Neil Verhagen

Last updated
Neil Verhagen
Nationality Flag of the United States.svg American
Born (2001-02-18) February 18, 2001 (age 23)
Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States
GTWC Europe Endurance Cup career
Debut season 2022
Current teamBMW Junior Team - ROWE Racing
Racing licence FIA Gold Driver.png FIA Gold
Car number26
Starts5 (5 entries)
Wins0
Podiums0
Poles0
Fastest laps0
Best finish11th in 2022
Previous series
2020-2021
2019
2017-18
2015-2016
2015
Nürburgring Endurance Series
BRDC British F3
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0
F1600 Championship Series
F2000 Championship Series
Championship titles
2016 F1600 Championship Series
Awards
2016 Team USA Scholarship

Neil Verhagen (born February 18, 2001) is a racing driver from the United States of America. Verhagen is the youngest to win the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, having accomplished this in the Formula F category.

Contents

Early career

Karting

Neil started indoor karting along with his brother Alex. The duo trained and raced at the Grand Prix New York facilities in Mount Kisco, New York, under the instruction of racing driver Stevan McAleer. McAleer raced many classes and won the 2015 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in the ST class. [1] After racing at the Oakland Valley Race Park club scene, Verhagen joined the WKA and various Rotax Max racing series. [2] In 2012 the young driver finished second in the Florida Winter Tour Minimax series. Verhagen beat many hopefuls such as Logan Sargeant, Patricio O'Ward and Trenton Estep. [3]

To increase their sons chances at a successful racing career, the Verhagen family moved form Ridgefield, Connecticut, to Mooresville, North Carolina, in 2014. The family exchanged the WKA scene for the United States Pro Kart Series.

Lower formulae

The Tatuus Formula Renault 2.0 car as raced by Neil Verhagen in the 2017 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Spa-Francorchamps round. Neil Verhagen Formula Renault.jpg
The Tatuus Formula Renault 2.0 car as raced by Neil Verhagen in the 2017 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Spa-Francorchamps round.

Verhagen made his auto racing debut at Road Atlanta in the Skip Barber Winter Series. The young driver won the first three races of the championship at Road Atlanta and Sebring International Raceway. Verhagen, racing a Mazda powered Reynard chassis, finished second in the championship. [4] Later in 2015 Verhagen debuted in the F1600 Championship Series. At the Pittsburgh International Race Complex Verhagen competed in a Spectrum. [5] At the F2000 Championship Series finale at Pittsburgh Verhagen finished tenth in a RFR F2000.

For 2016 Verhagen joined K-Hill Motorsports in the F1600 Championship Series. [6] The young driver won the championship beating teammate Peter Portante both racing Mygale SJ11 chassis. [7] Verhagen also competed in the SCCA club racing scene. Winning the SCCA Majors Tour Northeast Conference Verhagen qualified for the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. [8] Verhagen went on to become the youngest driver to win the Runoffs at 15 years and 242 days. [9] Winning the Runoffs, Verhagen qualified for the 2016 Mazda Road to Indy Shootout.

Formula Renault

In 2017, Verhagen was inducted into the Red Bull Junior Team and moved up to the Formula Renault Eurocup with MP Motorsport, alongside fellow Red Bull Junior Richard Verschoor. [10] He had one podium at Hungaroring and finished the season eleventh, behind his Dutch teammate. [11]

The following year, Verhagen returned to the Eurocup with Tech 1 Racing, where he finished the championship eleventh. [12]

BRDC British F3

In 2019, Verhagen lost his backing from Red Bull and moved to the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with Double R Racing. [13] He ended the season fifth overall, having taken seven podiums throughout the campaign.

Sportscar career

2020: Victorious GT debut

Verhagen moved to sportscar racing in 2020, driving for Walkenhorst Motorsport as part of the BMW Junior Team in two rounds of the Nürburgring Endurance Series. This included the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, which the American won in the SP8T category driving a BMW M4 GT4. [14]

2021: Nürburgring Endurance success

For the 2021 season, Verhagen stepped up to the SP9 Pro class to partner Daniel Harper and Max Hesse in a full-time campaign of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, where the trio would compete in a BMW M6 GT3 car. [15] Verhagen ended up second in the standings, having taken two victories. [16]

2022: GT World Challenge

The GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup would be Verhagen's destination in 2022, racing for the BMW Junior Team with ROWE Racing, once more alongside Harper and Hesse. [17] After taking their first points in Imola with a fourth-placed finish, the trio ended up fifth in the 24 Hours of Spa, beating their teammates in the sister car. [18] A further points finish at the Hockenheimring left the American eleventh in the championship, one place ahead of the more experienced line-up of the other Rowe Racing entry. [19]

As a result of their accomplishments, Verhagen, Hesse and Harper were introduced as fully-fledged BMW works drivers before the 2023 season. [20]

Racing record

Racing career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2015F1600 Championship SeriesN/A300003133rd
F2000 Championship Series 100002137th
2015-16Skip Barber Winter SeriesN/A200015319th
2016F1600 Championship SeriesK-Hill Motorsports21947158321st
2016-17 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship MRF Racing 400001115th
2017 Formula Renault Eurocup MP Motorsport 2300015911th
Formula Renault NEC 510014714th
2018 Formula Renault Eurocup Tech 1 Racing 2000005911th
Formula Renault NEC 1000003113th
2019 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship Double R Racing 2401073575th
2020 Nürburgring Endurance Series - Cup 5 Walkenhorst Motorsport2100115.8320th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP8T 11001N/A1st
Nürburgring Endurance Series - SP8T FK Performance Motorsport3000111.254th
2021 24H GT Series - P4 BMW M Motorsport 110010NC†
Nürburgring Endurance Series - SP9 Pro BMW Junior Team7200439.222nd
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 BMW Junior Team Shell 10000N/ADNF
2022 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup BMW Junior Team with ROWE Racing 500003611th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 BMW Junior Team Shell 10000N/ADNF
Nürburgring Endurance Series - SP9 Pro BMW Junior Team 200010NC†
Nürburgring Endurance Series - SP85 BMW M Motorsport 100000NC†
2023 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup ROWE Racing 500013310th
Nürburgring Endurance Series - SP9 Pro BMW Junior Team 310020NC†
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 10000N/ADNF
Michelin Pilot Challenge - GS Fast Track Racing2000015059th
GT World Challenge America - Pro-Am ST Racing710351216th
Intercontinental GT Challenge 10000428th
ADAC GT Masters FK Performance Motorsport200001627th
ESET Cup Endurance - GT3 Trevor Racing10000124th*
ESET Cup Sprint - GT3 21102433rd*
2024 GT World Challenge America - Pro-Am ST Racing13311102232nd
24H Series - GT4
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Pro Paul Miller Racing 30011879*15th*

SCCA National Championship Runoffs

YearTrackCarEngineClassFinishStartStatus
2016 Mid-Ohio Mygale SJ11 Honda Fit Formula F 11Running

American Open-wheel racing results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest race lap)

F1600 Championship Series

YearTeam123456789101112131415161718192021RankPoints
2016K-Hill Motorsports ATL
4
ATL
1
ATL
5
WGL
3
WGL
2
WGL
2
VIR
1
VIR
4
VIR
7
MDO
2
MDO
14
MDO
1
PIT
1
PIT
1
PIT
4
NJMP
3
NJMP
1
NJMP
1
VIR
1
VIR
2
VIR
1
1st832

Complete Formula Renault Eurocup results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeam1234567891011121314151617181920212223PosPoints
2017 MP Motorsport MNZ
1

17
MNZ
2

4
SIL
1

Ret
SIL
2

16
PAU
1

DNS
PAU
2

9
MON
1

12
MON
2

12
HUN
1

3
HUN
2

11
HUN
3

24
NÜR
1

18
NÜR
2

Ret
RBR
1

18
RBR
2

25
LEC
1

7
LEC
2

12
SPA
1

8
SPA
2

8
SPA
3

5
CAT
1

7
CAT
2

Ret
CAT
3

17
11th59
2018 Tech 1 Racing LEC
1

7
LEC
2

9
MNZ
1

11
MNZ
2

Ret
SIL
1

10
SIL
2

12
MON
1

6
MON
2

7
RBR
1

4
RBR
2

8
SPA
1

25
SPA
2

22
HUN
1

14
HUN
2

14
NÜR
1

13
NÜR
2

12
HOC
1

7
HOC
2

6
CAT
1

7
CAT
2

7
11th59

Complete BRDC British Formula 3 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeam123456789101112131415161718192021222324PosPoints
2019 Double R Racing OUL
1

12
OUL
2

2
OUL
3

5
SNE
1

6
SNE
2

38
SNE
3

Ret
SIL1
1

2
SIL1
2

151
SIL1
3

5
DON1
1

6
DON1
2

81
DON1
3

7
SPA
1

18
SPA
2

3
SPA
3

5
BRH
1

8
BRH
2

45
BRH
3

7
SIL2
1

10
SIL2
2

15
SIL2
3

3
DON2
1

7
DON2
2

36
DON2
3

3
5th357

Complete Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie results

YearTeamCarClass123456789Pos.Points
2020 FK Performance Motorsport BMW M240i Racing SP8T NÜR
1

Ret
NÜR
2
NÜR
3
4th11.25
Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 NÜR
4

2
NÜR
5

4
BMW M240i Racing Cup 5 NÜR
1
NÜR
2

5
NÜR
3

1
NÜR
4
NÜR
5
20th15.83
2021 BMW Team RMG BMW M6 GT3 SP9 NÜR
1

8
NÜR
2

Ret
NÜR
3

1
NÜR
4

1
NÜR
5

DNS
NÜR
6

2
NÜR
7

3
NÜR
8

Ret
2nd39.22
2022 BMW Junior Team BMW M4 GT3 SP9 NÜR
1

9
NÜR
2
NÜR
3

2
NÜR
4
NÜR
5
NÜR
6
NÜR
7
NÜR
8
NÜR
9
NC†0
BMW M Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 Concept SP85 NÜR
1
NÜR
2
NÜR
3
NÜR
4

Ret
NÜR
5
NÜR
6
NÜR
7
NÜR
8
NÜR
9
NC0
2023 BMW Junior Team BMW M4 GT3 SP9 NÜR
1

5
NÜR
2

3
NÜR
3

1
NÜR
4
NÜR
5
NÜR
6
NÜR
7
NÜR
8
NÜR
9
NC†0

As Verhagen was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.

Complete 24 Hours of Nürburgring results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsOvr.
Pos.
Class
Pos.
2020 Flag of Germany.svg Walkenhorst Motorsport Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dan Harper
Flag of Germany.svg Max Hesse
BMW M4 GT4 SP8T7819th1st
2021 Flag of Germany.svg BMW Junior Team Shell Flag of Brazil.svg Augusto Farfus
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dan Harper
Flag of Germany.svg Max Hesse
BMW M6 GT3 SP954DNFDNF
2022 Flag of Germany.svg BMW Junior Team Shell Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dan Harper
Flag of Germany.svg Max Hesse
BMW M4 GT3 SP986DNFDNF
2023 Flag of Germany.svg BMW Junior Team Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dan Harper
Flag of Germany.svg Max Hesse
BMW M4 GT3 SP996DNFDNF

Complete GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup results

YearTeamCarClass1234567Pos.Points
2022 BMW Junior Team with ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 Pro IMO
15
LEC
4
SPA
6H

11
SPA
12H

2
SPA
24H

5
HOC
9
CAT
13
11th36
2023 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 Pro MNZ
2
LEC
6
SPA
6H

4
SPA
12H

53†
SPA
24H

Ret
NÜR
11
CAT
12
10th33

*Season still in progress.

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamClassMakeEngine12345678910Pos.Points
2024 Paul Miller Racing GTD Pro BMW M4 GT3 BMW S58B30T0 3.0 L Twin-Turbo I6 DAY
3
SEB LGA DET WGL MOS ELK VIR IMS ATL 3rd*319*

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References

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