This weekend, Max Verstappen will be back on track, despite it not being an F1 race weekend, as he has entered the GT World Challenge Europe (GTWCE) at Portimao.
The Dutch driver got a taste of endurance racing earlier this season at the Nordschleife when he entered into a race with his Red Bull-sponsored Mercedes-AMG GT3.
This is not Vertsappen’s first time racing at Portimao, as he has raced around the Portuguese circuit in F1 before and has admitted it is a ‘brilliant track’.
“I’ve always loved being in Portugal, and I’ve spent time here with friends and family,” Verstappen said in a Q&A with GTWCE.
“When I saw the calendar clash [between GT World Challenge and the FIA World Endurance Championship], I was like, ‘I don’t mind stepping in!’
It will be Verstappen's first GT3 outing since competing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours
“It’s a brilliant track and a great environment to come to for fans and families. It’s a very beautiful place.”
Verstappen was back in his Mercedes on Thursday, the 15th of October, for testing ahead of the race.
When asked about his test session ahead of the weekend, he stated, “It’s been alright. Of course, my references are from the Nürburgring Nordschleife, so it took a bit of time to get used to driving the car at this track.
“But the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is very well-balanced, and it has proven over the last few years that it’s also very competitive.
“Today we were just fine-tuning a few details. It’s still quite hot for this time of year, and you have to take that into account as well. Of course, you want to go faster; you want to do better. For myself, I’m getting up to speed, and the more laps I do, the better it gets.”
Max Verstappen, GTWCE Portimao 2026
© GT World Challenge Europe
The level of drivers in the GTWCE field for this weekend is ‘very high’ according to Verstappen, as he will share the track with the likes of Valentino Rossi and Arthur Leclerc.
Verstappen said, “It’s a very high level. Some of them I’ve raced already in the past when we were younger.
“Some are a bit older than me, but they’ve achieved a lot all over the world. I think the level shows why there are so many cars on the grid: you want to compete in one of the highest GT championships.
"There are so many good drivers with so much experience and they drive these GT3 cars day in day out. Naturally, you see that the margins are very small. I’m getting a bit out of my comfort zone driving this type of car, but I love it. I love competing in all types of categories."
Finally, when asked about his expectations for this weekend, Verstappen said, “To have fun, obviously, but also the competitive animal wants to do well, right? We’re here to win. That’s always the target.”