Max Verstappen is embedding himself in his GT3 side hustle this weekend. He's not a regular in the Verstappen Racing team, but he'll be taking over this weekend as a rather well-experienced reserve. He will be driving the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO alongside Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat. But who are these two talented gentlemen? And should the 61-car field be worried?
Chris Lulham Is a familiar face
You will likely recognise Lulham if you follow Verstappen's racing outside Formula 1. He has been a regular in Verstappen Racing cars in 2026. He comes from the sim racing world, having made the jump into real-world GT machinery with support from the four-time champion himself. He and the Red Bull driver have great chemistry and a strong history. He has a head start on the other newcomer here: he already knows how the team operates.
Verstappen Racing
Ben Barnicoat and his silverware
Barnicoat has a really strong history of racing. The Chesterfield-born Englishman is a Lexus factory driver. He races the #14 Lexus RC F GT3 for Vasser Sullivan in IMSA competition.
After spending four years with McLaren's factory driver programme, he moved to Lexus in 2022 and was immediately on the pace. He started 2022 by winning the Asian Le Mans Series GT title in a McLaren, then won Petit Le Mans in his first season with Lexus. He then won the 2023 IMSA GTD Pro title paired with Jack Hawksworth. A Sebring GTD Pro win followed in 2024.
He's got strong GT chops, too. Barnicoat took two GT World Challenge Europe pole positions back in 2021, so there's plenty of excitement around his driving this weekend.
#14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3: Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat
Photo by: Michael Tan
What you need to know this weekend
Friday's qualifying will start at 5.55pm local time. Each of the three drivers sets a lap in their own session, and the grid is decided by the average of the three.
The race starts on Saturday 17 October at 5pm local time.
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