As the 2025 GTWC Europe Sprint Cup reaches its climax in Valencia, Thierry Vermeulen finds himself on the cusp of championship glory. After a sweltering qualifying session at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, the Dutchman secured tenth place overall—second in the Gold Cup category—alongside teammate Chris Lulham in the #69 Verstappen.com car. While speaking to the media ahead of Race 1 in Valencia, Vermeulen outlined his expectations for Saturday, especially with the championship battle looming large.
Verstappen a strong supporter
While Vermeulen and Lulham have shown strong pace and consistency all year, their success has not happened in isolation. Indeed, they’ve had none other than Max Verstappen following their every move. As the founder of Verstappen.com Racing, Verstappen has kept a close eye on the team’s progress and continues to play a direct role in their development.
When asked about Verstappen’s involvement and intensity, Vermeulen confirmed just how present the F1 World Champion has been throughout the year.
“Yeah, I think we could say so,” he said when asked if Verstappen followed his progress. “I mean, he’s very involved of course with Verstappen.com Racing. This year, the first year together with Chris [Lulhum], so two Verstappen.com drivers, and it’s been a really nice season working all together and him pushing me to learn and to do better at the end of the day.”
Vermeulen urges focus as the #69 seeks to maximise 2025 gains
Crucially, this weekend marks the final Sprint round of the season. Vermeulen and Lulham currently lead the Gold Cup standings, and with just one round of racing left on the Sprint calendar, the duo has a clear shot at clinching the title. Although the grid position leaves work to do, Vermeulen remains focused on delivering a measured and decisive performance.
When asked whether the team would take a defensive approach or push aggressively for the win, Vermeulen explained their mindset heading into Sunday’s showdown.
“Oh, we want to win it but like we said all season we want to also focus on the overall and I think today we still have a shot at that. The car has been quick as we can see in the front of the grid, and we just have to stay focused to maximise each race, and then we’ll see at the end of the weekend where we come out.”
Hotter conditions and high stakes
One of the biggest challenges of the weekend has been the extreme heat. Track temperatures soared during qualifying, and conditions are expected to remain just as intense for the race. These elevated temperatures not only affect grip and tyre behaviour, but they also alter car balance and strategy—especially during close battles in a tightly packed GT3 field.
When asked how different the car feels now compared to qualifying conditions, Vermeulen gave a clear picture of the challenge ahead.
“For sure, it’s a lot warmer. I mean in race pack anyway we’ll be following cars so we’ll have to take care of the tyres. But we’ve been able to practice this on the days before, and hopefully, we can apply it today.”
Managing tyre wear in traffic will be vital, particularly on a circuit as technical and enclosed as Valencia. Although outright pace is important, staying disciplined and clean through traffic could prove even more decisive.
Focus on execution, not expectation
Although the 2025 GTWC Europe Sprint title is within reach, Vermeulen and Lulham are not relying on others to make mistakes in Valencia. Instead, they’ve stayed true to the same philosophy that has guided them all year: consistency, composure, and smart decision-making. Now, with one final Sprint race left to run, that same consistency could carry them to the title.
