MotoGP Legend Valentino Rossi Wants To Be The Next Star Nürburgring 24 Debutant

While Max Verstappen's rookie outing at May's Nürburgring 24 Hours didn't end with a race victory, it's difficult to remember anything in recent history that so bolstered the fervor around the iconic race. Now, another world champion wants a piece of the GT3 action around the Green Hell. Valentino Rossi is aiming to secure his Nordschleife permit by the end of this racing season. The nine-time world champion has been cutting his teeth in sports car racing since his retirement from MotoGP in 2021.

Getting a license to race around the Green Hell isn't as straightforward as passing a written test and paying a registration fee. It must be earned in competition with entry-level equipment. According to Motorsport.com, Rossi and his management team are looking to book a one-off appearance in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. The 47-year-old needs to complete eight incident-free laps in an NLS race to earn his B Permit. The only caveat is that Rossi's status as a BMW factory driver restricts his potential landing spots to teams that race BMWs. Just his luck that the new M2 Racing is a car of choice for teams focusing on helping aspiring drivers get their permits.

If he wants to compete in next year's Nürburgring 24 Hours while keeping his current schedule, the clock is ticking for Rossi to obtain his B Permit. After two seasons in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Rossi opted to retire from the marquee series. According to Sportscar 365, the Italian stepped away because of a distaste for mixed-class racing alongside prototypes and a desire to cut down his travel. Instead, he's expanded his commitments in two SRO-run series: GT World Challenge Europe and the Intercontinental GT Challenge. The clashes between NLS and SRO events reduce Rossi's chances of getting a permit, but there are a few open dates.

Before you start fantasizing, I'm going to temper your expectations on the potential inter-generational showdown between Rossi and Verstappen. Red Bull's F1 ace was phenomenal in his N24 debut, and only a driveshaft failure derailed what would have been a commanding victory. While a serviceable hand in a multi-driver lineup, Rossi just isn't nearly as capable behind the wheel. He finished on the podium seven times in WEC and IGTC over the last two seasons, with a lone victory at the 2025 Indianapolis 8 Hour. Regardless of the mismatch, fans will still come out in force to see this spectacle. We just need F1's schedule to give Verstappen the weekend free to have some fun.