Le Mans is a crown jewel in the world of motorsports, and winning the iconic 24-hour race there is a dream for almost every aspiring racing driver. Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen too, aspire to compete there one day. But they are both frustrated at not being able to do so, because of their busy F1 schedules.
2024 will be the longest season in F1 history, with 24 races on the calendar. Plus, preparing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a daunting and demanding task, for which the likes of Leclerc and Verstappen simply don’t have enough time.
This weekend, Le Mans has been lit up by the cars in action for this historic annual extravaganza. But last week at the Canadian GP, F1 drivers were asked about their desire to compete in the same. As per a report from formule1.nl, Leclerc said,
“I would love it. But I think we all face the same problem. The Formula 1 calendar is just crazy right now. We would never have enough time to prepare – while of course, I would be in it to win.”
Mercedes’ George Russell (who finished P3 in Canada) also wants to take part in Le Mans. “It would be cool to participate. It is a very special race.”
Another driver who loves to compete in endurance races is Verstappen. He has plenty of experience in the virtual world (sim racing) and has reiterated his desire to step into a real car soon. However, his F1 duties and one other factor prevents him from taking the step right now.
Max Verstappen wants clarity about the BoP rules in WEC
Very recently, the FIA had announced new regulations for the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and as such, has not yet settled on the rules for Balance of Performance (BoP).
“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 told Motorsport.com.
BoP aims to level the playing field in sports car racing. It can include measures like increasing pit stop times for top finishers from previous races. These adjustments can significantly impact race outcomes and often stir controversy.
Max Verstappen has revealed he has been speaking to Fernando Alonso about driving Le Mans together
Max: “I’ve been speaking to Fernando about it. He’s said he’d only want to do it again with me.”
What would your dream Le Mans driver line-up be? #HondaRacingThanksDay pic.twitter.com/aWLitIgOa9
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) December 3, 2023
Verstappen even had the chance to team up with two-time Le Mans winner Fernando Alonso. Alonso invited Verstappen to join his team for the 24-hour race. However, the reigning F1 world champion had to decline the offer due to his contractual obligations with Red Bull.
