Verstappen’s GT debut hampered by penalty and abuse

Verstappen joined Mercedes‑AMG’s #3 entry for the final three‑hour round of the GT World Challenge Europe at Portimão, Portugal. A setup mistake in qualifying left the car underpowered and the team started from the back. A drive‑through penalty for the #48 car, given after Lulham spun the car in the closing stages, pushed the squad further down the order.

Harassment after penalty

After the penalty Verstappen received a wave of hostile messages on social media. He posted that the hate and harassment directed at teammate Chris Lulham was unacceptable and that mistakes happen on track. He said personal attacks have no place in sport or elsewhere and that the team had learned a lot from the experience.

Despite starting 24th in his stint, Verstappen fought through traffic during the final 45 minutes, setting some of the fastest laps as darkness fell. He moved from 13th to ninth, finishing the race without further incidents. McLaren driver Lando Norris praised his recovery, noting that Verstappen went from P24 to P9.

Verstappen said the weekend highlighted the importance of setup adjustments and teamwork. He reflected that his first taste of the GT World Challenge Europe was valuable, that the team had learned a lot from the chaos, and that he remains optimistic about future GT races while urging respectful online conduct.