How to watch Verstappen’s GT World Challenge Portimão race
Max Verstappen will return to GT racing at Portimão this weekend, sharing the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Ben Barnicoat and Chris Lulham in the season-ending GT World Challenge Endurance Cup race.
The three-hour contest starts at 17:00 on Saturday, 17 October, and is scheduled to finish at 20:00. Coverage of the event will be available free on the GT World YouTube channel, with broadcasts offered in multiple languages. Verstappen’s GT3 return at Portimão comes after his previous appearance in the category at the Nürburgring 24 Hours earlier this year.
Portimão’s 61-car field sets up a busy endurance race
Barnicoat and Lulham join Verstappen in the Team Verstappen Racing entry. Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon, who would normally drive the car, are racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship that weekend. The WEC clash has also prompted a schedule change for the Portimão event.
The race will bring 61 cars to the Portuguese circuit. The source article describes Portimão as a compact track, meaning traffic could be a factor across the three hours.
Verstappen’s last GT outing ended with a technical failure forcing his car out of the Nürburgring 24 Hours. The Portimão race is shorter, and he will now share the driving duties with Barnicoat and Lulham.
Full Portimão schedule and free live coverage
Track action begins on Friday, 16 October, with Free Practice 1 at 08:45, followed by Free Practice 2 at 12:45. Qualifying is listed for 17:55, with the session running until 19:05 local time.
The GT World YouTube channel will show the event live and free. Coverage is set to start with Friday’s first practice session at 08:45. Saturday’s race begins at 17:00, with the finish scheduled for 20:00.
Verstappen said when his entry was first announced that it would be a busy seven weeks, but that he would enjoy it. At Portimão, the Red Bull driver will take on an endurance challenge alongside Barnicoat and Lulham in a packed field.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.