When a four-time Formula 1 world champion trades the sleek single-seaters for a heavyweight GT3 machine, the motorsport world takes notice. That's exactly what's happening this weekend at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, where Max Verstappen is making his highly anticipated debut at the legendary endurance race—and his teammate can't stop singing his praises.
Jules Gounon, who shares the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Verstappen, Lucas Auer, and Daniel Juncadella, has offered a rare glimpse into what it's like to have the Dutch superstar as a co-driver. And the verdict? Nothing short of extraordinary.
"Max is an amazing teammate to have," Gounon told Motorsport.com. "Since the first test we did in Estoril, I immediately understood that this person is coming from another planet, in a good way, because the guy is just amazing."
It's not just Verstappen's raw pace that has impressed Gounon—it's his personality. In a sport where egos can run as hot as tire temperatures, the four-time champion has brought something refreshing to the garage. "He's very open, very humble. There is no ego," Gounon added. "If I had amnesia and didn't know the person, I would be like, 'wow, this is a very good move that AMG brought this driver with us because he's fast, he's nice, he's fun.'"
That chemistry is crucial in endurance racing, where drivers spend hours sharing a cockpit, exchanging feedback, and building trust. "In endurance, you need to share a lot of stuff, so if you don't get along with your teammate, it's very difficult to have a nice atmosphere," Gounon explained.
Verstappen's entry has sent ticket sales through the roof, with the 2026 race completely sold out. But this isn't just a celebrity appearance—the #3 Mercedes is a genuine contender for victory. Gounon brings two Spa 24 Hours wins to the table, Juncadella is the 2022 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance champion, and Auer claimed the Sprint title in 2024. Together, they're aiming to end Mercedes' Nürburgring 24 Hours drought, which stretches back to 2016 when Maro Engel, Bernd Schneider, Manuel Metzger, and Adam Christodoulou took the win.
With Verstappen's Verstappen.com Racing team backing the effort and a driver lineup that reads like a who's who of GT racing, this weekend promises to be one for the history books. And if Gounon's words are anything to go by, the secret weapon might just be the man behind the wheel who, despite his legendary status, remains refreshingly down-to-earth.