Max Verstappen and Valentino Rossi entered in Portimão GT3 finale
The two champions are due to race in separate Pro-class crews on Saturday, 17 October. Rossi expects Verstappen to be fast, though the endurance format may keep them off track at different times.
Max Verstappen and Valentino Rossi are due to compete in separate Pro-class entries at the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup finale in Portimão on Saturday, 17 October. Their shared place on the entry list brings the Formula 1 and motorcycle racing champions into the same GT3 event, but the three-driver endurance format does not guarantee they will drive at the same time.
Grande Prêmio reports that Verstappen is entered in the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO for Verstappen Racing, while Rossi will drive the No. 46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO for Team WRT. Both cars are in the Pro category. The race is a contest between crews as well as individual drivers: each car’s three drivers share the driving, and team performance and strategy can shape the result.
Who will share the Portimão GT3 cars
Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat are listed alongside Verstappen in the Mercedes, according to Corse di Moto. Grande Prêmio names Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen as Rossi’s teammates in the BMW. Motorsport.com, in a report republished by Yahoo Sports, says Verstappen is stepping in because regular drivers Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella have commitments at the World Endurance Championship round in Barcelona.
The Motorsport.com report describes a 61-car grid. Its limited technical comparison says both GT3 cars have front-mounted engines, rear-wheel drive, sequential transmissions and 390 mm front brakes. It identifies the Mercedes as a V8 and the BMW as a turbocharged six-cylinder. Those details distinguish the entries without establishing which car or crew will be quicker at Portimão.
What Rossi said about Verstappen
Rossi expects Verstappen to be ‘incredibly fast,’ according to Corse di Moto’s account of Rossi’s comments to Sky Sport. The report says Rossi described the prospect of racing against him as fantastic and hoped for a chance to follow him to see how he drives. Rossi’s remarks express his expectations ahead of the event; qualifying and the race are still scheduled to take place.
Grande Prêmio lists qualifying for Friday, 16 October, followed by the race on Saturday, 17 October. Those sessions will determine how the two crews perform; the entry list alone cannot establish whether Verstappen and Rossi will meet on track during their stints.
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Sources and context
- Max Verstappen vs Valentino Rossi: How Their GT3 Cars CompareMotorsport.com (republished by Yahoo Sports)
- Verstappen vs Valentino Rossi: two world champions meet in GT3 at PortimãoGrande Prêmio
- Rossi and Verstappen on Track Together for the First Time: The Doctor Warns, “It’ll Be a Big Problem”Corse di Moto
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.