F1 champion Max Verstappen in Mercedes test drive during off-season

Verstappen smirking in a Verstappen.com jacket during his gt appearance at the Nurburgring — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen in Mercedes test drive during F1 off-season

Verstappen has wasted no time getting back out on track

By Vincent Bruins.

Tuesday 16 December 2025 18:57

Four-time champion Max Verstappen took to the track in Estoril at the wheel of a Mercedes, following the conclusion of the 2025 F1 championship.

The Red Bull F1 star narrowly missed out on retaining his title of reigning champion this season after McLaren driver Lando Norris clinched the crown in Abu Dhabi by just two points.

But Verstappen is unchanged after being knocked off the top spot and has wasted no time getting back out on track, this time testing a GT3 machine on the Circuito do Estoril.

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According to Endurance-Info, the Dutchman spent the day testing a Mercedes-AMG GT3 with 2 Seas Motorsport, the team that managed the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO / Verstappen.com Racing car that entered into the GT World Challenge Europe.

Verstappen was joined by Mercedes-AMG driver Jules Gounon, as part of the build-up for the 2026 GT3 program with 2 Seas Motorsport, with the two Mercedes-AMG GT3s reportedly taking to the track in Red Bull colours on Tuesday, with the cars bearing the numbers 33 and 333.

Verstappen.com Racing set for Mercedes switch

Verstappen.com Racing enjoyed a strong debut season as its own team, even though 2 Seas Motorsport provided technical support. Harry King, along with Verstappen proteges Chris Lulham and Thierry Vermeulen, clinched the Gold Cup title in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup with the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo.

They also won their class at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa and dominated the Sprint Cup variant with a Ferrari 296 GT3, once again taking home the Gold Cup trophy.

Verstappen himself recently joined Emil Frey Racing at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Teaming up with Lulham, the four-time world champion recorded the 57th ADAC Barbarossapreis during the ninth round of the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie. Although he has experienced GT3 machinery before, this was his first competitive race in one.

There is growing speculation that Verstappen.com Racing will not only switch from Aston Martin to Mercedes-AMG next season, but also move up from the Gold Cup class to the elite Pro category.

Rumours suggest that GT3 stars Gounon and Dani Juncadella could join the team for the 2026 campaign, though no official plans have been confirmed.

Where Verstappen's GT future is concerned, the 28-year-old has stated that he wishes to return to endurance racing in 2026 following his impressive Nordschleife debut this year, but he will face the challenge of squeezing it into a busy year of F1 racing if he wishes to see his hopes of returning through.

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