The inaugural test day of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup at Portimao brought valuable track time for four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen. Sharing the Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 cockpit with teammates Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat, the trio finished the test session in second place overall following a fast lap by Lulham. The primary objective for Verstappen during this outing was purely focused on gathering crucial data, accumulating mileage, and adapting to GT3 machinery.
Reflecting on his decision to participate in the GT World Challenge weekend, Verstappen expressed his fondness for the venue. He stated that he has always enjoyed spending time in Portugal with friends and family. Upon noticing a schedule overlap in his calendar, he immediately jumped at the opportunity to take part, praising the circuit layout and the fantastic family-friendly atmosphere surrounding the paddock.
Assessing his time behind the wheel during the test, Verstappen noted that things went reasonably well despite needing a brief adjustment period. Having spent most of his closed-cockpit benchmark experience on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, it took a few laps to get fully up to speed with the Portuguese layout. Nevertheless, he highlighted the exceptional balance and proven competitiveness of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 which allowed them to fine-tune subtle details throughout the hot afternoon sessions.
Working alongside his teammates added a unique dimension to the test, especially reuniting with Ben Barnicoat whom Verstappen raced against during their karting days. Although their professional paths diverged for years, catching up and sharing the same car proved to be an exciting prospect. Meanwhile, partnering with Chris Lulham—his long-time collaborator from the sim-racing world—marked a proud milestone as Lulham continues to prove his raw speed and progress steadily among top-tier professional drivers.
Concluding his thoughts on the championship, Verstappen emphasized the exceptionally high driver standard present within the GT World Challenge grid. Facing many familiar faces from his junior racing years, he acknowledged the immense global talent pool. Read our in-depth analysis on Sportrik.com to stay updated with all the latest motorsport news and exclusive paddock reports.
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