Max Verstappen to step away from F1, confirms GT return

Nietsontziende Verstappen heeft één doel dit jaar: "Ik wil een race winnen" — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen to step away from F1, confirms GT return

A busy month coming up!

By Jan Bolscher.

Thursday 1 October 2026 16:55

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Max Verstappen has confirmed that, as has been rumoured for some time, he will compete in a GT race in Portugal later this month.

For the first time since competing in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, Verstappen will once again be behind the wheel of a GT car. In May, the Dutchman led his team toward a potential victory in the iconic race until a technical issue disrupted their plans.

Now, the four-time world champion is set to race in Portimao on Saturday, October 17, which will serve as the final round of the GT World Challenge Europe.

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This experience could prove helpful for the upcoming F1 season, with the Portuguese Grand Prix making its return to the calendar for the first time since 2021 at Portimao.

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Busy seven weeks for Verstappen

"It’s going to be a busy seven weeks," Verstappen admitted during Thursday's FIA press conference in Malaysia.

Initially, he hadn’t planned to compete, but with two of his regular drivers – Jules Gournon and Dani Juncadella – absent due to the WEC race in Barcelona, he will step in to fill the gap.

"Of course," he said, "I would have preferred that they could race, but the schedule has been reshuffled. That meant two new drivers had to get involved. Either way, I'm looking forward to it. We're going to try to make it a great weekend."

Indeed, the Dutchman's schedule is packed. Formula 1 is currently kicking off a triple-header with races in Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Singapore. After a single race-free weekend, another triple-header looms. During that break, Verstappen will join his GT team for his racing stint.