# Max Verstappen GT World Challenge Europe participation > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/max-verstappen-gt-world-challenge-europe-participation > Updated: 2026-10-18T07:15:00.000Z. Sources: 78. Developments: 5. Max Verstappen completed his GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup debut at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimão, Portugal, finishing in ninth place. Driving the number 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing alongside teammates Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat, Verstappen filled in for Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella. The weekend was marked by several challenges. During the first free practice session, Verstappen was issued a reprimand and a single penalty point following an “avoidable collision” with Ezequiel Pérez Companc’s Sainteloc Racing Audi. While the team showed improvement in the second practice session and managed to qualify 15th on the grid, they faced difficulties with vehicle configuration and track conditions. During the three-hour endurance race, the team suffered a setback when a drive-through penalty was issued after Chris Lulham made contact with Luca Stolz's Mercedes during a restart following a Safety Car period. This incident caused the car to drop to 24th position. Verstappen, taking over for the final 45 minutes, executed a recovery drive to climb 15 positions and secure a ninth-place finish. The race was won by the number 17 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG, driven by Ralf Aron, Maximilian Götz, and Fabian Schiller. Other notable participants included MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, who finished 50th. Following the event, Verstappen publicly condemned the online harassment directed at Lulham. He stated, “Everyone can have their opinions about what happened on track, but these personal attacks are not okay. Chris had a really strong stint and mistakes can happen. There’s no place for this kind of abuse in our sport or anywhere else.” Verstappen also expressed interest in competing in the 2027 Spa 24 Hours. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-18: Max Verstappen defends teammate after online abuse in Portugal Max Verstappen defended teammate Chris Lulham against online harassment following a penalty during the GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portugal, where Verstappen recovered from 24th to 9th. 22 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/motorsport-results-max-verstappen-competes-in-portimo-as-gt-series-conclude ### 2026-10-16: Max Verstappen finishes 9th in GT World Challenge Europe debut at Portimão F1 champion Max Verstappen finished 9th in his GT World Challenge Europe debut at Portimão, overcoming a drive-through penalty to lead a late-race charge for Verstappen Racing. 44 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/max-verstappen-receives-reprimand-after-gt3-collision-at-portimo ### 2026-10-14: Max Verstappen competes in GT World Challenge finale at Portimão F1 star Max Verstappen competes in the GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portimão, sharing a Mercedes-AMG GT3 with teammates Ben Barnicoat and Chris Lulham alongside legend Valentino Rossi. 32 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/max-verstappen-to-compete-in-gt-world-challenge-in-portimo ### 2026-10-01: Max Verstappen to debut in GT World Challenge Europe at Portimão F1 champion Max Verstappen will debut in the GT World Challenge Europe at Portimão on October 17, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 alongside Valentino Rossi in the Pro class. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/max-verstappen-to-race-against-valentino-rossi-in-portimo ### 2026-09-03: Max Verstappen likely to drive in GT World Challenge Europe finale Max Verstappen may drive for Verstappen Racing in the GT World Challenge Europe finale at Portimão to cover for drivers unavailable due to World Endurance Championship commitments. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/max-verstappen-likely-to-drive-in-gt-world-challenge-europe-finale --- Cite as: Max Verstappen GT World Challenge Europe participation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/max-verstappen-gt-world-challenge-europe-participation