Max Verstappen’s racing team pens multi-year Mercedes GT3 deal – report
Max Verstappen's racing team has reportedly agreed a multi-year Mercedes GT3 partnership
Max Verstappen’s racing team – Verstappen Racing – has put pen to paper on a multi-year Mercedes partnership, it has been widely reported.
The alliance, it is stated, will see Verstappen’s team use Mercedes-AMG GT3 machinery as part of the upcoming 2026 GT World Challenge Europe campaign. Verstappen’s crew reportedly switches from Aston Martin to Mercedes, after Verstappen himself tested an AMG GT3 at Estoril.
Max Verstappen team links up with Mercedes
The apparent union will see Verstappen Racing race on in the GT World Challenge Europe.
Ahead of the 2025 calendar, Verstappen announced an expansion of his team via a first-ever move into the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint and Endurance categories, supporting the 2 Seas Motorsport team.
That alliance saw the trio of Thierry Vermeulen, Chris Lulham and Harry King get behind the wheel of an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo for Endurance Cup action.
Vermeulen and Lulham, meanwhile, tackled the Sprint calendar driving a Ferrari 296 GT3 for Emil Frey Racing.
Verstappen’s team will reportedly continue in both categories as part of a new Mercedes partnership, entering a single Mercedes-AMG GT3.
As per Motorsport.com, Lulham will be partnered in the Sprint series by Daniel Juncadella, Aston Martin’s F1 simulator driver.
Jules Gounon will reportedly join the duo for the Endurance series.
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Stefan Wendl, Mercedes-AMG’s customer racing boss, is widely-reported as having said: “We are delighted that Verstappen Racing has chosen to field a Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the GT World Challenge Europe.
“With 2 Seas Motorsport, the project is supported by a highly experienced team that has already achieved numerous successes and championship titles with our car.
“Accordingly, we are very pleased about this extremely ambitious and promising project, as well as about another high-calibre entry in both the Sprint and Endurance programmes of the GT World Challenge Europe.”
In Formula 1, Verstappen narrowly missed out on winning a fifth consecutive Drivers’ Championship in 2025.
A remarkable run after the summer break which yielded six grand prix wins – while Verstappen was ever-present on the podium – pulled him right back into contention after dropping 104 points behind.
Lando Norris ultimately clinched the crown by just two points from Verstappen.
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