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Max Verstappen is the greatest Formula 1 driver of this decade. Since making his debut as a 17-year-old back in 2015, he’s won four world championships and 71 races. But this week, he’s announced he’ll also be taking on a new challenge by competing in the Nurburgring 24-hour race in May – one week before the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix.
At the same time, Verstappen has also said he wishes Formula 1 racing was “more fun” at present. New rule changes brought into the sport at the Australian Grand Prix have met with a mixed reception, with some saying the new emphasis on energy management is robbing the sport of skill and excitement.
So what’s the appeal of endurance racing – and might it prove more attractive to Verstappen than the sport that’s made him famous?
Seb Priaulx is an endurance racer from Guernsey who’s working with Ford on a bid to win the iconic Le Mans 24-hour race in 2027. He tells More than the Score’s John Bennett about what it takes to make it through an endurance race, where drivers compete as part of teams, racing in shifts. He also explains the challenges that the different styles of sportscars present, from GT3 cars to hypercars, and why he thinks Verstappen is well-suited to this new style of racing.
BBC Sport’s Matt Warwick also joins the pod to talk about the appeal of endurance racing from a spectator’s perspective, and why the format offers a different range of experiences to appreciate. He also considers how the new rules have impacted Formula 1, and whether other racers might also look to test themselves in new formats.
Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We’ve got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Winter Olympic legends Johannes Klaebo and Arianna Fontana, South African football icon Benni McCarthy and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we’ve got the expertise of the BBC’s top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.
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