Max Verstappen gets new job offer and Red Bull star lays out terms to accept
Max Verstappen could take on a new role alongside his Red Bull duties.
Max Verstappen has been contacted by World Endurance Championship teams about making an appearance at the Le Mans 24 Hours in the future. The Red Bull star has previously expressed his desire to drive a Hypercar in the tough endurance race, but has previously insisted he would do so once his Formula One career is over.
Appearing in the competition during the gruelling F1 calendar would prove tricky for Verstappen. The last active F1 driver to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours during the same season was Nico Hulkenberg, who won in 2015 with Porsche.
Verstappen has admitted that he has been contacted over a role at the event. However, he says that the new Hypercars will take a while to be properly understood by those involved in the sport.
"Of course, you get contacted by certain people, but it has to come at the right time and in the right way," the Dutchman told Motorsport.com.
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"I don't want to rush into a decision either. With those new cars, I think it will take at least another one or two years before it's all better understood because at the end of the day, it is still a Balance of Performance story and that makes it difficult."
Verstappen insists that he could combine Le Mans and F1 during the same season, but says it must be done in a “good way”. The 26-year-old has previously said he would only take part in the event once his F1 career is over.
He added: "That depends fully on the preparation, whether it can be done in a good way or not.
"That's a bit the same as what I usually do on the simulator. I obviously wouldn't have driven that sim race during the Imola weekend if I couldn't prepare properly for it, but this time I could and therefore it was possible.
"Of course, you can't run Le Mans and Formula One in one weekend, but if it can be combined in a good way, then I think it can be done during the F1 season."
The Hypercar regulations remain in their infancy following their introduction three years ago. However, Verstappen is prepared to see how they develop. He said: "It's too early for me to enter because of the new regulations as well, I think they need to sort out the BOP a little bit better between the cars.
"It's a bit hit-and-miss here and there, I find. Plus, for me, also the driver weight, I feel like there needs to be a limit on that, because I might rock up at 80 kilos with kit, but there is also a driver that can be 50 or 60.
"When you go to Le Mans, you have no chance - that already is a couple of tenths a lap. It's pretty incredible, the difference.
"So they need to sort that out. There needs to be an average or minimum weight that you need to comply to. But for sure in the future, I would like to race. Yeah, it's an incredible event."
