Whincup keen to get Verstappen to Bathurst 1000
Jamie Whincup keen to get Max Verstappen to take on Bathurst 1000
Four-time world champion Verstappen recently drove Supercar for first time
Only one F1 driver, Jacky Icxx in 1977, has won the Bathurst 1000
Triple Eight boss Jamie Whincup wants to see Red Bull Formula 1 star Max Verstappen take on the Bathurst 1000 in one of his Supercars.
Four-time world champion Verstappen set tongues wagging last week when he drove a Gen3 Supercar for the first time.
The 71-time Grand Prix winner got behind the wheel of a Red Bull Ampol-liveried Mustang as part of a Ford challenge. Speaking after the laps, Verstappen flagged his interest in contesting the Great Race.
The seat time was a long time coming for Verstappen, who first sat in a Supercar in 2017 after being given a tour of a Red Bull Holden Commodore. Two years later, he hopped into the passenger seat alongside Whincup for a hot lap of the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit.
Ultimately, calendars must align for drivers from other categories to contest the race. A Verstappen cameo would have to wait until 2027 at the earliest, given this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000 clashes with the Singapore Grand Prix in October.
Speaking to 7News Queensland, Triple Eight boss Whincup wants to make it happen.
“He’s got his eyes open at the moment, which is good,” four-time Bathurst winner Whincup said.
“He’s looking at other series and championships.
“If not this year, next year, we can see him behind the wheel.”
There has been recent added interest in NASCAR circles, with 2022 Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric contesting last year's bp Adelaide Grand Final in a Tickford Racing-prepared Mustang.
While Verstappen conceivably has plenty of years left in him in F1, he has started to branch out to other categories, notably racing a GT3 Ferrari to victory at the Nürburgring Nordschleife last September.
The Dutchman owns a GT3 team, Verstappen.com Racing, which will run Mercedes-AMG GT3s in this year’s GT World Challenge Europe.
Verstappen has also previously stated that, when considering his future options, there are “a lot of things that have to come together” should he consider making a career or team change.
He also spoke of his ambition to continue improving as a driver, doing so by “always trying to look for details, trying to just learn about the car, learn about yourself, do a lot of things also outside of F1… I'm driving, of course, a lot of different cars, external which I don't think it hurts you, racing in F1.”
Many former F1 drivers have steered Supercars machinery, but only five Grand Prix winners have contested the Bathurst 1000, the last coming in 2002 through 1980 champion Alan Jones.
Sir Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme, Sir Stirling Moss and Jacky Icxx also made Great Race starts, with Belgian Icxx famously winning in 1977 with the late Allan Moffat.
A Supercar is a far cry from an F1 car, yet speaking in 2022, Verstappen maintained he would be able to adapt, saying: “I think after a few practice sessions, it’s fine... you just need a few days of driving. It’s completely different for me.
“Back at home, I also drive in GT3 cars. I really enjoy it, but you have to adapt your style to it, it takes a few days. As a driver, your main skill is to adapt to the situation; it doesn’t matter what car, it’s also grip levels, track layout.
“What you need from a car, because every track can be a bit different. It doesn’t matter if you’re an F1 driver or V8 driver; you adapt."
The 2026 Supercars season commences in Sydney on February 20-22. Tickets are on sale now. International viewers can watch on SuperView.
