Daniel Juncadella is part of the #3 Mercedes-AMG entry for the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, sharing the car with Max Verstappen, Jules Gounon, and Lucas Auer, in one of the most anticipated lineups of the event.
Juncadella knows exactly what the Nurburgring demands. The Spaniard returns to the Nordschleife this year, back behind the wheel of a Mercedes-AMG GT3, and alongside Max Verstappen.
After a one-year stint away from Mercedes machinery, Juncadella says returning to the brand feels like coming home: “It’s a car I know very well for many years, especially at the Nordschleife,” Juncadella exclusively told Motorsport Week. “Last year I drove the Lamborghini, but it was maybe more of a one-off event for me. This feels much more natural, more like what I’m used to at the Nürburgring.
“I think it’s a great year to be back in a Mercedes. Unfortunately, I haven’t won this in the 10 years already, so I think my time is coming.”
The headline story entering the weekend, however, is Verstappen’s involvement. While the four-time Formula 1 world champion’s presence has generated massive attention around the event, Juncadella says the dynamic inside the team has been seamless from the beginning.
“Very cool,” he said when asked about working with Verstappen. “He’s a good friend. I’ve known him for a lot of years now. We shared a lot in sim racing, and now we get to share it in real life, which is definitely very cool.
“He’s a guy that brings a lot not only to me, but also to the world of endurance racing. I think it’s just great that he’s here.”
The connection between the two drivers goes back several years, long before this Nurburgring project came together. Juncadella revealed he had often spoken with Verstappen about a future move into endurance racing, and made sure his interest was known early.
“I’ve been close to Max the last couple of years, and I was always speaking with him about his future involvement in real racing and endurance,” he explained. “I always said, ‘The day you go to Nurburgring, count me in.’
“It all happened because with my Hypercar drive, I couldn’t continue with my contract with Corvette Racing in IMSA, so suddenly I was free for the season. I made sure I was available to join back.”
Mercedes is home for Juncadella
Even without Verstappen’s arrival, Juncadella believes a Mercedes return was likely: “Mercedes has basically been my family for this event,” he said. “But everything came together because Max also asked me what I thought about the different cars on the grid, and my opinion was that Mercedes was a very competitive car for here.”
While Verstappen enters the event with limited endurance racing experience compared to some of his teammates, Juncadella says the atmosphere inside the garage has made the transition easy: “Endurance racing is all about partnership and companionship,” he said. “Not only on track, but mostly outside the track as well.
“Jules and me are like brothers. Luggi [Auer], I’ve known for many years. Max just fits right in because it’s very easy with him. We spend our time not only chatting about racing, but also about life and just stupid stuff in the end. Outside the car, we’re basically like teenagers having fun.”
Juncadella believes the relationship is mutually beneficial. While Verstappen brings the instincts and technical understanding of a Formula 1 champion, the experienced Nurburgring lineup can help accelerate his adaptation to endurance competition.
“There’s a lot we can learn from a four-time world champion. Not only in driving, but also in terms of technical knowledge. At the same time, Jules, myself and Luggi have massive endurance racing experience, and I think we’ve been extremely helpful for him to get up to speed in certain areas.”
JAs for expectations heading into one of the toughest races in motorsport, Juncadella left little doubt about the team’s ambitions: “We want to win. That’s very, very clear,” he said.
Still, at the Nurburgring, confidence only goes so far. The ever-changing conditions around the Nordschleife remain one of the defining variables of the race: “The weather is going to play an incredible and uncertain role,” Juncadella said. “Right now it started raining, and it’s sunny out there. You never know in this place. It can go very wrong.
“We have to take it hour by hour, stay calm, and see what the weather does. And if everything comes together? The car is fast, the drivers are fast, and if we have a clean race, we’ll have a chance to win.”
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