GTWC Portimão: Verstappen 9th as GetSpeed wins the finale
The newsroomUpdated on October 17, 20264 minKevin Decherf from France · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At the GT World Challenge Europe in Portimão, the #17 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG wins; Max Verstappen, on debut, climbs from 24th to 9th in the #3 car.
Key point
On his GT World Challenge Europe debut, Max Verstappen finishes 9th at Portimão after taking the wheel in 24th; the #17 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG wins.
The #17 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG won the GT World Challenge Europe finale at Portimão, Portugal. Max Verstappen, racing in the series for the first time, finished 9th in the #3 Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG after a strong recovery drive in the final stint.
GetSpeed ahead of Lionspeed and Boutsen VDS
On a grid of 61 cars, the #17 of Maximilian Götz, Ralf Aron and Fabian Schiller took the win. Schiller, who started second, passed the pole-sitting #2 Boutsen VDS Porsche and led from there.
The podium:
- 1st: #17 Mercedes-AMG, GetSpeed (Götz, Aron, Schiller)
- 2nd: #80 Porsche, Lionspeed GP (Thomas Preining, Ricardo Feller, Bastian Buus), 5.062 s behind
- 3rd: #2 Porsche, Boutsen VDS (Alessio Picariello, Dorian Boccolacci, Morris Schuring), 5.411 s behind
The Belgian Boutsen VDS team, on pole the day before, therefore also reached the podium.
Verstappen: from 24th to 9th
Verstappen started from midfield after a difficult qualifying. Ben Barnicoat and Chris Lulham drove the opening stints: Barnicoat soon reached the top 10. Lulham then received a drive-through for contact with Luca Stolz's #48 Mercedes, which spun at Turn 8; Stolz dropped to 36th. Lulham served the penalty before handing over.
Verstappen got in the car in 24th place, with about 45 minutes of racing left, after dark. A long second safety car cost him some laps but closed up the pack. At the restart, with 23 minutes to go, he was 19th. He then moved forward, battled Arthur Leclerc's AF Corse Ferrari and crossed the line 9th, 18.556 s behind the winner, according to Motorsport Week. In total he gained 15 places in his stint, the same source says.
The rest of the top 10
- 4th: #71 Ferrari, Selected Car Racing, Gold Cup win for Frederik Schandorff
- 5th: #30 BMW, Team WRT, Silver Cup win for Ignacio Montenegro
- 6th: #59 McLaren, Garage 59 (Jack Hawksworth)
- 7th: #998 BMW, Rowe Racing (Jens Klingmann)
- 8th: #6 Mercedes-AMG, GetSpeed (Aurélien Panis)
- 10th: #50 Ferrari, AF Corse (Lilou Wadoux, Albert Costa, Arthur Leclerc)
Several neutralisations punctuated the race, including a safety car after two Porsches went into the gravel at Turn 13.
What next?
Verstappen returns to Formula 1 at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. He named the Spa 24 Hours as a target for next year, along with a return to the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Frequently asked questions
Where did Max Verstappen finish at Portimão?
9th, in the #3 Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG shared with Ben Barnicoat and Chris Lulham.
Who won the race?
The #17 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG of Maximilian Götz, Ralf Aron and Fabian Schiller, ahead of the #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche and the #2 Boutsen VDS Porsche.
Why did Verstappen take over in 24th?
Chris Lulham was given a drive-through after contact with Luca Stolz's Mercedes; the car had lost ground before the final stint.
What is next for Verstappen?
He heads to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, and named the Spa 24 Hours and a return to the Nürburgring 24 Hours as targets.
Sources
- Motorsport Week — Verstappen and the #3 recovery drive at Portimão
- Crash.net — Full race results from Portimão
- The Race — A penalty sets up Verstappen's charge
Written by the Karrazmotorsport newsroom, proofread before publication. For settings, always refer to your vehicle's manual. Our charter.
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