Verstappen travels to Portugal this weekend for the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup finale at Portimão in the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. The organizer's October 13 preview confirms Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat as his partners in a 61-car field.
Filling in for his own team, with three drivers sharing
Announced October 1, Verstappen and Barnicoat fill in for two regular drivers with World Endurance Championship (WEC) commitments that weekend, as Verstappen's website explains. The official entrant is Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing in PRO, the professional-driver class.
He said a busy schedule did not reduce his enthusiasm for a circuit and country he enjoys, hoping for a smooth weekend. Unlike one-driver F1 cars, three teammates rotate through this three-hour race.
The team entered the series in 2025, upgraded to PRO in 2026 and uses Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO machinery. This year it took a first overall Sprint Cup win at Magny-Cours and first Endurance Cup podium at the Nürburgring, experience across two formats behind No. 3.
The GT3 weekend sits between Singapore and the US F1 round. Verstappen won Singapore on October 11 and races next in F1 on October 23–25. He switches from the street circuit to closed-cockpit GT racing with shared driving duties.
China-time viewing: The race begins at midnight on Sunday
The timetable puts qualifying Friday, October 16, at 17:55 local time and the race Saturday, October 17, at 17:00. Portimão uses UTC+1 this week, seven hours behind China Standard Time (UTC+8).
Viewers in China have qualifying early Saturday and the race early Sunday, with the three-hour finish scheduled for October 18 at 03:00. GT World's official YouTube channel offers a free stream. The converted schedule below remains subject to organizer changes.
| Session | Portugal local time (UTC+1) | China Standard Time (UTC+8) |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying | Friday, October 16, 17:55–19:05 | Saturday, October 17, 00:55–02:05 |
| Three-hour race | Saturday, October 17, 17:00–20:00 | Sunday, October 18, 00:00–03:00 |
INKA SPORTS analysis: Against Rossi, compare the complete crews
Valentino Rossi shares No. 46 WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO in PRO with Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen. Other leading GT names include Engel, Haase and Bortolotti; the 61-car field also contains other classes.
The two famous drivers sharing a class adds interest to Nos. 3 and 46, but neither drives the whole race alone. Positions span teammates' stints. Matching car number, current driver and crew position distinguishes direct encounters from the car's complete three-hour performance.
Conclusion
Verstappen brings F1 form into a GT team with wins and podiums against Rossi and endurance specialists. No. 3's combined three-driver result measures its weekend. For viewers in China, the key start is October 18 at 00:00 China Standard Time (UTC+8).
