Verstappen Racing Switches to Mercedes for 2026 GT Campaign
Max Verstappen's GT team is officially switching from Ferrari to Mercedes-AMG for the 2026 season. The decision comes after Verstappen tested a Mercedes-AMG GT3, signaling a major manufacturer change for their GT World Challenge Europe campaign.
It's official: Max Verstappen's GT racing team, Verstappen Racing, is leaving Ferrari for Mercedes-AMG starting in 2026. The switch follows a successful private test of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 by Verstappen himself, with the team set to compete in the GT World Challenge Europe, including the prestigious Spa 24 Hours.
Why it matters:
This move is a significant statement in the GT racing world, aligning Verstappen's brand with a manufacturer he competes against in Formula 1. It highlights the strength of Mercedes-AMG's customer racing program and is a blow to Ferrari's own GT efforts, losing a high-profile team associated with the sport's current dominant driver.
The details:
- The 2026 lineup will feature Chris Lulham and former DTM driver Daniel Juncadella as full-season drivers, with Mercedes factory driver Jules Gounon joining for endurance events.
- Team operations will continue to be handled by 2 Seas Motorsport, an experienced AMG specialist run by Nick Cristofaro, a close confidant of Verstappen.
- The team will campaign the Mercedes-AMG GT3 across both the Sprint and Endurance Cups of the GT World Challenge Europe.
- This marks a shift from their 2025 strategy, where they used an Aston Martin for sprint races and a Ferrari 296 GT3 for endurance events.
What's next:
The big question remains Verstappen's personal participation in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. While the four-time F1 champion has expressed a strong desire to compete, his Formula 1 commitments clash with the preparatory NLS races. The 24-hour event itself falls on an F1-free weekend, but Verstappen would face the challenge of competing without any prior seat time in the car on the demanding Nordschleife.