Verstappen swaps Red Bull for Mercedes-AMG GT3 at Portimao after back-to-back F1 wins

Max Verstappen will race a Mercedes-AMG GT3 at Portimao, Portugal, on Saturday 17 October, competing in the final round of the 2026 GT World Challenge season just days after winning back-to-back Formula 1 grands prix in Singapore and Malaysia.

Verstappen will share the #3 Team Verstappen Racing entry with Ben Barnicoat and Chris Lulham. The car’s regular drivers, Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon, are committed to the FIA World Endurance Championship the same weekend, opening the door for the four-time F1 world champion to step in.

The three-hour endurance race starts at 5pm local time and runs until 8pm. Qualifying takes place on Friday between 5:55pm and 7:05pm local time.

It will be Verstappen’s first GT outing since the Nürburgring 24 Hours earlier this year, a race that ended in frustration when a technical failure forced his car out of contention. Portimao’s shorter format — three hours against the Nürburgring’s full day — may offer him a cleaner shot at a result.

The field is a sizeable one: 61 cars will take to the Algarve circuit, a compact layout that is likely to produce heavy traffic and close racing throughout.

“It is going to be a busy seven weeks, but I will enjoy it,” Verstappen said when his entry was first announced.

The GT World Challenge is available to stream free of charge on the GT World YouTube channel in multiple languages, with Friday practice getting under way at 8:45am local time.