Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed secured its maiden GT World Challenge (GTWC) Europe Endurance Cup victory during Saturday’s three-hour season finale at Portimão, as Maximilian Götz, Ralf Aron and Fabian Schiller defeated Lionspeed GP and Boutsen VDS at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.
The #17 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO completed 94 laps and crossed the line 5.062 seconds ahead of the #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche after a successful pit-stop strategy allowed GetSpeed to take the lead during the opening hour. Pole-sitters Boutsen VDS completed the overall podium, finishing just 0.349 seconds behind Lionspeed GP, while Selected Car Racing and Team WRT secured Gold and Silver Cup victories from fourth and fifth overall.
Meanwhile, four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen recovered from 24th to ninth during his final stint, following a drive-through penalty for his #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing crew. The race also settled the remaining championship battles, with Team WRT securing the combined Overall Teams’ Championship, ROWE Racing claiming the Endurance Cup Gold titles and Kessel Racing completing a successful Bronze Cup campaign.
Picariello leads 2026 GTWC Europe Portimão race start
Boutsen VDS entered Saturday’s finale from pole position after Morris Schuring, Dorian Boccolacci and Alessio Picariello secured the team’s maiden Endurance Cup pole during Friday evening’s qualifying session. Picariello took the opening stint in the #2 Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO, with Götz starting alongside him in the #17 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG.
However, Götz immediately lost second to Thomas Preining in the #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche, leaving the two Porsche entries at the front of the 61-car field. Picariello maintained a narrow advantage throughout the opening stages, although Preining remained close enough to apply pressure as both crews attempted to establish an early advantage.
Götz settled into third behind the leading pair, remaining within striking distance while the Porsches continued their battle. Although GetSpeed could not match their initial track position, the Mercedes-AMG remained close enough to take advantage of the first mandatory pit-stop sequence. Consequently, the opening hour developed into a closely contested three-way battle between Boutsen VDS, Lionspeed GP and GetSpeed.
GetSpeed takes lead through successful overcut
The first round of pit stops ultimately transformed the race, as GetSpeed capitalised on the battle between the two Porsche crews to take the lead. Boutsen VDS and Lionspeed GP stopped before GetSpeed, bringing Boccolacci and Ricardo Feller into the race for the second stint.
However, the Porsche drivers immediately became involved in another close battle as Feller attempted to move ahead of Boccolacci on cold tyres. The #2 Porsche successfully defended its position, but the contest cost both cars valuable time during their out-laps.
GetSpeed responded by extending Götz’s opening stint for an additional lap, allowing the Mercedes-AMG to gain time while its rivals fought for position. When Götz eventually entered the pits, Aron took over and returned to the circuit ahead of both Porsches, completing the decisive overcut.
The strategy moved GetSpeed from third into the effective race lead, giving Aron an opportunity to build an advantage with clear track ahead. Meanwhile, the Porsches continued battling for second, preventing either team from mounting an immediate challenge against the leading Mercedes-AMG.
Aron extends advantage as Garage 59 charges forward
Aron quickly established control of the race’s middle phase, increasing GetSpeed’s advantage to more than six seconds as Boutsen VDS and Lionspeed GP continued fighting behind him. The Estonian demonstrated consistent pace throughout his stint, allowing the #17 Mercedes-AMG to strengthen its position before the final driver changes.
However, the battle behind GetSpeed extended beyond the two Porsches as Garage 59 emerged as a serious contender for the overall podium. Joseph Loake produced an impressive middle stint in the #59 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, moving rapidly through the leading Pro Cup competitors.
The British driver completed several overtaking manoeuvres around the outside of Turn 1, taking advantage of the McLaren’s competitive pace to move into podium contention. His progress eventually carried Garage 59 into second overall, placing the team ahead of both Porsche entries before the final driver change.
Meanwhile, Aron’s advantage disappeared when the #9 Pure Rxcing and #54 Dinamic GT Porsches went off the circuit at Turn 13. The incident prompted Race Control to deploy the Safety Car, bringing the leading competitors back together and eliminating much of the advantage GetSpeed had established through its earlier strategy.
Nevertheless, the Mercedes-AMG retained the lead as teams prepared for the final round of pit stops, leaving Schiller with the responsibility of completing the race.
Schiller survives second Safety Car to take Portimão victory
Schiller took over the #17 Mercedes-AMG for the final stint and quickly restored GetSpeed’s advantage, extending the gap to more than nine seconds as the race approached its closing stages. His pace initially suggested that the German squad could secure a comfortable victory, particularly as the Porsche crews remained involved in their own battle behind him.
However, another Safety Car period interrupted the race with approximately 35 minutes remaining. The neutralisation followed incidents involving the #96 Rutronik Racing Lamborghini Temerario GT3, which stopped on the circuit, and the #46 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO, which became stranded in the gravel.
The interruption eliminated Schiller’s advantage and brought the field together for a final 22-minute sprint under the Portimão night sky. With the leading Porsches immediately behind him, the German faced renewed pressure as GetSpeed attempted to convert its earlier strategic advantage into victory.
Schiller nevertheless maintained control at the restart, gradually extending his advantage while the chasing crews continued fighting for position. Rather than allowing the Porsches to challenge, he increased the gap throughout the closing laps before crossing the line 5.062 seconds ahead of Lionspeed GP.
The result delivered GetSpeed’s first Endurance Cup victory and its first podium finish in the championship since the 2024 season opener at Circuit Paul Ricard. Furthermore, Mercedes-AMG extended its streak of securing at least one Endurance Cup victory to six consecutive seasons.
For Schiller, the victory represented a particularly important achievement after four years competing with GetSpeed’s Pro Cup operation. Having endured several difficult campaigns and narrowly missed opportunities, the German finally secured a landmark victory alongside Götz and Aron.
Lionspeed GP defeats Boutsen VDS in Porsche podium battle
Lionspeed GP completed the season with another podium as Preining, Feller and Bastian Buus finished second overall in the #80 Porsche. The trio remained involved in the battle for victory throughout the opening stages, initially challenging Boutsen VDS before GetSpeed’s successful overcut moved the Mercedes-AMG ahead.
Although the team could not recover the lead during the final two hours, it maintained pressure on Boutsen VDS and eventually secured second after a closely contested race. The result continued an impressive 2026 campaign for Lionspeed GP, which had already secured victory at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa and the Sprint Cup Drivers’ Championship through Feller and Buus.
Boutsen VDS followed in third, with Picariello, Boccolacci and Schuring finishing 5.411 seconds behind GetSpeed. The Belgian team had controlled the opening stint from pole, but its battle with Lionspeed GP during the first pit-stop sequence allowed GetSpeed to move ahead. Despite losing the race lead, the crew remained competitive and concluded the season with an overall podium.
Garage 59 finished sixth overall after its earlier podium challenge deteriorated during the closing stages. Jack Hawksworth encountered damage to the #59 McLaren’s rear splitter, compromising the car’s performance and preventing the team from maintaining the position Loake had secured during the middle stint. Nevertheless, Hawksworth brought the car home 17.137 seconds behind GetSpeed, concluding a competitive race for the McLaren crew.
Verstappen Racing receives drive-through penalty after Lulham contact
Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entered the finale with considerable attention surrounding Verstappen’s first GTWC Europe appearance. The Dutchman joined Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat in the #3 Mercedes-AMG, replacing the team’s regular Endurance Cup line-up after Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon became unavailable because of their FIA World Endurance Championship commitments.
The trio started 13th and quickly moved through the field during the opening stages. Barnicoat and Lulham helped the #3 Mercedes-AMG reach sixth overall, placing the team within contention for a strong result as the race approached its middle phase.
However, the team’s progress suffered a major setback following the first Safety Car restart. Lulham made contact with Luca Stolz in the #48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter entry at Turn 8, sending the championship-winning driver into a spin and costing both crews valuable positions.
The stewards subsequently issued Lulham a drive-through penalty, forcing Verstappen Racing to surrender the ground it had gained. The sanction dropped the #3 Mercedes-AMG towards the rear of the field and effectively ended its chances of challenging for an overall podium through conventional race strategy.
The incident also carried significant championship implications for Winward Racing, as the #48 Mercedes-AMG remained involved in the combined Overall Teams’ title battle against Team WRT. Stolz’s spin compromised the team’s race, ultimately contributing to its failure to overcome WRT’s narrow championship advantage.
Verstappen charges from 24th to ninth in final stint
Verstappen took over the #3 Mercedes-AMG for the closing stages with the team running 24th overall. Despite the considerable deficit, the four-time Formula 1 World Champion immediately began recovering positions, using the Mercedes-AMG’s pace to work through the field.
The Dutchman climbed to 19th before the final Safety Car intervention brought the competitors back together. With approximately 22 minutes remaining, the restart created another opportunity for Verstappen to gain positions, although the densely packed field required him to navigate several closely contested battles.
Verstappen subsequently completed a series of overtakes during the closing laps, progressing rapidly through the midfield and moving into the top ten. His recovery ultimately brought the #3 Mercedes-AMG home ninth overall, just 18.556 seconds behind GetSpeed.
Although the result fell short of the team’s ambitions, Verstappen’s performance demonstrated his ability to compete against established GT3 specialists during his championship debut. The recovery also provided a dramatic conclusion to his first GTWC Europe appearance, particularly after the earlier penalty had left the crew facing a difficult final stint.
AF Corse completed the overall top ten through Albert Costa, Arthur Leclerc and Lilou Wadoux in the #50 Ferrari, while the sister #51 Ferrari finished 11th. Natural elements by Walkenhorst Motorsport followed in 12th, completing the leading group behind Verstappen Racing.
Team WRT claims record-extending Overall Teams’ Championship
Team WRT secured the combined Overall Teams’ Championship at Portimão, extending its record to seven titles after overcoming Winward Racing in the final standings. The Belgian squad entered the season finale with a five-point advantage, leaving the championship undecided until Saturday’s race.
Winward had already secured the Endurance Cup Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships, while the successful Misano appeal confirmed Engel and Lucas Auer as the combined Overall Drivers’ champions. However, the German squad still needed to overcome WRT’s advantage to complete its championship collection.
The contact between Lulham and Stolz significantly damaged Winward’s chances, as the #48 Mercedes-AMG lost considerable ground and eventually finished 14th overall. Although the car recovered some positions, it could not secure the result necessary to challenge WRT’s advantage.
Meanwhile, WRT encountered difficulties of its own. Jordan Pepper received a drive-through penalty after making contact with Wadoux’s #50 AF Corse Ferrari, sending the Frenchwoman into a spin at the hairpin. The #32 BMW subsequently recovered towards the top ten before further incidents during the closing stages dropped Kelvin van der Linde, Charles Weerts and Pepper to 30th overall.
The sister #46 BMW of Valentino Rossi, Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen also endured a difficult race after starting near the rear of the field. The crew completed 75 laps before its late-race difficulties brought its participation to an end, leaving it 50th in the published classification.
Nevertheless, WRT’s results across the combined Sprint and Endurance campaigns proved sufficient to secure the championship. The result added another major title to the Belgian squad’s record and ensured that BMW concluded the 2026 season with the Overall Teams’ crown.
Selected Car Racing wins Gold Cup from fourth overall
Selected Car Racing delivered one of the strongest performances of the afternoon as Frederik Schandorff, Malte Ebdrup and Simon Birch secured Gold Cup victory and fourth overall in the #71 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO.
The trio controlled its category throughout the three-hour contest, maintaining the Gold Cup lead while challenging among several Pro Cup competitors. Schandorff eventually brought the Ferrari home just 7.692 seconds behind GetSpeed, completing an impressive result for the AF Corse-operated entry.
However, the Gold Cup Drivers’ Championship remained undecided until the final minutes, with Selected Car Racing, ROWE Racing and Garage 59 all involved in the title battle. At one stage during the closing laps, the three leading crews found themselves tied on 104 points, leaving their final championship positions dependent on the order at the chequered flag.
Garage 59’s Thomas Fleming initially strengthened his team’s prospects by overtaking ROWE Racing’s Jens Klingmann for second in class following the final Safety Car restart. The move temporarily reshaped the championship calculation, placing Selected Car Racing in position to claim the title on countback.
However, officials handed Fleming a five-second penalty for earlier contact with Philipp Eng’s #98 ROWE Racing BMW. The sanction forced the British driver to pursue Schandorff, as Garage 59 needed additional track position and a sufficient advantage to preserve its championship hopes.
Fleming’s late mistake hands ROWE Racing Gold Cup crown
Fleming subsequently attempted an ambitious move at Turn 15 with approximately ten minutes remaining, but the McLaren clipped the inside kerb and ran wide. The incident appeared to damage the #58 Garage 59 entry, allowing Klingmann to recover second place in class as Fleming fell down the overall order.
ROWE Racing ultimately finished seventh overall and second in Gold, with Klingmann, Ugo de Wilde and Tim Tramnitz securing the Endurance Cup Drivers’ Championship. The result also delivered the Endurance Cup Gold Teams’ Championship to the BMW squad, completing a successful campaign after one of the closest title battles of the season.
Meanwhile, Garage 59’s #58 McLaren dropped to 20th overall, ending its championship challenge despite the crew’s competitive pace during the closing stages. The result promoted JMW Motorsport onto the Gold Cup podium, with Casper Stevenson, Giacomo Altoè and Konsta Lappalainen finishing third in class and 17th overall.
Although Selected Car Racing narrowly missed the Endurance Cup Drivers’ title, its race victory secured the combined Overall Gold Cup Teams’ Championship. The result rewarded the Ferrari squad’s consistency across the Sprint and Endurance campaigns, providing another championship success as the season concluded.
Team WRT completes Silver Cup dominance with Portimão victory
Team WRT added another victory to its successful 2026 campaign as Ignacio Montenegro, Matisse Lismont and Amaury Cordeel claimed Silver Cup honours in the #30 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. The trio finished fifth overall, just 14.406 seconds behind GetSpeed, placing the Silver Cup entry ahead of numerous Pro Cup competitors.
The team controlled its category throughout the three-hour contest, maintaining the lead despite the Safety Car interruptions and changing conditions as darkness fell over the circuit. Its performance demonstrated the consistency that had already secured all six available Silver Cup titles across the combined Overall, Sprint and Endurance classifications.
The victory also provided a fitting conclusion to the crew’s championship-winning campaign, particularly after it entered Portimão having already secured the Endurance Cup Drivers’ and Teams’ honours. Although the final race could not change those championship outcomes, WRT ensured that its final appearance of the season ended with another class victory.
GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros followed in second within the Silver Cup and eighth overall, with Anthony Bartone, César Gazeau and Aurélien Panis securing another strong result for Mercedes-AMG. Tresor Attempto Racing completed the category’s podium through Sebastian Øgaard, Rocco Mazzola and Ariel Levi, who finished 15th overall in the #66 Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II.
2Seas Motorsport recovers to claim Bronze Cup victory
2Seas Motorsport secured Bronze Cup victory through Charles Dawson, Reece Barr and Kiern Jewiss, completing a remarkable recovery in the #222 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. The crew started near the rear of the 61-car field and encountered further difficulties during the opening stages when contact sent Dawson into a spin at Turn 5.
However, the team gradually recovered as the race progressed, using competitive pace and effective strategy to move through the field. The changing order during the pit-stop sequences and Safety Car periods also created opportunities, allowing the Mercedes-AMG to recover positions against several leading Bronze Cup contenders.
The trio eventually crossed the line 13th overall, securing its second consecutive Bronze Cup victory. The result followed the team’s success at the Nürburgring and provided an encouraging conclusion to its Endurance Cup campaign, particularly after a difficult qualifying session had left it facing a challenging starting position.
Winward Racing completed the Bronze Cup podium in second through Gabriele Piana, Rinat Salikhov and Marvin Dienst, finishing 18th overall. Oman Racing by Century Motorsport followed in third, with Ahmad Al Harthy, Javier Sagrera and Calan Williams bringing the #42 BMW home 27th.
Paradine Competition loses Bronze title opportunity
Paradine Competition entered Saturday’s race with an opportunity to secure both the Bronze Cup victory and the remaining championship honours. The #991 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Darren Leung, James Kellett and Robert de Haan led the category for much of the opening two hours, recovering from an early loss of position to remain among the leading contenders.
However, the team’s championship prospects suffered a significant setback when a slow puncture forced Kellett into an emergency pit stop during a Full Course Yellow period. Although the stop allowed the crew to address the problem, officials subsequently determined that Paradine Competition had breached the emergency pit-stop regulations.
The stewards imposed a 60-second stop-and-go penalty, eliminating the team’s opportunity to challenge for the class victory and substantially damaging its championship position. Despite maintaining competitive pace throughout the race, the #991 BMW eventually finished fourth in Bronze and 32nd overall.
The incident proved decisive in the Drivers’ Championship battle, particularly as Paradine Competition had entered the finale among Kessel Racing’s closest rivals. Its penalty ultimately removed the BMW crew from contention, allowing Kessel Racing to secure the remaining honours despite its own difficult afternoon.
Kessel Racing secures Bronze Cup championships
Kessel Racing completed a successful 2026 campaign as Dustin Blattner, Lorenzo Patrese and Dennis Marschall secured the remaining Bronze Cup championship honours in the #74 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO.
The crew endured a difficult opening phase, with Blattner losing ground following contact with Leung at Turn 1. However, Kessel Racing recovered sufficiently to finish fifth within the Bronze Cup and 34th overall, collecting the points necessary to secure its championships.
Blattner and Marschall claimed the Endurance Cup Drivers’ Championship, while Marschall also secured the combined Overall Bronze Cup Drivers’ title. Kessel Racing additionally won the combined Overall Teams’ Championship, adding to the Endurance Cup Teams’ crown it had already secured at the Nürburgring.
The outcome brought a dramatic conclusion to the Bronze Cup title battle, particularly after Paradine Competition appeared capable of challenging for victory during the opening two hours. Although 2Seas Motorsport claimed the final race win, Kessel Racing emerged with the championship silverware, completing another successful season for the Ferrari squad.
GetSpeed concludes 2026 GTWC Europe season with maiden victory
The Portimão finale brought the 2026 GTWC Europe season to a dramatic conclusion as GetSpeed converted a successful pit-stop strategy into its maiden Endurance Cup victory. Götz, Aron and Schiller overcame the early advantage of the two Porsche entries before Schiller survived two Safety Car interruptions to secure the win.
Lionspeed GP and Boutsen VDS completed the overall podium, while Selected Car Racing and Team WRT delivered impressive Gold and Silver Cup performances. Verstappen’s recovery to ninth provided another major storyline, particularly after his team’s drive-through penalty appeared to eliminate its prospects of finishing inside the top ten.
Meanwhile, the final championship battles produced contrasting fortunes throughout the field. Team WRT claimed the combined Overall Teams’ title, ROWE Racing emerged victorious in the Endurance Cup Gold standings, and Kessel Racing secured the remaining Bronze Cup honours despite the challenges its crew encountered during the race.
With the Sprint Cup having concluded at Barcelona earlier in October, the Portimão finale brought both formats of the 2026 GTWC Europe championship to a close. GetSpeed’s victory therefore completed a season featuring closely contested manufacturer battles, championship-deciding incidents and another series of dramatic endurance racing performances.
