Christoph Sagemuller, head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, was disappointed by Max Verstappen’s retirement from the Nurburgring 24 Hours, but impressed by what the Dutchman showed on track.
Mercedes took overall victory in the Nurburgring 24 Hours for the first time in 10 years. For a long time, the manufacturer looked set for a one-two finish, until the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entry retired with a broken driveshaft. That allowed the #80 Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol car to take over the lead, which it would not relinquish.
It made for a race of mixed emotions for Sagemuller.
“It was a very intense race, which actually felt longer than 24 hours to me personally,” Sagemuller laughed in conversation with Motorsport.com.
“We had some very interesting phases of the race. Right at the beginning, of course, with the changing conditions, we saw that a lot of our competitors were really struggling. We struggled as well, but luckily we managed to get through it.”
Weighing up the risk
Later in the race, during the night stints, the #3 Mercedes and the #80 Mercedes came together in the battle for victory. On the Dottinger Hohe, Verstappen and Maro Engel ran side by side, even with slight contact between them, after which Engel went onto the grass. Both cars were able to continue, but Sagemuller watched on tensely from the pit wall.
“When Max and Maro were in the car, I saw some really nice racing action,” he reflected. “Sometimes a bit too much for my liking, but it was good. We wanted to put on a show and also give something back to the fans. I think that was really nice to see.”
Sagemuller added that he watched the battle with “mixed feelings”, knowing it could also have ended in tears.
Back comes Engel, but it almost ends in tears at the fastest part of the track! 🫣
— Intercontinental GT Challenge (@IntercontGTC) May 17, 2026
📺 https://t.co/nRctemYlyf#IGTC | #24hNBR pic.twitter.com/khW3IxxOnv
“We all love racing action, but in the end you always have to consider which risk you take at what stage of the race,” the Mercedes-AMG Motorsport boss explained. “So, I just tried to calm these guys down a bit and say: ‘Hey, there’s still a long way to go until the finish line.’ But for the racing itself and for the fans, it was ultimately super nice.”
Asked whether he felt the battle was hard but fair, Sagemuller replied: “In the heat of the moment, it is sometimes difficult to judge. When you race through the 'Green Hell' at night at those speeds, there is ultimately not much margin. That sometimes makes it hard to assess.
“We had the best drivers from the GT3 field in the car there,” he said, explaining that there was a certain level of trust. “And I don’t only mean Maro, I include Max in that as well. He clearly showed that he is also one of the best GT3 drivers in the world,” he added in praise of the four-time F1 champion.
“I was confident that they would manage it. But still: Do you have to take that kind of risk at that stage of the race? Maybe not, but still.”
At one point during the race, it seemed there was some form of internal agreement not to continue fighting such close battles. Had team orders actually been issued?
“It was more about the idea that: you can race, but make sure you bring the cars safely through the night,” Sagemuller explained. “Don’t take too much risk. We were actually in a comfortable position.
“I think we had something like a five-minute lead during the night. So, there was no reason to push too hard. Saving the car was the main message to the drivers,” said the Mercedes-AMG Motorsport boss, who stopped short of explicitly confirming that team orders had been given.
Both cars survived the night, but with just over three hours remaining, the #3 retired with a broken driveshaft.
“It was, of course, very unfortunate with the technical issue we had on the number three car,” Sagemuller said. “We are still investigating where exactly it came from, but in the end it is a real pity that they were not able to finish the race in the position they actually deserved.”
“The best thing that could have happened to the sport”
As head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, Sagemuller is naturally proud that Verstappen represented his brand in one of the world’s biggest endurance races.
“Of course, first of all, for the sport it is the best thing that could have happened,” he said. “Having such a leading figure in the racing world, a four-time Formula 1 world champion, show so much interest in what we are doing here in GT racing is a very positive thing. I think we can all be really happy that he is so dedicated and passionate about what we do.
“But personally, of course, I am more than happy that he has chosen us as a brand and is racing the Mercedes-AMG GT3.”
Asked whether there have already been talks about doing more endurance races together, Sagemuller smiled: “One step at a time. But I think this was a good starting point. It was a big project for all of us, with not too much preparation time.
“So yes, there is definitely more to come, but nothing concrete at the moment.”
