Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Mark Thompson / Getty Images

Max Verstappen has expressed interest in racing in Super GT, but admits the lack of a true blue riband event makes a guest appearance difficult to justify.

The four-time Formula 1 champion turned his first laps in a Nissan Z GT500 car at Fuji Speedway last month, as part of a promotional shoot organised by his employer Red Bull.

It marked only his second in a contemporary Super GT prototype following an initial outing behind the wheel of a Honda NSX-GT at Motegi in 2022 during the Japanese manufacturer’s end-of -season event.

Super GT is considered the fastest championship for grand touring cars in the world, with current GT500 machines capable of outpacing even the World Endurance Championship’s hypercars over a typical lap around Fuji.

Verstappen said he relished his experience aboard the Nissan Z, even as heavy rain left the track wet and limited his running around Fuji.

“It was a lot of fun,” the 28-year-old said on the eve of the Japanese GP. “Just a shame that it was raining quite a bit, so I couldn’t do that many laps. I would have liked to do more laps.

“But it’s a fantastic car, a fantastic category in general, and it was a great experience for me to drive that car, and also feel the grip in the wet.

“It’s quite different to what we have in Europe. 

“Just being able to drive so many different cars is always a good thing.”