Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen continues his preparations for the Nurburgring 24 Hours this weekend.

The Red Bull driver is returning to the legendary German circuit on Saturday and Sunday to drive in the ADAC 24h qualifiers. These act as a final dress rehearsal before the full 24-hour race on 16-17 May.

Verstappen has already confirmed he will contest the iconic 24-hour race for the first time next month in a Red Bull-liveried Mercedes-AMG GT3, which he will share with team-mates Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer.

Before that, the quartet will get some final preparation around the famed 20.8km Nordschleife - nicknamed the Green Hell - in two four-hour races this weekend.

While the qualifiers do not set the grid for the main 24-hour race, they can help a car automatically progress to the final segment of qualifying for the actual event next month.

When are the races?

(All timings BST)

Saturday 18 April:

7.30-9am - Qualifying

4.30-8.30pm - Race

Sunday 19 April: 

7.15-8.45am - Qualifying 

9.40-10.40am - Top Qualifying 

12-4pm - Race

Verstappen is aiming to add to his early bank of experience at the Nordschleife, with one of the two races taking place in the dark.

"I need a little bit more experience in general," Verstappen told ESPN. "I would like to maybe drive towards the night or close to the night. Just to have an idea [of what to expect].

"I'm not worried about it. I just want to do it. The only opportunity for that, I think, is in one of the qualifier races.

"So, I need to have a look at that. The rest is all just procedures with the team, that we are all well aligned with that. And then just fine-tuning the setup even further.

"Also, at the Nordschleife the weather can be different in one part to the other part of the track. Stuff like that can happen there.”

Verstappen thought he had won on his last visit to the Nurburgring, but his entry was stripped of victory after falling foul of a tyre violation. Verstappen won on his debut in the GT3 NLS9 class with team-mate Chris Lulham last September.

You can watch the Nurburgring 24 Hours qualifiers here: