Max Verstappen has said he is trying to make a Spa 24 Hours entry work for 2027 as his GT World Challenge Europe debut at Portimão began with a stewards’ reprimand.
“I love Spa of course, so I’m trying to make it work, as I want to arrive well prepared,” Verstappen said ahead of the weekend. With no clash between Formula 1 and the Belgian endurance classic next year, the four-time world champion pointed to Spa’s proximity to the Dutch border and his Belgian heritage. “I’m going to try my best to be there.”
He also said he hoped to share a car with five-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou in future. Palou was reportedly his first choice for this weekend’s line-up. “We’ve not yet raced together in real life, but I hope one day we can do that.”
His first outing in the series began less smoothly. Verstappen took the opening stint in the #3 Mercedes-AMG, and a few corners into his first lap he tried to pass Ezequiel Pérez Companc’s #25 Sainteloc Audi on the inside at Turn 3. There wasn’t enough room, and the Audi was sent spinning.
The stewards found Verstappen wholly to blame for an avoidable collision. They cited two mitigating factors: it was the first lap of the session, and the queue of cars in front had affected the Audi’s line. Verstappen received a reprimand and one Behaviour Warning Point, with no grid or time penalty. Three points trigger a grid penalty.
Verstappen told the stewards he had expected the Audi to hold its outside line, and described the contact as an unfortunate racing incident. Pérez Companc said he had been focused on the cars ahead and had not seen the Mercedes.
Before the weekend, Verstappen admitted the Mercedes was taking him “out of my comfort zone.” He went on to set a best lap of 1:43.046, and the car was classified 20th of 61 in FP1. In the afternoon session, Chris Lulham set the team’s fastest lap of 1:43.229, with the #3 car finishing fourth.
Ben Barnicoat said the morning’s long run was designed to ease the physical demands of hour-long stints. He was frank about the car’s handling: “So far the consensus has been we’ve got quite a fast car, but it’s not the easiest to drive.”
Verstappen and Barnicoat are standing in for regular drivers Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon, who are racing in the World Endurance Championship in Barcelona this weekend. They join full-season driver Lulham in the #3 car.
Qualifying takes place later today, ahead of Saturday’s three-hour race at 17:00 local time.
Additional quotes supplied by GT World Challenge Europe and Verstappen Racing.
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