Max Verstappen will start Saturday’s GT World Challenge Europe finale at Portimão from 14th after a difficult qualifying session for the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing car.
Grid positions are set by averaging the best laps of all three drivers across a three-part qualifying session. Ben Barnicoat ran Q1, Chris Lulham Q2 and Verstappen Q3. The car struggled with bouncing and handling problems throughout. Verstappen’s 1:42.093 was its quickest lap by more than half a second, but the average of 1:42.624 left it 14th, 0.553 seconds off pole.
It was a setback after Lulham had put the car fourth in second practice, and it rounded off an awkward first day for Verstappen in the series. He was reprimanded by the stewards for causing a collision on the opening lap of first practice.
The #2 Boutsen VDS Porsche of Morris Schuring, Dorian Boccolacci and Alessio Picariello took pole, ahead of the #17 GetSpeed Mercedes and the #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche. Arthur Leclerc, younger brother of Ferrari’s Charles, starts fifth in the #50 AF Corse Ferrari.
Valentino Rossi, who shares a grid with Verstappen for the first time this weekend, has more ground to make up. The nine-time motorcycle world champion’s #46 WRT BMW starts 59th after failing to record a valid time in Q2.
Before the weekend, Rossi told Sky Sport Italia he was relishing the meeting. “It’s going to be amazing. It will be a big problem because he’s sure to be incredibly fast, but it will be fantastic,” he said. “I never imagined I’d be racing against Max Verstappen. I hope I get the chance to follow him and see how he drives.”
From 45 places back, he may have to wait.
Verstappen and Barnicoat are standing in for regular drivers Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon, who are racing in the World Endurance Championship in Barcelona this weekend.
The three-hour race starts at 17:00 local time on Saturday.
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