The GT World Challenge Europe finale unfolded on the sun-baked circuit of Portimão on 18 October 2026, drawing a diverse field of manufacturers and privateer squads. Among them, Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing fielded a three-driver line-up of Ben Barnicoat, Chris Lulham and the Dutch champion Max Verstappen. In qualifying, the trio secured the sixteenth grid slot with a lap time of 1:42.655, comfortably inside the Pro class but well off the pole set by Boutsen VDS.
The incident that triggered a drive-through
Mid-race, tension rose when Lulham, who was steering the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, attempted an inside overtake on fellow competitor Luca Stolz. The maneuver misfired, sending Stolz into a spin and prompting race control to issue a drive-through penalty to the Verstappen entry. Because the infraction occurred with Lulham at the helm, the penalty was applied to the car, forcing Verstappen, who was on track as the third driver, to serve the sanction and drop to the rear of the field, effectively restarting from 24th place.
Verstappen’s charge through the pack
Undeterred, Verstappen launched an aggressive recovery. Using the superior traction of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO and a clear-air strategy, he sliced through traffic, overtaking slower GT3 machinery and capitalising on pit-stop windows. Within a handful of laps, he climbed from the back of the pack into the top ten, eventually crossing the finish line in ninth position. The result, while short of a podium, was hailed as a remarkable comeback given the circumstances and the limited time remaining after the penalty.
Team dynamics and Verstappen’s response
Following the race, Verstappen addressed the media, describing the personal criticisms directed at Lulham as “unacceptable.” He stressed that teamwork and mutual respect are essential, especially when a single mistake can jeopardise an entire entry’s result. His comments highlighted the pressure on drivers who juggle personal ambition with collective responsibility in endurance formats such as the GT World Challenge Europe. The Dutch driver’s candid remarks added a human element to the technical drama of the weekend, underscoring how off-track dynamics can influence on-track performance.
While the penalty derailed the team’s original race plan, Verstappen’s swift ascent through the field demonstrated both driver skill and the capability of the Mercedes platform to recover quickly. The episode will likely fuel discussions about racecraft, team communication, and the impact of intra-team criticism on future endurance efforts.
