Max Verstappen may return to compete in a GT3 race for his own team, Verstappen Racing. The four-time Formula 1 world champion has a good chance of taking one of the team’s cars in the final Endurance round of the GT World Challenge Europe, in Portugal.
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The three-hour race is scheduled for October 18, at the Portimão circuit, precisely between the Singapore and United States GPs. The calendar allows Verstappen to participate in the event, should the team’s usual lineup be short-handed.
The problem lies in the conflict with the World Endurance Championship round in Barcelona, held the same weekend. Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon have commitments with the Alpine and Genesis teams, respectively, and it is currently considered unlikely that both will be able to compete in both races.
If both are not in Portimão, only Chris Lulham would be available for Verstappen Racing, while the car needs three drivers. Verstappen, therefore, could complete the lineup, although his participation has not yet been confirmed.
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The possibility was already circulating during the GT World Challenge round in Nurburgring, when other GT3 drivers considered the Dutchman’s presence very likely. In this scenario, it would still be necessary to find one more driver, and rumors point to the Spaniard Alex Palou as a possible partner for Verstappen and Lulham.
Palou already competed in the 08 Hours of Indianapolis in 2024 with a Mercedes-AMG GT3, but his participation in this event is not yet defined. Mercedes-AMG Motorsport has also stated that it is working with different scenarios for Portimão, without confirming the presence or absence of Juncadella, Gounon, and Maxime Martin.
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