with Ferrari 296 GT3 at NLS9 last week, Verstappen dreams of participating in the 24-hour Nürburgring race, although he admits he needs more experience to compete with winning ambitions.

However, Formula 1 will remain a priority for him. Given the NLS schedule, the Red Bull driver will miss the first six races due to calendar conflicts.

Verstappen will not be able to participate in all six of the first NLS races, including the qualifying for the 24 hours of Nürburgring in April, but he will have the chance to compete in this iconic event as its date falls on May 14-17, coinciding with the week before the Canadian Grand Prix.

NLS1 will coincide with the China race on March 14, NLS2 with Japan on March 28, and NLS3 with Bahrain on April 11, while Saudi Arabia will take priority over qualifications for Nürburgring on April 18 and 19.

However, NLS6 and NLS7 on June 20 and August 1 will have no scheduling conflicts for Verstappen.

Unfortunately, the driver will also miss NLS8 and NLS9 on September 12 and 13 as those dates clash with the first Madrid Grand Prix.

Verstappen, whose contract is worth 40 million pounds per year, will also miss the NLS season finale due to a conflict with the Singapore Grand Prix.

“Of course, we really want to compete in the 24-hour race here at the Nordschleife. If that happens next year, I don’t know”

“We need more experience, so I hope we can participate in a few NLS races next year”

His participation in the NLS has led to a surge in viewers on English-language broadcasts – 45 times more than the previous race without a Red Bull star, totaling 3.7 million views.

Event organizers expressed gratitude for boosting the competition's popularity thanks to Verstappen and look forward to his announcement regarding future participation.

Max Verstappen's involvement in GT3 and his race absences underline the importance of priorities in professional sports. The driver, considering the demands in Formula 1, does not ignore other competitions but always places the main discipline above all else. This reminds fans of his serious approach to racing and his ambition to reach new heights.