Max Verstappen reveals the track ‘far too dangerous’ for F1 return

Max Verstappen has recently been getting to grips with the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit as ‘Franz Hermann’.

However, the reigning four-time World Champion ruled out the idea of ever going racing there as a Formula 1 driver, arguing that the track is “far too dangerous” for such an event to ever be resurrected.

Max Verstappen rules out F1 Nordschleife return

The Nordschleife track hosting German Grand Prix action can be traced to the inaugural Formula 1 season in 1950, but the 1976 staging proved F1’s final time using the circuit nicknamed ‘the Green Hell’ by three-time World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart, with subsequent grands prix at the Nurburgring using the GP-Strecke circuit – a shorter, modern variation constructed in the early 1980s.

But Verstappen has recently been in action around the Nordschleife, conducting a Ferrari 296 GT3 test under the disguise of ‘Franz Hermann’, who struck again in a further, virtual appearance at Spa-Francorchamps.

That even led to a merchandising opportunity for Verstappen, who marked the emergence of his alter ego with a pair of scale model cars, carrying the ‘Franz Hermann’ name, available for pre-order on Verstappen’s website, with estimated arrivals in November 2025.

And in a Formule 1 Magazine interview, Verstappen was asked how he would feel about swapping GT3 for Formula 1 machinery in a return to racing around the Nordschleife for the series.

He responded: “That’s really not going to happen with the Formula 1 cars we have now, I’m afraid.

“With GT3 speed it is okay and still doable. I have seen old footage now and then, also of Formula 1 on the Nordschleife.

“One thing is for sure: F1 there, that will never happen again. Far too dangerous.”

Max Verstappen reveals the track ‘far too dangerous’ for F1 return

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