Max Verstappen races against MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi in the GT World Challenge Europe later this month. The Red Bull F1 driver will share the track in the GT3 race at Portimao as Verstappen makes his debut in the series, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for his team, Team Verstappen Racing. Rossi, who has won nine motorcade grand prix world titles, competes for BMW’s factory-supported WRT team in the same Pro category as Verstappen. Verstappen looks forward to catching up with Rossi off track, hoping their paths do not cross on the track.
Verstappen's Perspective on the GT3 Debut
Max Verstappen discusses his feelings regarding the upcoming race against Valentino Rossi. Verstappen expresses his hope for the event, stating that he hopes to see Rossi. He comments on the nature of the competition and the track.
I hope I get to see him. He’s a very cool guy, so I hope to catch up with him.
Verstappen also reflects on the experience of racing in GT3 cars, noting that the event is different from Formula 1, but he enjoys it. He mentions his prior experience driving on the Nordschleife and considers Portimao a cool track. He concludes that the team will focus on achieving the best possible result.
I mean it nice, but I do not hope to see him in the race, so that’s normally a good sign. I actually hope to see no one, to be just up front and do a good job. But you never know.
GT3 Race Schedule Details
The GT World Challenge Europe event is scheduled to take place from October 16 to 18. This event is part of a sequence of seven consecutive weekends, as Verstappen will race on these weekends. Following the current F1 block involving Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Singapore, Verstappen will race in Portimao before contesting the USA, Mexico, and Brazil triple-header. After this, there will be one free weekend before Verstappen races in the final scheduled F1 triple-header, which includes Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. Uncertainty remains regarding the conclusion of the 2026 F1 season amid ongoing geopolitical issues in the Middle East. Formula 1 is planning to stage the final two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, though Imola is being prepared to host the season finale if scheduled events are canceled.
With Numbers
- Archive: Marc Marquez reached 79 victories: 10 victories above Rossi's record (October 4, 2026)
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Go to sourceCompiled by Şükrü Utku Poyraz
