Valentino Rossi braces for Verstappen challenge in Portimao GT3 finale
Valentino Rossi expects Max Verstappen to be a formidable rival when the pair share the Pro-class grid at the GT World Challenge Europe season finale in Portimao this weekend. The nine-time motorcycle world champion is looking forward to the meeting, but recognises that Verstappen’s pace could make the contest difficult.
Rossi said he had never expected to find himself racing against the Formula 1 driver. He is keen to see how Verstappen drives and hopes they will have the chance to meet on track, while acknowledging that his rival is likely to be extremely fast.
The two will compete in the same category, making a direct encounter possible during the race. Rossi’s comments also add another chapter to the pair’s motorsport crossover, following Rossi’s previous joke about Verstappen.
Verstappen and Rossi will race in the same class
Verstappen will make his GT World Challenge Europe debut in the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO entered by Verstappen Racing. His teammates will be Chris Lulham and Lexus factory driver Ben Barnicoat. The trio will compete in the top Pro class.
Rossi will also contest Pro, driving his usual No. 46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO for Team WRT. Neil Verhagen and Max Hesse will join him. With both line-ups in the same class, the possibility of racing each other is more than a paddock talking point.
Verstappen arrives after consecutive Red Bull victories in Singapore and Malaysia. He described the Algarve challenge as very different from Formula 1, but said he enjoys it. After getting an initial taste of this kind of racing at the Nordschleife earlier in the year, he is looking forward to driving Portimao and trying to secure a strong result with his team.
Portimao hosts a three-hour season finale
Verstappen said he would be happy to catch up with Rossi away from the action, but would rather not encounter him during the race. His preference, he explained, is to be at the front and avoid seeing other cars, though he expects a highly competitive field.
The three-hour race is scheduled for Saturday, 17 October, at the 4.692-kilometre Algarve circuit. Portimao hosted the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2020 and 2021. Rossi’s racing career has also brought him into the orbit of Formula 1 figures beyond Verstappen, including Lando Norris at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
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.