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Formula One F1 – Young Driver Test – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – December 14, 2021 Red Bull’s Max Verstappen during testing REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
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Formula One F1 – Young Driver Test – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – December 14, 2021 Red Bull’s Max Verstappen during testing REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
The 24 Hours of Le Mans has always been a dream destination for quite a lot of Formula One drivers, with Fernando Alonso being the latest one to compete in the exhausting marathon. Now, only two years since the Spaniard’s back-to-back wins, Max Verstappen has showcased an urge to race in the Le Mans.
The Dutchman recently won his first-ever world championship title in F1 and has since been hunting for more trophies in other racing series. And the first of that sort that seems to have picked up his attention is the world-famous French racing event.
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What did Max Verstappen say?
As reported by Motorsport, Verstappen admitted he is interested to compete in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans event. What’s more, the Red Bull driver also acknowledged that he would only proceed to race in Le Mans if his father, Jos Verstappen, turned up as his teammate.
“I would love to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I don’t know yet when it will happen. I’ve watched this race many times before and I was there even when my father was racing there,” he said.
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Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates his first F1 win with father Jos Verstappen during the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya on May 15, 2016 in Montmelo, Spain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
“I think it’s a very good race. I want to participate in the future, but I will do it with my father,” the Red Bull prodigy added.
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Other F1 drivers in Le Mans
Alonso gave up on his Formula One career to explore other racing categories only to find himself among the Le Mans grid in 2018 and 2019. And quite spectacularly, the two-time F1 world champion went on to win both the events, becoming only the fifth F1 world champion to win a Le Mans race.
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Formula One F1 – Qatar Grand Prix – Losail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar – November 21, 2021 Third placed Alpine’s Fernando Alonso celebrates on the podium with champagne REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
The others were Graham Hill, Mike Hawthorn, Phil Hill, and Jochen Rindt. Later in 2020, Brendon Hartley and Sebastien Buemi, driving for Toyota, won their second and third Le Mans wins, respectively.
Hartley’s only other victory came in 2017, while Buemi recorded a hat-trick in 2020 after wins in 2018 and 2019. Aston Martin reserve, Nico Hulkenberg, too, won his one and only Le Mans race in 2015. Hence, with F1 drivers often embracing success in Le Mans, will Verstappen manage to shine over his very first stint? We’ll know in time.
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