Verstappen makes GT3 debut at Portimao as Rossi shares the grid in GTWCE finale

Max Verstappen will make his GT World Challenge Europe debut at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimao this Saturday, stepping into the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 for his own Verstappen Racing squad. The four-time Formula 1 world champion takes the wheel because regular drivers Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon are committed to the rescheduled WEC round in Barcelona.

Verstappen will share driving duties with sim racing friend and regular team-mate Chris Lulham and reserve driver Ben Barnicoat. It marks his first appearance in a GT3 car since the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours and his first competitive start in the GTWCE championship.

The three-hour race itself carries little title significance. The Endurance Cup and combined standings were already settled at the Nürburgring in favour of Maro Engel, Lucas Auer and Luca Stolz, whose #48 Winward Mercedes-AMG — nicknamed the ‘Mamba’ — holds an unassailable points lead. Attention will instead fall squarely on Verstappen’s performance and what his presence means for the series’ profile.

Adding further star power to the grid is MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, a regular competitor in the #46 WRT BMW M4 GT3. It will be the first time Verstappen and Rossi have shared a racing grid, a meeting of two of motorsport’s most recognisable names across different disciplines.

Portimao returns to the GTWCE calendar for the first time since 2015. While the circuit hosted sprint races in 2014 and 2015, Saturday’s event will be the first endurance race the series has staged there. The race is scheduled to run into dusk, lending the season finale an added atmospheric dimension.

The support programme across the weekend includes the GT2 European Series, McLaren Trophy Europe and GT4 European Series, with those championships racing on Sunday after the main event concludes.

Schedule (local time)

Friday 16 October: Free Practice 1 — 08:45–10:15; Free Practice 2 — 12:45–14:15; Qualifying — 17:55–19:05.

Saturday 17 October: Race — 17:00–20:00.