Verstappen Starting 15th for GT Return; Boutsen VDS Porsche Takes Portimao Pole
A mid-race drive-through penalty dropped Team Verstappen before Verstappen recovered to ninth in the three-hour finale.
- On Saturday, Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen finished ninth in his GT World Challenge Europe debut at Portimao, Portugal, driving the No.3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing car with teammates Ben Barnicoat and Chris Lulham.
- A calendar clash prevented regular drivers Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon from competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Barcelona, prompting Verstappen to return to GT3 machinery for the first time since the Nürburgring 24 Hours in May.
- After starting 15th following a difficult qualifying session, victory hopes faded when a drive-through penalty for a collision involving Lulham forced a late recovery charge through the field.
- Fabian Schiller secured overall victory driving the No.17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed entry, with the No.80 Lionspeed GP Porsche and No.2 Boutsen VDS Porsche completing the outright podium.
- Verstappen will return to the Formula 1 series next week at the United States Grand Prix after winning the last two races; he is expected to contest more non-F1 events in 2027.
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James Kell concludes GT World Challenge Europe campaign in race with Max Verstappen
The Adderbury-based James Kell claimed a top-seven finish in the Gold Cup category of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance finale at Portimão on October 17, resulting in a fourth-place finish in the final Gold Driver’s standings.
At his debut in the GT World Challenge Max Verstappen makes 15 places in the final phase. His performance impresses.
Max Verstappen, Dutch four-time Formula 1 world champion, all in a row, finished in ninth position in Portimao's 3 hours, a contest on the Portuguese circuit with which the season ends in the GT World Challenge Europe. It is a result more than meritorious, if considered ... Continue reading "Verstappen impressive: took his car 24° and finished 9° in the GT race of Portimao after only 45 minutes"
Max Verstappen starred in a sensational race in the final moments of the 3 Hours of Portimão, the final round of the GT World Challenge Europe 2026.
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