This weekend, Max Verstappen is taking a break from Formula 1 to take on a new challenge in GT World Challenge Europe at Portimao, Portugal. The four-time F1 world champion will be racing in the season-ending three-hour Endurance Cup race on Saturday, October 17, in the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, driven by Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing.
Verstappen will be sharing the car with Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat, replacing the usual drivers Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella, who are committed to the FIA World Endurance Championship. The Dutchman is looking to make a rapid transition to a new racing style and to join an experienced group of GT drivers.
How to Watch Max Verstappen at GT World Challenge Europe
The whole Portimão event will be broadcast live and free on the official GT World YouTube channel. The championship’s official live-streaming page provides live timing and access to available broadcasts.
(Photo by Jayce Illman/Getty Images)
The stream is not region-locked, so it can be watched by F1 fans all over the world. The No. 3 Mercedes can also be followed by viewers for timing data during qualifying and the main event.
Max Verstappen GT World Challenge Schedule and Start Time
The three-hour Endurance Cup race will start at 5 p.m. local time in Portugal (4 p.m. GMT) on Saturday, October 17.
- United States (ET): 12 p.m., October 17
- United States (PT): 9 a.m., October 17
- United Kingdom (BST): 5 p.m., October 17
- Brazil (BRT): 1 p.m., October 17
- South Africa (SAST): 6 p.m., October 17
- Saudi Arabia (AST): 7 p.m., October 17
- UAE (GST): 8 p.m., October 17
- India (IST): 9:30 p.m., October 17
- Japan (JST): 1 a.m., October 18
- Australia (AEDT): 3 a.m., October 18
Friday will feature free practice and qualifying, which start at 5:55 p.m. local time. The complete schedule can be found on the official event page.
What Are the GT World Challenge Europe Rules?
In GT World Challenge Europe, the three-hour endurance races are driven by three drivers, unlike F1, where one driver drives the car throughout the Grand Prix. The format requires careful management of tire wear, fuel, pit stops, and driver changes.
There are two compulsory pit stops in a regular three-hour race, including refueling, changing tires, and driver changes. The qualifying is also different from F1, where the three qualifying times are added together to decide the starting grid.
Verstappen’s task will be to get used to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and to work with his teammates to produce a competitive result in one of the top GT racing championships in Europe.
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