Craig ScarboroughMax Verstappen got behind the wheel of a Mercedes AMG GT3 in May 2026 at the legendary Nordschleife, and won. Comfortably.
Yes, his Red Bull branded Verstappen team car was later disqualified for excessive use of tyres…
But the track, the car, the overtaking opportunities were absolutely mega. Exactly what a thoroughbred racer like Verstappen loves.
Some of Max Verstappen’s best overtakes during his NLS victory today 👏⚡️ pic.twitter.com/1feuM5CnJt
— Autosport (@autosport) March 21, 2026
For some fans, GT racing maybe somewhat of an unknown, but it has become a hugely successful racing category in its own right over the past years.
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So, what is GT racing?
GT racing is a form of endurance motor sport; races can last from a few hours to 24 hours.
These races can be from national GT championships all the way to the World Endurance Championship (WEC) which includes the 24 hours of Le Mans.
Cars that race in GT are surprisingly varied, the category is set up to allow manufacturers with a wide range of high-performance road cars to race in a relatively balanced competition.
I got overtaken by Max Verstappen 👀 pic.twitter.com/EoJA9JVEmi
— Steve Alvarez Brown (@_SuperGT) March 22, 2026
They are larger grand touring style cars, but you will have both the larger and smaller cars in that class.
Relatively small in production numbers, from luxury manufacturers to something relatively mainstream from major manufacturers.
They are all modified for racing by their manufacturers, through a system called Balance Of Performance (BOP).
This come s into to effect when the car is initially homologated for racing and throughout its racing life.
And even on a race-by-race basis, where the cars weight, engine power and race fuel allowance are balanced against competitors, to make sure no one car has a huge advantage.
Today, some 20 plus manufacturers are currently homologated with a GT racing version of their road car.
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It needs to be clarified that when we are talking about a GT3 race car, this will be different to publicly available road car versions often called GT or GT3
- Aston Martin: Vantage AMR GT3 (2024)
- Audi: R8 LMS GT3 EVO II
- BMW: M4 GT3
- Chevrolet: Corvette Z06 GT3.R
- Ferrari: 296 GT3
- Ford: Mustang GT3
- Lamborghini: Huracán GT3 EVO2
- McLaren: 720S GT3 Evo
- Mercedes-AMG: GT3
- Porsche: 911 GT3 R (992)
- Acura: NSX GT3 Evo22
Max is racing a Mercedes AMG which may seem strange from the point of view of his F1 racing rivals.
But because of balance of performance, this car is as good any other current GT car.
How are GT cars developed?
A GT car starts as production road car, with its manufacturer then approaching the FIA to gain entry to the GT homologation programme.
They will often develop the car from a roadcar to a racecar with partners, who specialise in race car development.
Homologation is a long detailed and complicated process.
The costs involved make more sense if the manufacturer can sell more of the production GT car to customers, although GT racing is more often a marketing programme, not a profit-making exercise.
Therefore, often the manufacturer will develop both a GT3 and a lesser GT4 specification car.
This specification of each variant starts with the manufacturer and is overseen and balanced by the FIA.
At the end of which is the official homologation certification which lasts a fixed duration of several years.
This means that you cannot go out and buy a Mercedes, for example, and modify it to make a GT racing version of it yourself, it has to come through the manufacturer via the FIA.
This also means that these cars are built from the outset as dedicated race cars, they are not originally cars that had been on the road and converted for racing.
Homologation also means that there cannot be any development to the car during this period.
Customers cannot change anything to make the car faster, by adding new wings or suspension etc.
Additionally, the cars will be inspected by the FIA or race series organisers to ensure that the car raced still meets its homologated specification.
This can and goes as far as complete car and engine tears downs to ensure every part is the same as the dimensions, and materials detailed in the homologation paperwork.
With the homologation of these race cars lasting for several years and with such a huge number of GT categories racing around the world, it’s a fight for supremacy.
The manufacturer will produce dozens, if not hundreds of cars during each homologation period.
With some GT cars being homologated several times during their road car production life, huge numbers of these cars will exist barring a few details to suit each individual race series, they will each be identical to each other.
For a GT3 car this will mean about 20% of the original production car remains leaving 80% as dedicated race components.
The car’s basic chassis for example will be straight from the production line.
It’s produced as a bare chassis and then cut and trimmed to allow for the installation of the complex roll cage, race fuel tank and carbon fibre body work.
The car will have race specification; suspension brakes and wheels, as well as a full electronics package to support the chassis functions, paddle shift gearbox and the engine.
The engine has to be developed from the production engine, albeit with bespoke internals, dry sump, inlets, exhausts and turbocharger (if fitted).
Despite this high-end hardware, these engines are developed to be low stressed, so that they do not need frequent rebuilds and are reliable the car.
Very little, if any, of the original interior will remain inside the car.
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As these are manufacturer developed race cars, the interior may look similar to the production car in the loosest sense of the word!
The fit finish and detail of the interior is often of a very high standard for a racecar.
To make the car work as a GT racer, where you will have a range of drivers depending on the category, with racers being from wealthy amateurs to F1 world champions!
These drivers not only vary in terms of skill, but in physical stature.
I got overtaken by Max Verstappen 👀 pic.twitter.com/EoJA9JVEmi
— Steve Alvarez Brown (@_SuperGT) March 22, 2026
The cockpit therefore needs to accommodate different size drivers. This is often done by the fixed position seat having a separate foam liner for the smaller drivers.
Next, rather than the seat being adjusted relative to the pedals, the pedal box has the ability to slide backwards and forwards to suit the driver.
Of course, at this level the steering wheel is a full carbon fibre set up with buttons and rotary controls as well as paddle shift all the clutch pedal is common in these cars.
For comfort and safety, the cockpit is air conditioned to reduce heat stress.
There’ll be a drinks system with quickly interchangeable bottles and side/door nets to constrain the driver’s arms in a major crash.
Aerodynamically, the cars bear a close resemblance to their production counterparts in order for the manufacturers marketing department to be able to relate the production to the race car
But these are wind tunnel developed cars.
Again, this is monitored by the FIA to ensure that no car has too much aerodynamic performance, in terms of downforce or drag.
🇩🇪 | MAX VERSTAPPEN EN NORDSCHLEIFE.
Este video me encanta. MV3 a fondo, cuando uno lo cierre sigue con el pie abajo y se va al cesped como si nada. ¡¡ NO SE INMUTA !!
Es una máquina bajo el volante. Mi GOAT. 🐐pic.twitter.com/kUGEA8IAtc
— Max Argento 🇦🇷 (@MaxArgento33) March 19, 2026
The cars will be fitted with a sizeable front splitter, wide wheel arches and a rear wing. Underneath the cars will be completely flat, with a sizable diffuser fitted under the rear.
Plus, there’ll be significant amount of increased cooling inlets and outlets, to cool the engine, transmission and differential of the car.
Being an endurance car, they are also adapted with larger bag-type fuel tanks and refuelling nozzles on the body work.
Many systems on the car are quick to replace in case of faults or race damage.
The huge diffuser, for example, will often detach from the car with just two R clips, so that it can be replaced in just a few seconds at a pit stop.
The car will also incorporate its own jacks, so when airline is inserted into a nozzle on the car, it will automatically lift ready for the pit stops.
Four-wheel changes which take just 10 to 20 seconds.
Max’s Mercedes AMG
This is a GT3 racing regular, the car was first homologated in 2015 and has been updated and recertified since then. Today the road going counterpart is the ‘GT R Pro’.
There are two versions of the car, both a GT3 and GT4. The GT4 is a lesser specification for being nearer 80% roadcar to 20% racecar. The GT3 being the reverse of that ratio.
Thus, only the GT3 gets the full 6.3 litre naturally aspirated V8 engine. This is mated to a six-speed paddle shift gearbox and adjustable differential.
The racecar, by regulation, is based around the road car’s aluminium spaceframe chassis.
There is then FIA certified roll cage. Plus, all the dedicated race suspension, brakes and auxiliary systems.
Wheels are 18” and shod with Michelins for the NLS races. They house Steel discs of 390mm front and 355mm rear.
Plus, a 120l fuel tank although rules for specific races or BOP there may be a cap the car’s full capacity.
Then the basic weight of the car is 1,285kg but again this can be affected by BOP.
Electrical systems include a full LED lighting package, formed of both the headlight and the driving lamps below them. More electronics allow for traction control and ABS.
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Electronics can even restart the engine, as it drops from its jacks at a pitstop!
The team engineering the car at the track have the opportunity to change the set-up of the car through its suspension and the aero (splitter, rear wing and diffuser) are all adjustable.
Fancy a go? I bet you do. Can we all do it? Yes and no.
It takes many years of racing experience to be skilful enough to race a GT car proper.
The famous Nordschleife Nurburgring offers amateurs the opportunity to take their own cars onto the circuit.
But know your limits. There are always faster drivers out there!
this is so stressful and amazing to watch pic.twitter.com/p3LHFXshS5
— Verstappen News (@verstappenews) March 21, 2026
Anthony Durkin