Max Verstappen finishes 9th in GT World Challenge Europe debut at Portimão

Max Verstappen made his debut in the GT World Challenge Europe at the Portimão circuit in Portugal, competing with his own team, Verstappen Racing. The weekend was marked by both controversy and a significant comeback. During free practice, Verstappen received an official reprimand and a license penalty point after a collision with Ezequiel Pérez Companc's Audi R8 at Turn 3.

In the main three-hour endurance race, Verstappen Racing faced setbacks when driver Chris Lulham received a drive-through penalty for contact with Luca Stolz's Mercedes, causing the team to drop to 24th position. Verstappen took over for the final stint and executed a notable recovery, climbing 15 positions to finish in 9th place.

The race was won by the Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed, driven by Ralf Aron, Maximilian Götz, and Fabian Schiller. They finished ahead of the Lionspeed GP Porsche and the Boutsen VDS Porsche. Other notable participants included motorcycle racing legend Valentino Rossi, who competed for Team WRT.