Christopher Haase topped Free Practice 1 (FP1) for the 2026 GT World Challenge (GTWC) Europe Endurance Cup finale at Portimão, recording a 1:42.643 in the #84 Eastalent Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II. The German narrowly edged Team WRT’s Kelvin van der Linde, whose #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO finished just 0.004 seconds behind in an exceptionally close session at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.
Alex Aka completed the overall top three for Tresor Attempto Racing, simultaneously leading the Gold Cup category with a 1:42.686. Further back, Valentin Hasse-Clot secured the fastest Bronze Cup time for Comtoyou Racing in seventh overall, while Ignacio Montenegro topped the Silver Cup classification for Team WRT in tenth.
Meanwhile, four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen completed his first official GTWC Europe session, finishing 20th overall in the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entry. All 61 cars recorded laps during the 90-minute session, with the leading 50 separated by less than one second as teams continued preparing for Saturday’s three-hour Endurance Cup finale.
Haase leads Eastalent Racing to top of 2026 GTWC Europe Portimão FP1
Eastalent Racing emerged as the fastest team during Friday morning’s session, with Haase recording a 1:42.643 in the #84 Audi he shares with Simon Reicher and Markus Winkelhock. The performance represented a significant improvement from Thursday’s opening official paid test, where the Austrian outfit finished fourth overall with a 1:43.194.
However, Haase faced strong competition from Team WRT, with Van der Linde falling just four thousandths of a second short of the benchmark. The South African shares the #32 BMW with Jordan Pepper and Charles Weerts, forming one of the championship’s established Pro combinations. Their second-place finish provided an encouraging start as Team WRT attempts to secure the combined Overall Teams’ Championship, entering the weekend with a five-point advantage over Winward Racing.
Tresor Attempto Racing followed closely in third, with Aka recording a 1:42.686 aboard the #99 Audi. His lap placed the Gold Cup entry just 0.043 seconds behind Haase and ensured that Audi occupied two of the leading three positions. The performance continued the team’s strong recent form following its overall victory during the Barcelona Sprint Cup finale.
BMW remained particularly competitive behind the leading trio, with ROWE Racing’s #98 entry finishing fourth through Marco Wittmann. The German recorded a 1:42.689, placing him just 0.003 seconds behind Aka and 0.046 seconds away from Haase. Team WRT then secured another top-five position through the #46 BMW of Valentino Rossi, Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen, whose 1:42.706 completed a leading group separated by only 0.063 seconds.
BMW and Mercedes-AMG feature among leading contenders
BMW enjoyed a particularly productive opening practice session, placing three cars inside the overall top five. In addition to Van der Linde’s second-place performance, ROWE Racing and Team WRT demonstrated competitive pace with their respective #98 and #46 entries, reinforcing the manufacturer’s position among the leading contenders ahead of qualifying.
For Rossi’s crew, fifth place represented a considerable improvement from Thursday’s opening test, where the #46 BMW finished 28th overall. The Italian is joined by Hesse and Verhagen for the finale, with the latter replacing Dan Harper because of the scheduling clash with the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Barcelona round. Their performance provided Team WRT with further encouragement, particularly as the Belgian outfit also placed its Silver Cup entry inside the top ten.
Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed finished sixth overall, recording a 1:42.795 in the #17 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO shared by Ralf Aron, Maximilian Götz and Fabian Schiller. The team had topped Thursday’s paid test with a 1:42.974, but its improved lap time was only sufficient for sixth during FP1, leaving it 0.152 seconds behind Haase.
Further down the order, Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter finished 31st overall with a 1:43.157. The #48 entry, shared by Lucas Auer, Maro Engel and Luca Stolz, ended the session 0.514 seconds behind the leading Audi. Although the trio has already secured the Endurance Cup Drivers’ Championship, the team remains involved in the remaining championship battles and will aim to improve its position before qualifying.
Aka continues strong form to lead Gold Cup
Tresor Attempto Racing continued its impressive recent performances as Aka secured third overall and the fastest Gold Cup time. The German recorded a 1:42.686 in the #99 Audi he shares with Dylan Pereira and Andrea Frassineti, placing the team ahead of several established Pro Cup entries.
The result follows a successful conclusion to the Sprint Cup campaign, where Aka and Pereira claimed their maiden overall victory at Barcelona. The pair won the rain-affected opening race after starting 14th, taking advantage of changing conditions and a red flag to move through the field. Their latest performance suggests that Tresor Attempto Racing has carried that momentum into the final Endurance Cup weekend.
Steller Motorsport followed in second within the Gold Cup, with the #24 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R recording a 1:43.062 to finish 21st overall. The car, shared by Mikkel Mac, Kasper Jensen and Dennis Lind, ended the session 0.376 seconds behind Aka’s class-leading time, leaving the team with ground to make up ahead of qualifying.
ROWE Racing completed the Gold Cup top three, with Ugo de Wilde, Tim Tramnitz and Jens Klingmann finishing 28th overall in the #998 BMW. Their 1:43.149 left them 0.463 seconds behind Tresor Attempto Racing, although the team enters Portimão holding a three-point advantage over Garage 59 in the Endurance Cup Gold Drivers’ standings. Meanwhile, the #58 Garage 59 McLaren of Thomas Fleming, Louis Prette and Benjamin Goethe finished 36th overall, setting up an important afternoon of preparation for the two championship contenders.
Hasse-Clot leads Bronze Cup on GTWC Europe return
Comtoyou Racing delivered one of the standout performances of the session, with Valentin Hasse-Clot topping the Bronze Cup category and finishing seventh overall in the #11 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO. The French driver recorded a 1:42.850, leaving him just 0.207 seconds behind Haase and ahead of several Pro Cup competitors.
The result was particularly encouraging given that Hasse-Clot is making his first GTWC Europe appearance of the 2026 season. He joins Marcelo Tomasoni and Aaron Muss in the #11 Aston Martin, becoming the latest addition to a line-up that has undergone several changes throughout the campaign. Despite his lack of recent championship experience, Hasse-Clot immediately established competitive pace during his opening practice session.
The performance also contributed to a strong session for Aston Martin, with the #34 natural elements by Walkenhorst Motorsport entry finishing eighth overall. Henrique Chaves, Christian Krognes and Jamie Day recorded a 1:42.865, placing the Pro Cup entry just 0.015 seconds behind the Bronze-leading Comtoyou Racing car.
Behind Hasse-Clot, 2Seas Motorsport secured second in the Bronze Cup and 15th overall, with the #222 Mercedes-AMG recording a 1:42.962. The car, shared by Kiern Jewiss, Charles Dawson and Reece Barr, continued the team’s encouraging start after Dawson topped Thursday’s dedicated Bronze Test. KPX Motorsport followed in third, with its #77 BMW finishing 16th overall on a 1:42.973, just 0.011 seconds behind the 2Seas entry.
Montenegro puts Team WRT fastest in Silver Cup in 2026 GTWC Europe Portimão FP1
Team WRT completed a strong opening practice session by securing the fastest Silver Cup time through Ignacio Montenegro, who recorded a 1:42.902 in the #30 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. The Colombian’s lap placed the car tenth overall, 0.259 seconds behind Haase, and ensured that three WRT entries finished inside the overall top ten.
Montenegro shares the BMW with Matisse Lismont and Amaury Cordeel, forming a combination that has already secured the Endurance Cup Silver Drivers’ Championship. The trio has enjoyed a successful campaign across both Sprint and Endurance competition, arriving at Portimão with the major Silver Cup titles already settled. Nevertheless, their strong FP1 performance demonstrated that the team remains competitive as it seeks to conclude the season with another positive result.
Tresor Attempto Racing followed in second among the Silver Cup competitors, with the #66 Audi of Sebastian Øgaard, Rocco Mazzola and Ariel Levi recording a 1:43.045. The team finished 19th overall, just 0.143 seconds behind Montenegro, adding another competitive result to Tresor Attempto Racing’s morning after its Gold Cup entry secured third overall.
CSA Racing completed the Silver Cup top three, with the #555 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO recording a 1:43.067 to finish 22nd. Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, James Higgins and Loris Cabirou ended the session 0.165 seconds behind WRT’s class-leading time and just 0.022 seconds behind Tresor Attempto Racing. The narrow margins among the three entries reflected the wider competitiveness of the field, with several Silver Cup crews running close to the established Pro combinations.
Verstappen makes official GTWC Europe debut in 20th
Max Verstappen completed his first official GTWC Europe session during FP1, recording a 1:43.046 in the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entry. The four-time Formula 1 World Champion finished 20th overall, just 0.403 seconds behind Haase, as he continued adapting to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO and the demanding Portimão circuit.
The Dutchman shares the car with Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat after the WEC calendar clash forced changes to Verstappen Racing’s line-up. Regular drivers Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon will compete in Barcelona instead, creating an opportunity for Verstappen to make his championship debut.
His opening session included light contact with the #25 Saintéloc Racing Audi during the busy early stages, although both cars continued and the incident caused no significant disruption to the running. The #3 Mercedes-AMG subsequently completed its programme without further problems, giving the revised crew additional mileage before Friday afternoon’s practice and qualifying sessions.
Verstappen Racing had finished second overall during Thursday’s opening test, just 0.102 seconds behind GetSpeed. Although FP1 produced a lower position, the Mercedes-AMG remained within half a second of the benchmark in an exceptionally competitive field.
Verstappen has already outlined his ambition to challenge for victory at Portimão, despite acknowledging that he is still becoming accustomed to GT3 endurance racing. A win for the #3 crew would also make him the first driver to secure an overall GTWC Europe victory in a car carrying his own name since Sébastien Loeb achieved the feat at Navarra in 2013.
Ferrari, Porsche and Ford remain close to leading times in 2026 GTWC Europe Portimão
The competitiveness of the field extended beyond the leading Audi, BMW and Mercedes-AMG entries, with several other manufacturers featuring prominently throughout the classification.
AF Corse placed its #51 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO ninth overall, with Tommaso Mosca, Lorenzo Ferrari and Nicola Lacorte recording a 1:42.892. The result left Ferrari just 0.249 seconds behind Haase, while Comtoyou Racing’s leading Pro Cup Aston Martin followed in 11th. The #7 entry of Mattia Drudi, Ross Gunn and Nicki Thiim recorded a 1:42.911, placing the team only 0.268 seconds away from the fastest time.
Boutsen VDS emerged as Porsche’s leading representative, with the #2 Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO finishing 12th overall on a 1:42.946. The car, shared by Morris Schuring, Dorian Boccolacci and Alessio Picariello, ended the session 0.303 seconds behind Eastalent Racing, while Garage 59 followed in 13th through its #59 McLaren.
HRT Ford Racing completed the leading 14 positions, with the #64 Ford Mustang GT3 EVO recording a 1:42.958. Arjun Maini, Fabio Scherer and Thomas Drouet finished just 0.315 seconds behind Haase, demonstrating the strength of the competition across the leading manufacturers.
The closely matched performances meant that eight different manufacturers occupied positions inside the top 14. With such narrow gaps between their fastest laps, relatively small improvements during the remaining sessions could significantly change the starting order before Saturday’s race.
All 61 cars complete FP1 without red flags
The opening 90-minute session ran without any major incidents, allowing teams to complete their planned programmes while continuing to assess car setups, tyre performance and race preparations.
Although a handful of drivers experienced spins and Verstappen made light contact with the Saintéloc Audi, the session continued without red flag interruptions. All 61 cars recorded times, providing the entire field with valuable running ahead of the final Endurance Cup race of the year.
The competitive margins were particularly striking, with the fastest 50 entries separated by just 0.989 seconds. Optimum Motorsport’s #4 McLaren occupied 50th overall with a 1:43.632, illustrating how closely matched the majority of the field remained despite the different manufacturers and driver categories represented.
At the front, the five quickest entries finished within 0.063 seconds of Haase, while the leading ten were covered by only 0.259 seconds. Consequently, traffic management and the ability to produce a clean qualifying lap could prove particularly important, especially with 61 cars sharing the circuit.
Teams will now return to the track for Free Practice 2 at 12:45 local Portuguese time on Friday, 16 October, before qualifying begins at 17:55. The final three-hour Endurance Cup race will take place on Saturday, 17 October, beginning at 17:00.
The Portimão season finale will determine several remaining championship honours, including the combined Overall Teams’ title and the Endurance Cup Gold and Bronze Drivers’ crowns.
For now, Eastalent Racing holds the advantage after Haase’s 1:42.643, but the narrow gap to Van der Linde and the competitive performances across the leading manufacturers suggest that the fight for pole position remains open.
FP1 results
